Sweet Potato Cloudy Tank

[Skirge]

Any suggestion about feeding sweet potato ?
I have tried blanching it and just washing it but no matter what it always seems to make my tank really cloudy after say 30 mins of being in there.

Its a shame as my Clown Plec loves it, he won't go near cucumber or corchete and he needs his five a day.

 

[scatz]

i have the same trouble with one of my tanks when putting courgette in, or at least i used to, i added a small internal filter a while back and it seems better now.
i wouldn't worry about blanching their veg, just put it in raw, have you tried butternut squash?, still good for them but doesn't seem as starchy as sweet potato, might save you getting a cloudy tank:dk:

 

[Skirge]

I have an internal filter, it does clear in a few hours once removed... cheers for the butternut squash idea I will give it a go.

 

[Doodles]

Red, yellow and Orange peppers are also popular. I would still feed sweet potato once a week or if you can get some yam even better as this is a favourite for panaques but try feeding the day before you do a water change.

 

[matubula]

I used to feed a lot more sweet potato to my Panaque than I do now. I find it is the 'dirtiest'. I find that whilst they chew on it they puff white clouds out of their gills, drop a lot of the shavings and the poo doesn't stick together well. But it does seem their favourite. I've 'weaned' my biggest on to carrots and the rest onto swedes for the most of their veg.

 

[Irene0100]

i occasionally give sweet potatoe, raw. a thin slice in a clip so plenty of surface to chew. never had tank go cloudy with it.

 

[Skirge]

Tried something yesterday and it seemed to work, I soaked the sweet potato in cold water giving it a wash and a squeeze, tipped out the water and started again, leaving it to soak for 15 mins at a time after giving it a squeeze. I think this can get rid of a lot of the starch, anyway been in for 10 hours now and I still have a clear tank and a very happy Clown pleco.

 

[Pete]

Tried something yesterday and it seemed to work, I soaked the sweet potato in cold water giving it a wash and a squeeze, tipped out the water and started again, leaving it to soak for 15 mins at a time after giving it a squeeze. I think this can get rid of a lot of the starch, anyway been in for 10 hours now and I still have a clear tank and a very happy Clown pleco.

Good idea will try that I had gven up with sweet potato becase of the cloudy water:clap:

 

[Bigjohnnofish]

i dunno if the water conditions affect whether or not sweet potatoe clouds up or not...

but i put a chunk 5cm across and about 10cm tall peeled into a fork then forked into the gravel and i leave it in there up to 30 days without a problem...

the 204's continually chew it untill i remove it.... i also have royal whiptails in the tank and i think they eat any slime or film that grows over the sweet potatoe...

they prefer the orange potatoe against the purple ones....

and the water never gets cloudy??? ph - 7.4 temp 24-30 degrees and its only in a 70 litre tank.... but does get 30% water change daily

 

[Doodles]

but does get 30% water change daily

That probably helps prevent it.

 

[Skirge]

Well I definitely see a difference if I soak as I sad above before putting it in the tank

 

[WhatThePlec]

I usually boil slices of sweet potato first (not completely boiled, but enough until it goes reasonably soft). I do not find much of a problem with cloudy water unless I leave it for a long time (24 hours). I usually feed before I go to bed, and remove leftover in the morning, if there is any (which usually there hardly any to bother worrying about removing).

I think you might be onto something with the soaking. I boil mine which draws out a lot of the starch (judging by how the water turns while boiling). Soaking probably has a similar effect.

Also, I'm not sure if the sweet potato's we have here in Australia are the same as what you have/call sweet potato's in the UK

 

[Skirge]

Pinky/orange coloured when peeled.. I fin now if I nuke it, wash it then let it cool on a bowl of cold water.. then add it to the tank its fine and they love it.

 

[R2 Ranch]

I slice and freeze mine. Thaw and place in aquarium..... No more cloudy water issues.