How To Get Food To My Plecos?

[Plecc]

Hi all,

I have had a new tank up and running now for just over 6 months.
Originally it housed a pair of firemouths and a group of tiger barbs, but I got fed up of battling algae every week.
So a week ago I added a pair of juvenile BN plecos from one of my other tanks.
Within 3 days the tank looked spotless.

So now I'm back feeding them algae wafers.
But unfortunately the barbs and cichlids absolutely love them, They attack the wafers like a pack of dogs.
So the plecos don't even get a chance.

Any ideas what I Can do?

 

[fish+peace]

I find this when i try to feed my corys, the other fish aren't as active when lights out so u can feed at lights off - prehaps but more in but remove it after a while -

I believe they also like cucumber etc thats been bolied that should outlast the initial fish flury

 

[leighton_87]

Use courgette rather than cucumber - much less messy and more nutritional

You don't need to boil it either - simply blanch it by placing it a cup of boiling hot water for 5 minutes and it will be perfect for them.

It won't stop the barbs eating it but there will be plenty left.

I have enough problems getting my barbs to leave any food for my tetras

 

[techen]

I use cucumber when I feed my pleco, he also eats the catifsh pellets and pushes my corys away to eat it. But then my corys eat the algae wafers so its somewhat of a battle, I just try my best at feeding my BN as much as possible while the other fish are busy.

 

[Plecc]

Thanks for the feedback.

I will have to try feeding them at night, if that doesn't work I can always swap them for a big male flash pleco.
He's a tank lol, he will just sit on them if they get in the way of his wafer

I do feed cucumber and courgette but only as a treat, I will give it a try it will interesting to see what the other fish make of it.

 

[Lolly123]

When I put a lump of cucumber in or a wafer, I wait until the plec is on it, then I get my planting tweezers and hang them in the water over my plec to gently ward off fish that would barge him out of the way. It works, but it does take some time.

 

[xamy_valox]

I have this problem too. I barely see my bristlenose in the day time and I worry that he doesn't get enough food other than the obvious algae in the tank.
I put a chunk of cucumber in the tank a few days ago but didn't blanch it first!! My bristlenose still gobbled it up and seems fine, what does the blanching do? Are there any other vegetables they like?

 

[Liam2368]

Feed the fish flake or what not and while they are busy with that place a pipe or something hollow and long in the tank and place the bottom on the substrate and then pop in your algae wafers where you want them,that way the fish won't see them dropping and should give your ancistrus a fighting chance. Bear in mind though they usually feed nocturnally.