Blanching Veggies

[jonclark96]

In another thread about feeding plecos, multiple folks mentioned that they blanche their veggies before feeding them to the tank. What is the benefit of blanching?

I've recently been feeding my tanks with multiple plecos with zuccini. I just cut it in half, rubber band it to a rock, and drop it in the tank. Not only do the plecos go nuts for it, but so do most of the cichlids in the tank as well. Am I doing something wrong by not blanching first? I always figured that in nature, they would get raw veggie matter and not cooked.

 

[chriscoli]

I've never blanched, either, Jon.

But I do slice mine up and use my special (super cheap dollar store) fish-room-only forks to sink the slices. I stab one on a fork and drop the whole thing in the tank.

Of course, I get lazy and don't remove them till I need them again and I've had more than one person ask why I have forks in my tank....

 

[crazyclowntang]

Of course, I get lazy and don't remove them till I need them again and I've had more than one person ask why I have forks in my tank....

LMAO!

 

[Tony]

Maybe it softens up the tissue for easier consumption?

 

[gravel_digger]

i am visualizing the new "tanked" theme with forks decorated the tank.. HA HA HA HA

 

[chriscoli]

I guess my reason for NOT blanching them was that, especially with zucchini, it can get so mushy that it doesn't last as long and it breaks up in the tank too soon.

The one that I never understood was blanched lettuce. I'd be interested to know if anyone in our group does that. I mean, how does that not make a huge mess in the tank? Or do you just take a handful and toss it in and not worry about anchoring it?

I also occasionally do canned green beans or peas. The peas did not go over well for most of my plecos....only a few liked them. The green beans went over well, but only after I sliced them open lengthwise so they could get to the soft middle. I found myself in my fishroom with a cutting board and an exacto knife slicing green beans thinking to myself, "frikkin' fussy picky pollyanna fish....why am I doing this?"

 

[jonclark96]

The only other veggie I have fed is romaine lettuce. Most of my cichlids enjoyed it, especially the larger south americans (severums, uaru, etc).

I'll have to try green beans next time we have them in the house.

 

[verbal]

I boil blanch mine usually. I do it so they sink, but I am sure weighing it down would work well too.

 

[Hannibal]

I know in the culinary trade you blanch vegetables if you are going to freeze them in order to shut down the enzymes so that they hold better in the freezer. Maybe the thought is similar, shut down the enzymes before you put it in your tank to slow deterioration?

I have never done it myself, I just put zucchini right in the tank and my fish love it.

 

[Avatar]

Au naturel

Not like fish ever get/have been exposed to cooked veggies in the wild or at any time during their evolution (rare and localized volcanic events not withstanding). Cooking does denature enzymes, and vitamins as well - rare for cooking to actually result in making something more rather than less digestible/nutritious with respect to plants, and in any case bacteria in the GI tract can pretty much break down just about anything organic.

 

[fischfan13]

I blanch just to make sure that anything that could have been sprayed on, ie insectiside or wax or the creepy old guy at the produce aisle, comes off.

My veggie of choice, if anyone is interested , is asparagus.

 

[Avatar]

Maybe

Trust to rinsing and a gentle scrub/soap for that myself, not sure how cooking by itself could remove anything toxic, heat alone might just bind it to the produce. And then there's "organic" choices...

Asparagus sounds right, had never thought to use lettuce or anything else besides zucchini for some reason...

 

[chriscoli]

yep, boiling won't necessarily remove toxins.

 

[Becca]

Good question. I remember Dennis used to do this to zucchini for baby BN plecos, but I'm not sure why he cooked it. He used to give them that and banana - they loved both.

 

[rsretep]

I quarter the Zucchini and stab a plant weight through it to submerge

 

[hollyfish2000]

I nuke for a few seconds to soften it

 

[jonclark96]

I feel better now, knowing I'm not the only one who isn't blanching. I'll also give asparagus a try this summer.

 

[scientist0724]

I've never blanched, either, Jon.

But I do slice mine up and use my special (super cheap dollar store) fish-room-only forks to sink the slices. I stab one on a fork and drop the whole thing in the tank.

Of course, I get lazy and don't remove them till I need them again and I've had more than one person ask why I have forks in my tank....

I love it!

Arlene