Common Pleco Diet

[Mako Man111]

I know mine really chows down on the wood in my tank (so much brown stuff lol), but what else do he/she need? Will algae wafers/catfish tablets/shrimp pellets sufice or do I need to feed it daily fresh veggies like cucumber and lettuce?

 

[paul_219]

u dont need to add for him daily fresh vegetable i guess once per week. I dont feed mine anything and is healthy and happy.

 

[Mako Man111]

u dont need to add for him daily fresh vegetable i guess once per week. I dont feed mine anything and is healthy and happy.

Any other opinions? Also, do I have to boil the cucumber or zuchini first before feading it?

 

[LisaLQ]

I alternate between wafers and veggies every other day (erm one day wafers, one day veggies) but I have several plecs, so I think 2-3 times a week for veg will do. You cant feed them nothing - yep they might survive on tank muck, but it's certainly not what's best for them, so personally I'd ignore that advice (no offense!).

I give mine mainly courgette and sweet potato - as that's all they've taken a liking to so far, but apparently other folks plecs like normal potato, peas, lettuce, cucumber, carrots, melon (not tried that myself yet). You dont need to blanche it unless you have babies, just cut off a chunk/slice, wash it, weigh it down (stick a spoon through it, or a screwcumber, or some plant lead), plonk it in and then remove what's left uneaten the next morning

Some plecs dont mind the odd prawn/mussell or shrimp pellets and the like - but only as a once in a while thing - not daily.

 

[KathyM]

All plecs need proper feeding paul, they shouldn't really be left to feed on leftovers.

Mako Man111 - my plecs (which include a common now) get plec wafers, and courgette or cucumber (washed but raw - stick a stainless steel spoon through it - by the handle - and it'll sink). They sometimes enjoy a bit of melon (with the soft pulp removed). Lisa has told me her plecs love sweet potato, and I'm going to try them on that too. Veggies don't need to be fed every day, but a couple of times a week will keep them in good nick. Common plecs are omnivores, so they can have protein from the odd prawn, or some shrimp pellets, or similar.

Edit: Damnit she beat me to it LMAO!

 

[LisaLQ]

Oooh we're so twinny, Kathy!

 

[KathyM]

LMAO Lisa

 

[loughran1979]

I have only just started to feed my Common Pleco and two Bristle nose Cucumber. Tonight this first night. I have four pcs into the tank two blanched, two raw with one of each skinned. To see what they like the most.
As this huge oversight in Catfish diet has only been corrected due to the fact that they have destroyed all the plants in my tank, i intead to start to keep them well feed.
I imagen that the cucumber alone will not be enough to keep them Healthy. When it comes to patato - sweet or normal ? raw or boiled ? .
I am off on a snowboarding trip at the end of the week - never seen snow can't wait , i would like to if it would be a problem leaving cucumber in the tank without removing it. I will do a full clean and water change before i go but as i have never left stuff like cucumber or patato in the tank before i dont know what sort of effect it will have on the water qulity. I will be gone for Seven Days.

Ohh the reason why i would like to put the cucumber in the tank while im gone is to try and keep the Pleco and Bristle nose of the 14 day feeders. I left two seven day feeders in the tank over Xmas and came back five days later to find both feeders finished and what little was left of my plants gone.

Any help with the new diet would be great.

Thanks
Dave

 

[loughran1979]

The cucumber seemed to be a big hit most of it was eaten. I will give it to them raw as they seemed to prefer it.
I see some people feed them Pea's - don't they float ?