pleco diet

[nino]

i've got two plecos, and i have no idea what they are eating. the plants are untouched, i don't overfeed, and there is no algae. i occassionally throw in lettuce or zuchini but the snails cobble it all up. this is the confusing part, there are mass amounts of poop everymorning by their pvc tube. what could they possibly be eating???

 

[SirMinion]

What species of plecs are they?

Some eat alage and decaying plant matter, some require meaty foods such as bloodworm. many need rotting wood in their diet as well, and some eat all three!

If you are not feeding your plecs with algae tablets, sinking pellets, fresh veg etc, then they will starve to death. I may take several months as they are quite sedinatary fish

 

[nino]

thanks for that info/advice!

the thing is that we've had them for several years now, and i've only just really thought about it but we do have wood in the tank and i hadn't thought about decaying plant matter, just that the plants didn't look nibbled on like our koi used to do. and they are common plecs by the way.

 

[smithrc]

my bet is you have algae eaters - and without them your tank would be over run with algae.

we recently got my parents to rehome their 8" common (now lives with JillyL) and replaced him with 2 small (less than 1") bristlenoses... and their tank is over run with algae now!

I've scraped it twice and mum says she has to do it ever couple of days... she keeps moaning... hurry up and grow up bristle noses!!