Plecostomus (what they eat?)

[Woopededoo]

I read that its not good for a Plecostomus to live on a diet of just alge. I dont think my Plecostomus eats much of the flake food and Cichlid gold , but I could be mistaken. At the LFS i notised they have slices of cucumbers in the Plecostomus tanks, and they are going to town on the cucumber. Is this good for them? do I need to put some type of vegetable in my tank to feed him? Is so, what? I have alge wafers I use every now and then when the alge is low. I never see him eat the alge wafer though. So, I guess what I need to know is if there is alternative food for Plecostomus other than the alge that grows in the tank.

KC

[ChilDawg]

Cucumber and Romaine Lettuce work well for Plecos.

[Gunnie]

Mine also love zucchini, yellow squash, & fresh spinach. I keep them in the water near the bottom with a veggie clip.

[NJ Devils Fan]

Yes, plecos need another source of food rather than just algae. They need vegetables for vitamins. Lettice, spinach, zucchini, and cucumber are some of the most used to feed. My plecos personally love zucchini.

[OrionGirl]

A key issue is knowing what kind of pleco you have. There are many species that are omnivores, and need to have meaty foods in addition to the veggies. A variety of foods is best--most will eat most offerings. I feed sinking bottom feeder wafers in addition to veggies, algae wafers, frozen community food, blood worms, etc. Emerald Entree, from San Fransisco Bay Foods is an excellent choice--it is a mix of both meaty foods and vegetables.