Feeding of nettles to plecos?

[Chrysichthys]

This is suggested in the Wikipedia article on Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps. I know humans can safely eat nettles once they've been boiled, as with nettle soup.

Does anybody on Planet Catfish have experience of feeding nettles to plecos, either boiled or raw? There are some other problems with the article that I'm going to fix when I get a chance, and I'm wondering whether to leave the mention of nettles as is, add that they should boiled first, or delete it from the article.

[Borbi]

Hi,

if you nettles is the stuff we in Germany call "Brennessel", then yes, I do feed it. Specifically, I feed it to young plecos I intend to raise. They are rich in vitamin C and herbivorous plecos are quite easily raised with it. Especially since it is available to the fish all day.

As to "preparation": I usually shortly pour hot water over the dried leaves. But that is actually just because then it immediately sinks to the ground. If that is not required (if it´s just a food addition), just putting them on the water and wait works just as well. I even prefer that, because my Chemistry tells me that this way, more of the vital things in the nettle survive.

Cheers, Sandor

[Joren56]

Can white deadnettles be given without preparation ?
And do they also contain lots of vitamin C ?
Or are only the common stinging nettles and relatives good for feeding as I view on wikipedia that these 2 nettles are from a different family of plants .
Would be nice to know, deadnettles don't sting me .

[Chrysichthys]

if you nettles is the stuff we in Germany call "Brennessel", then yes, I do feed it

Is that a stinging or non-stinging nettle?

[Borbi]

Hi,

it´s a stinging one. Urtica dioica, if Wikipedia serves me right.

Hope that helps,

Cheers, Sandor

[apistomaster]

For the wiki article, I think I wouldn't mention nettles.
In the USA it is a common road side weed which may be subject herbicide spraying. It's not like it is hard to find plenty of other foods they will eat.

[Borbi]

Hi Larry,

..well, technically speaking, so do they over here.
I would consider that a question of personal care in the collection process. In the end of the day, Tubifex worms or Red Mosquito Larvae (don´t know whether that are the "red worms" on your side of the pond) thrive in highly contaminated water. By feeding those to fish you can just as easily kill them.
Regarding the other available foods: well, I would call that a question of personal "taste". I believe that these leaves are closer to herbivores natural food source than any industrially available food. And if you collect the right parts, you will hardly get that many essential food ingredients (vitamins, trace elements and so on) in a single food item without overfeeding with heavy proteins at the same time (industrial fish foods contain considerable amounts of fish meal [at least that´s the translation my dictionary offers me]).
The second thing is constant availability: to me such natural leaves have the great advantage that I can have food constantly available to aufwuchs eating catfish fry and still go to work. My experience tells me that they grow far better (and are more healthy) if they can eat constantly rather than in bunches twice a day before and after work. That also more closely resembles their natural habitats, where the young catfish essentially live in algae covered areas. All that striktly applies to herbivorous young catfish, of course! Species like Hypancistrus are a completely different matter and don´t get that stuff.

But as I said, I would consider that a question of personal taste and personal risk evaluation. I am quite sure where I get my nettles from and I trust that area. Also the only place I would use alder cones from.

Cheers, Sandor