HELP - horrible problem with plecos

[anewbie]

So i have this awful problem with my plecos. I put zuc in my tanks twice a week and twice a week i end up with this:



In tank 1 they only eat the skin; in tank 2 they pretty much eat the whole thing; and in tank 3 they eat everything but the skin.

This is horribly wasteful and i need a solution to this problem. I did try moving the skin to the skin eating tank and the meat to the meat eating tank but alas they snub it as used food and wouldn't touch it.

 

[Rocky998]

Feed one only the skin, other the whole thing, and the other tank feed it skinless... That would be what I'd do

 

[DoubleDutch]

They only suck on the zuc ?
Try different vegs. Caulyflower, brocolli, peppers, brussels sprouts etx...

 

[anewbie]

Well the p

They only suck on the zuc ?
Try different vegs. Caulyflower, brocolli, peppers, brussels sprouts etx...

Well the observation is in different aquariums they at different portions of the same veggie; i do feed them other stuff - the 2nd most likely thing is a bit of sweet potato which is suppose to be one of the better bang per buck with regards to the nutrition....

 

[DoubleDutch]

Also realise they need protein as well as omnivores.

 

[anewbie]

Also realise they need protein as well as omnivores.

Yes Yes they get fluval bug bites and omega-one shrimp pellets; but really all of this is off topic. The topic is why do they eat one part of the zuc in one aquarium but another part in the other aquarium....

 

[Slaphppy7]

I wish this was the only "horrible" problem I ever encountered with my fish, lol

Zucchini is cheap, I don't understand the issue here...and as @DoubleDutch suggested above, try a variety of veggies...mine love broccoli, cauliflower, green beans...

 

[ghyti]

That is the way it is. I have noticed the same thing. You pretty much just have to live with it. Some tanks they eat the skin first and some they eat everything but the skin. Just scoop the old stuff out when you put in new.

 

[anewbie]

Well i'm a firm believer there is a reason for everything - it just a matter of discovering that reason; and currently this is my 2nd most pressing issue. The most pressing issue i have is how to thin the population in my 120 until the this spring when everyone will get split between the 540 and 450.

 

[outofwater]

Maybe that's just how the fish are? Seems like you're overthinking it.
Everyone told me a dwarf gourami would be a peaceful addition to a community tank and would love certain food, in fact "needed" it.
Well, my dwarf gourami won't live with any other fish without trying to nip at them, eats mostly pellets and reject other foods including frozen and live food; and even goes after the mystery and nerite snails who are his only two "tankmates", trying to nip at them and knocking them off the glass, repeatedly.

 

[Slaphppy7]

View attachment 168064

I did try moving the skin to the skin eating tank and the meat to the meat eating tank but alas they snub it as used food and wouldn't touch it.

Zucchini has "meat"?

Better let my vegan friends know....all one of them...

Did you blanch the zucchini before adding to the tank?

 

[Unknownfuture]

I wish this was the only "horrible" problem I ever encountered with my fish, lol

Zucchini is cheap, I don't understand the issue here...and as @DoubleDutch suggested above, try a variety of veggies...mine love broccoli, cauliflower, green beans...

Agreed - if that was the only horrible problem with any fish.

I feed my plecos zucchini/courgette. Largest ones I can find due to the stock and they devour it over night. I’ve noticed certain Plecs like the skin first others like the bristlenose’ start from the other side. ( I cut the veg in two and screwcumber them down ) you will always get something left over. I normally just see some floating crater filled ‘thing’ about 2 mm thick doing the rounds of the tank in the morning. Plecos just have a preference I guess

Serious matters are realising the discus at the bottom of the pecking order is picking off the cardinals at night £50 in cardinals down. Cichlids gotta bully something !
Also one of my L95 flashing (healthy other than the random irritation no ich or flukes) when a fish gets Sick it’s never clear cut in my aquarium. I’ll work it out just going through the motions but that’s what I consider horrible

 

[Slaphppy7]

Agreed - if that was the only horrible problem with any fish.

I feed my plecos zucchini/courgette. Largest ones I can find due to the stock and they devour it over night. I’ve noticed certain Plecs like the skin first others like the bristlenose’ start from the other side. ( I cut the veg in two and screwcumber them down ) you will always get something left over. I normally just see some floating crater filled ‘thing’ about 2 mm thick doing the rounds of the tank in the morning. Plecos just have a preference I guess

"Screwcumber" just became my favorite word of the day.

It's analogous to some humans not eating the crust of their pizza ..."horrible"?....hardly...annoying?...depends on your perspective

When I feed my plecs veggies, there's usually some bits left over...if they're still on the skewer after a day, I remove them from the tank...if they fall off, my shrimps and snails take care of the remnants

 

[anewbie]

Zucchini has "meat"?

Better let my vegan friends know....all one of them...

Did you blanch the zucchini before adding to the tank?

No but as i said in some tanks they eat the whole thing; in others they eat the 'meat' and not the skin; and in the last tank they eat the skin but not the 'meat'. And you know what I am referring to as the 'meat'....

 

[anewbie]

Agreed - if that was the only horrible problem with any fish.

I feed my plecos zucchini/courgette. Largest ones I can find due to the stock and they devour it over night. I’ve noticed certain Plecs like the skin first others like the bristlenose’ start from the other side. ( I cut the veg in two and screwcumber them down ) you will always get something left over. I normally just see some floating crater filled ‘thing’ about 2 mm thick doing the rounds of the tank in the morning. Plecos just have a preference I guess

Serious matters are realising the discus at the bottom of the pecking order is picking off the cardinals at night £50 in cardinals down. Cichlids gotta bully something !
Also one of my L95 flashing (healthy other than the random irritation no ich or flukes) when a fish gets Sick it’s never clear cut in my aquarium. I’ll work it out just going through the motions but that’s what I consider horrible

Yea the offering at the market has been pretty skimpy this year; The bn in my aquarium won't touch the skin - but the the L204 and L397 love the skin - well they love it in one of the aquarium but not the other - go figure. The blue phantom doesn't seem to like the skin (yet). I have a loach that will occasionally flash - maybe once a month or two. Nothing on a regular schedule - just gets an ich and now and then - i'd guess 3 or 4 times a year.I had a nasty bn that was sucking the slime on my angels - luckily i guessed right which one it was (i had 8 pleco in the tank); and off he went to the store. Oh well - maybe i'll just stick to sweet potatoe; they seem to like it but it makes a bit of a mess. The reason i go with zuc is the other fishes will sometime pick at it but there isn't so much nutrient in it relatively speaking.