BN diet

[AlexT]

I've had a read around on here. I've got x2 small golden ancistrus, both about 3cm big. They are in with lots of Corydoras (14) and small tetra's (21). The substrate is sand, it's heavily planted, and there are three pieces of driftwood in there, each quite large, about 12 inches each.

I'm based in the UK and I having trouble sourcing Omega One, because then I would get this https://www.amazon.com/Omega-One-Veggie-Rounds-8-1oz/dp/B007R52FSG
So, the next best I think I could find was this https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005BAE03W?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

My next question is what actual veggies should I supplement with, if any? In the past with BN I've used a mixture of courgette and cucumber. I don't know if this is good practice? And if so, how often? I think in the good old United States of America, they call courgettes as zucchini?

The other foods the BN are likely to see in my tank are the following
- Fluval bug bites granules
- Frozen brine shrimp
- Frozen daphnia
- Frozen bloodworm (but not sure on these)

Any feedback on what be missing in the diet? Anything I've mentioned that I should not include in the tank feeding regime?

 

[Byron]

First comment, I would not get the Tetra Pleco Spirulina Wafers. They might be OK if you only had the ancistrus, but I would not want my cories eating these. Ingredients from Tetra:
Cereals, Vegetable protein extracts, Derivatives of vegetable origin, Yeasts, Oils and fats, Algae (Ascophyllum Nodosum 3,0%, Spirulina 0,9 %), Minerals.

Shame about the Omega One, as the Veggie Disks have the spirulina/algae for the plecos but also whole fish/shrimp so the cories can eat them without much trouble. Corydoras cannot digest vegetable foods like algae, spirulina. I used these when I had cories and Whiptails together.

I will leave it to the pleco members to suggest foods. @TwoTankAmin will likely know.

 

[Colin_T]

they need driftwood and algae too

 

[AlexT]

they need driftwood and algae too

I've got 3 large bits of driftwood in the set up, and I've got blanket weed (not newly added), grabbed it from LFS pond plants section back when I was cycling the tank.

Coming back to this thread and especially @TwoTankAmin when you have a moment. There are 14 corydoras and 2 small golden ancistrus. No surprise, anything that hits the substrate, the corydoras are there real quick. I'm looking for ideas to get the ancistrus the right foods and for the BN to also have access (re corydoras) to the right foods that I do put the foods in the tank.

As @Byron stated, the issue with the vegetable based wafer food I can source, they are mostly (or all) vegetable content and extract, and not good for the corydoras.

How often can I rely on courgette/zucchini to satisfy the BN? What can I do that is fair to both the BN and the corydoras? Thanks.

 

[AlexT]

BTW I have leaf litter in the tank with more to add. I think they like the microorganisms that grow on leafs and algae

 

[seangee]

Mine love shrimp pellets (pellets made from, rather than for shrimp). I have never specifically fed for the BNs, as documented elsewhere I had one (Billy the bulldozer) that lived for 19 years. If there is a food they really like (and Omega veggie rounds are in this category), or if they are hungry they will move the cories out of the way - there is good reason for Billy's nickname.

Disclaimer: Billy is the only fish I have ever named

 

[AlexT]

Mine love shrimp pellets (pellets made from, rather than for shrimp). I have never specifically fed for the BNs, as documented elsewhere I had one (Billy the bulldozer) that lived for 19 years. If there is a food they really like (and Omega veggie rounds are in this category), or if they are hungry they will move the cories out of the way - there is good reason for Billy's nickname.

Disclaimer: Billy is the only fish I have ever named

nice one Sean. I tried to source Omega one but having problems.

 

[seangee]

nice one Sean. I tried to source Omega one but having problems.

I know -it seems to go in cycles where you can get it (at an affordable price) and much longer cycles where you can't. They do like and eat the Hikari wafers. IIRC this has a lot of filler but I do buy a small bag when I just can't get Omega One.

 

[AlexT]

I know -it seems to go in cycles where you can get it (at an affordable price) and much longer cycles where you can't. They do like and eat the Hikari wafers. IIRC this has a lot of filler but I do buy a small bag when I just can't get Omega One.

Thanks. I was a bit disappointed when I saw the Hikari algae wafer ingredients. The number 1 ingredient is fish meal.

 

[Essjay]

For general purpose fish flakes I've discovered Oase Organix which seem to be better than most foods. They do other types of food as well, I suggest browsing their website to see if there's something suitable. Even Maidenhead Aquatics sell a few of the range.

Organix fish food

www.oase.com

 

[AlexT]

For general purpose fish flakes I've discovered Oase Organix which seem to be better than most foods. They do other types of food as well, I suggest browsing their website to see if there's something suitable. Even Maidenhead Aquatics sell a few of the range.

Organix fish food

www.oase.com

This was just for one of their range (daily granulate) but the ingredients seem better than most)
Ingredients: Whole salmon, whole shrimp, wheat flour, wheat germ, whole herring, fresh kelp, wheat gluten

 

[Essjay]

I bought their Daily Flakes based on the ingredients list after I failed to find Omega One flakes.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

When I kept BN I fed a lot of zucchini. I would skuice it up and freeze it in waxed paper so I could take out as many slices as I wanted. I would put the in the micro on defrost. The goal was not to let them cook, but to do the equivalent of par boiling. To know if a slice will sink in the tank, it has to be cooled off.

I was not big on cuke. But, BN loved canned green beans with no salt added. Get the pieces, split them open at the seam and feed/ Sometime they will eat the seeds (small bn don't). If they do not eat the seeds, then in the future remove them before dropping them into the tank. The beans along with a few blood worms worked well for getting BN in the mood for love.

BN are "aufwuchs" feeders.

Aufwuchs is a combination of green algae, diatoms, and small plants, along with tiny organisms such as insect larvae, crustaceans, rotifers, protozoans, and snails that live with them on the surface of hard substrates such as rocks. Many species of fish such as Mbuna cichlids, various plecos and gobies are specialized to feed on aufwuchs by scraping hard surfaces for whatever nutrients they can find. These species do eat a lot of low-caloric algae, but it is the small meaty treats that they relish and what really makes them grow and thrive.

I feed Repashy Gel Mix foods. Alan makes one called soilent green. You can do interesting things with this food. At starts life as a thick liquid which is hot, it cool into a solid with is softish. You can let it cool in a container and once done, you can cut i into blocks. Treat it like human food. It keeps for maybe 2 weeks in the fridge and 6 months frozen. You can coar a couch and when its olidifies, drop the rock into the tank. the cories will like it too.

Now for the good part --> https://repashy.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=13

Heads up I find 3 parts water too loose and slippery and 2 is a bit on the harder side. Star with 2.5 and see how you like it. I use 4 of his foods. Only 2 are listed on that site. I keep Hypancistrus and they are meat lovers and I use the Soilent Green (20%) mixed with the Bottom Scratcher (80%). He does another food called Spawn & Grow which is mix in a similar manner. Note on the UK site he does Morning Wood for for the xylivores.

 

[AlexT]

When I kept BN I fed a lot of zucchini. I would skuice it up and freeze it in waxed paper so I could take out as many slices as I wanted. I would put the in the micro on defrost. The goal was not to let them cook, but to do the equivalent of par boiling. To know if a slice will sink in the tank, it has to be cooled off.

I was not big on cuke. But, BN loved canned green beans with no salt added. Get the pieces, split them open at the seam and feed/ Sometime they will eat the seeds (small bn don't). If they do not eat the seeds, then in the future remove them before dropping them into the tank. The beans along with a few blood worms worked well for getting BN in the mood for love.

BN are "aufwuchs" feeders.



I feed Repashy Gel Mix foods. Alan makes one called soilent green. You can do interesting things with this food. At starts life as a thick liquid which is hot, it cool into a solid with is softish. You can let it cool in a container and once done, you can cut i into blocks. Treat it like human food. It keeps for maybe 2 weeks in the fridge and 6 months frozen. You can coar a couch and when its olidifies, drop the rock into the tank. the cories will like it too.

Now for the good part --> https://repashy.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=13

Heads up I find 3 parts water too loose and slippery and 2 is a bit on the harder side. Star with 2.5 and see how you like it. I use 4 of his foods. Only 2 are listed on that site. I keep Hypancistrus and they are meat lovers and I use the Soilent Green (20%) mixed with the Bottom Scratcher (80%). He does another food called Spawn & Grow which is mix in a similar manner. Note on the UK site he does Morning Wood for for the xylivores.

Brilliant, thanks for taking the time. Some great ideas!!

 

[seangee]

When they are bigger raw zucchini is also fine. Mine love spinach - either raw or very lightly cooked, steamed or dunked in boiling water and allowed to cool