Pleco

[Tazman12]

Hi all just got my first Pleco ever was wondering beside's the algea what do i feed them

Thanks

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Algae wafers, cucmber, and maybe lettuce.

 

[xxshatteredsoul]

Do they actually eat the lettuce? How would you go about making it float down to the bottom because I would like to try this and see how my pleco likes it.

 

[ooSho]

I have never tried to give my Pleco lettuce...I might have to try that!
Im guessing to get the lettuce to stay at the bottom, you should buy one of those food clips that most lfs carry. Ive seen some at my SW fish store for around $3.50 but Im sure they have some that are cheapier. They have a little suction cup on the back and you just stick it to where you want on the glass...


(( If you decide to give your Pleco lettuce let me know if he likes it! I might try it with mine ))

 

[xxshatteredsoul]

I'll give you a answer in a while if he eats it. I am going to go try to give him some now see whats up.

 

[Sang72]

Before my pleco died (newbie mistake, didn't cycle tank properly) he would eat anything and everything on the bottom (fishie poop excluded) I used to drop Tetra wafers into the tank at night for him.

BTW, a common pleco can grow to like a foot or more.

I think if you boil the lettuce/cucumbers first it will sink to the bottom, and is a good idea to remove any parasites/pesticides that may be on the vegetables.

I put zucchini in my tank, but my fishies didn't touch it. Removed it the next day.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

I fed my plecs with lettuce yesterday. I got an outer leaf, crushed it a bit to break up the celulose (sp?) and then put it on the floor of the tank with a stone on top. I have never seen my plecs eat it as they are quite shy byut I know my clown loaches love it!!

What you feed your plec depends on what kind of plec it is to a certain extent. Many plecs won't touch algae, some eat wood and some are meat eaters. It depends what kind of plec you have. I don't know of many plecs that will only eat algae (or that will eat it for any length of time).

Plecs should always have a piece of wood for them to hide under in the daytime IME.

 

[ladynaoko]

I feed mine Tetra Plecomine (think thats what it's called) along with algae wafers (when i can afford them), cucumber & lettuce.

If you're going to feed him stuff - make sure it sinks.

 

[Stryker]

My plecos are happy with tank algae and once a day after lights out I drop a plec tab in for them. All good LFS and online stores sell the plec food.

 

[mrV]

First you need to know what kind of pleco you have. All fishes aren't omnivores, some are herbivores or carnivores and they will become sick, if you feed them wrong. (Unfortunately, very common problem "dropsy" is usually caused by wrong food.)

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

About getting it to sink, I rubberband cucumber slices and lettuce to a rock. I'm not 100% sure the plec is who's eating the lettuce, but someone is.

 

[CMC]

I put a piece of cucumber on a clip last night and the pleco and one of my small african cichlids started fighting each other for it. They were both eating it at the same time. I don't know if it's good for an african cichlid but he just went crazy with it (he's a pig anyway, eats anything and everything). My other africans didn't touch it.