how to introduce your goldfish to vegetables?

[thatfancygoldfish 366]

I tried feeding mango last night a piece of lettuce on the veggie clip! No luck! Not even remotely curious!

How did you introduce your fish to vegetables when you first got them home? Today is day three at home! He's also super super skittish, wont eat unless I walk away from the tank!

[dnalex 13,633]

Did you blanch your lettuce? I blanch everything

The nice thing with veggies is that you can, and should, leave them there, even for a day or two. When you first try to acquaint Mango to something new, don't feed him his regular food. He will learn to eat the new stuff...eventually.

[thatfancygoldfish 366]

Did you blanch your lettuce? I blanch everything

The nice thing with veggies is that you can, and should, leave them there, even for a day or two. When you first try to acquaint Mango to something new, don't feed him his regular food. He will learn to eat the new stuff...eventually.

Yep! boiled for 30 seconds!

Really? I didn't know I could leave veggies in the tank for a good amount of time! I'll try it for the next day or two! Hopefully he'll get out of his shy spell too, It's hard to get him to eat and time it properly to make sure he's getting enough At least he eats the omega one sinking pellets! It's a start!

Edited July 5, 2012 by thatfancygoldfish

[Evening 102]

I leave veggies in until they get eaten, unless the goldfish just completely avoid them, or leave big scraps.

Now mine have learned to go after pretty much anything I put in the tank, so introducing new foods is easy.

[thatfancygoldfish 366]

I leave veggies in until they get eaten, unless the goldfish just completely avoid them, or leave big scraps.

Now mine have learned to go after pretty much anything I put in the tank, so introducing new foods is easy.

Lucky!!! I hope mango gets the idea!

[tithra 4,917]

You can try putting some garlic juice on the veggies too to make them more enticing, or stick something extra tasty on the clip like a little orange slice so that he figures out that the clip means food don't give up, sometimes it takes awhile.

[thatfancygoldfish 366]

You can try putting some garlic juice on the veggies too to make them more enticing, or stick something extra tasty on the clip like a little orange slice so that he figures out that the clip means food don't give up, sometimes it takes awhile.

Thank you so much!! I will try the garlic juice!! that was a really helpful reply

[Narny105 1,992]

Yep, I used the garlic method when it was recommended to me and they were eating veggies within a few weeks, now they get blanched spinach once a week, and orange before a water change every two weeks (since it can be messy)

[Evening 102]

You can feed them after a fast day to make sure they're hungry as well.

[thatfancygoldfish 366]

Yep, I used the garlic method when it was recommended to me and they were eating veggies within a few weeks, now they get blanched spinach once a week, and orange before a water change every two weeks (since it can be messy)

Such a great idea to do it before a water change! I saw him nibbling on it a bit tonight, I'll leave the cuccumber in over night in the tank At least he seems curious over it!!

You can feed them after a fast day to make sure they're hungry as well.

Alright! I'll try that too! I plan to make sunday my fast day so we'll try it on monday!

[dnalex 13,633]

As an aside that is somewhat relevant, I just want to say that with young fish, I don't really see the need for a fast day. Fasting in adults is a great way to make sure that they are not overfed and constipated and/or developing floaty issues. I have found that since I've had them on a more balanced diet, there is no need for fasting.

[thatfancygoldfish 366]

As an aside that is somewhat relevant, I just want to say that with young fish, I don't really see the need for a fast day. Fasting in adults is a great way to make sure that they are not overfed and constipated and/or developing floaty issues. I have found that since I've had them on a more balanced diet, there is no need for fasting.

fantastic! I'll just keep an eye on him then and feed every day. I plan on cooking some gel food next week.

Still trying to figure out how to get this little guy out of his shell too haha, so scared of everything! I'd like to see him eat infront of me so I make sure he's getting enough, but he's not letting me do that

[dnalex 13,633]

That will just take time.

[Ms.Jenny 555]

You can also cut up a couple little pieces of what you're feeding him and let it sink to the bottom like his normal pellets so it's not so new and scary. This is what I did to get my new fish Bitsy to start eating veggies, she wouldn't even get close to the veggie clip at first even with my other fish chomping away. Once they sunk down she ate them and eventually she started eating off the clip as well.

[thatfancygoldfish 366]

That will just take time.

I will be patient! I saw mango nibbling on it once in a while... so I think there is some interest in it, but it's a nibble, and then an hour later, maybe two there will be a second nibble! Actually as I'm typing this I saw him nibble at the outter part of the cuccumber (I didn't peel it) so yay!

You can also cut up a couple little pieces of what you're feeding him and let it sink to the bottom like his normal pellets so it's not so new and scary. This is what I did to get my new fish Bitsy to start eating veggies, she wouldn't even get close to the veggie clip at first even with my other fish chomping away. Once they sunk down she ate them and eventually she started eating off the clip as well.

That's a great idea! I'm pretty sure mango is used to sinking pellets! So that is a good option!!!!