What do your Pl*cos and Loaches eat

[dhgyello04]

I am looking for foods to feed my Pl*cos and loaches (veggies). Right now I am feeding zucchini and would like to change it up a bit. Right know I have the following:

Clown loaches
Botia loache
Kulie loaches
Common sailfin Pl*co
Bristlenose Pl*co
Oto’s

I noticed that in my 90 gallon that the rainbow sharks and the groumies eat it also. So what do you guys and gals feed your loaches and pl*cos

Don

[Blueiz]

I feed mine aquadine shrim pellets and algae wafers. They eat some of the flakes I give my other fish as well..

[DAVIDFBT]

I feed my Kuhli loaches live blooworms and they sometimes eat the leftover flake food I feed my other fish. I drop in Algea Wafers for my B/N Pleco but he never goes for them, yet he has a full belly since I bought him about 2 weeks ago. I guess he eats the algea from the glass. Same with my Otos.

[Lupin]

Commercial foods, veggies, earthworms, shrimps, slices of hotdogs (occasionally) and bloodworms for loaches. Plecos get veggies, occasional bloodworms and commercial foods.

[J double R]

what's a Pl*co?

you mean a Pleco?

:rolleyes:

[BoJangles]

pleco's can also be fed fruits, but fruits will fowl the water quality so only do it the day of or before a water change

[Lupin]

what's a Pl*co?

you mean a Pleco?

:rolleyes:
There is a myth that still surrounds the pleco arena that if you type the word 'pleco', your plecos will die so they type pl*co instead.lol It's superstitious nonsense and pure coincidence someone's plecos died from other factors, not because he typed the complete name.

[DeeSeven]

squash, mango, cucumber, collared greens, red and green peppers, zucchin, sweet potatoes

wash everytime (duh) and microwave it for a little bit to soften it up then stick a spoon handle thro it and drop it in before the lights go off and take it out in the morning

[bazil323]

Sailfin plecs also need wood to rasp on. I like to have driftwood in any tank with a pleco, just in case. Besides, I find that most like to hide by driftwood. The following quote is from the www.planetcatfish.com profile of the sailfin plec.
Lettuce, Peas, Frozen Spinach and any prepared food that reaches the bottom. Larger fish enjoy prawns or pieces of freshwater trout. Algae (especially soft brown) will be eaten immediately.

From the same place but for bristlenoses,
It is thought that elements in bogwood, particularly lignin, may form an essential part of Bristlenose diet. Certainly they have the immensely long guts common to vegetarians, and although they fall avidly on the occasional meal of live food or prawns, the bulk of their diet must be composed of vegetable matter. If a high protein diet is fed constantly, then they will become prone to stomach disorders. Vegetable roughage keeps the gut in working order, and bogwood is a valuable addition to this.

Just about any fruit or vegetable can be fed to plecs. Many are omnivorous or carnivorous, so they will also eat bloodworms, blackworms, bits of shrimp, bits of fish, etc. Avoid fatty fish like salmon. Some find that coconut and tomato are avidly eaten, but the plec might not realize right away that it is food.

[dhgyello04]

Thank you everyone for your info...you guys rule :headbang2:... I used peas last night and they where still there this morning.

I placed a chunk of zuchini in there as well and the B/N with in 5 min. was right on it. When i woke up this morning the B/N was still on it...

Yes there is a large amount of driftwood in the tank and I see the B/N sucking on it often.

Don

[Kuhlifan]

I put a slice of zucchini in for my common pleco, but I've never seen him touch it. In fact, in three years I've never seen him eat at all. The new tank does have driftwood though, so I figure he's snacking on that some. The MTS eat it up though.

I can't get the zucchini to sink. Would tying a lead fishing sinker to it be bad for the fish?

[dhgyello04]

I put a slice of zucchini in for my common pleco, but I've never seen him touch it. In fact, in three years I've never seen him eat at all. The new tank does have driftwood though, so I figure he's snacking on that some. The MTS eat it up though.

I can't get the zucchini to sink. Would tying a lead fishing sinker to it be bad for the fish?

Well I use a clip that suction cups to the glass... as soon as I do that The sailfin darts out and starts munching... others use a fork... just stick a fork in and lay it in the tank.... you want the meat of the zucchini to face up wards so stick the fork in down wards. hope this works for you.

[DeeSeven]

stick the handle of a spoon through it

[snoopy65]

My BN gets algae tabs and whatever frozen veggie I am cooking for supper. I save one out for him / her. He really likes broccoli, but only the fuzzy part, he leaves the stalk. Believe it or not he really likes brussel sprouts.

[Kuhlifan]

My pleco is in a 20 extra high, so it's a pain to reach two feet down to fish out stuff. That's why I was hoping for the sinker option. That way I could just tie some fishing line to it. I suppose that would work for a spoon or fork too though.

I might try some frozen spinach. I've got some and my wife sure isn't going to eat it.

[dhgyello04]

stick the handle of a spoon through it

Duh!!!:wall: why didn't I think of that.... that way he or she does not stab there mouth on the fork..

good post:headbang2:

[Spewn]

My BN's are always all over any zucchini I put in the tank. I've done cucumber before and the otos love that, atlhough Poncho(my golden bridgesii snail) tends to get there first, and he's a lot bigger.

[DAVIDFBT]

I haven't fed any Zuchini to my pleco yet, he always seems to have a fat tummy. I'll get some this weekend and try it out and see how he likes it.

[inkyjenn]

my L239 LOVES broccoli stems.

[Reddog80p]

I feed my Bristlenose Plecos Bloodworms, Zucchini, Cucumber, Eggplant, Rutabega, Algae wafers and they eat flake too.

[plantling]

I stick an algae wafer or a shrimp pellet in zucchinni and anchor it down with a fork.

[wataugachicken]

For a good algae wafer, wardley makes one with no ash for a filler. Most of the other commercial wafer uses ash, and I don't like adding it to the tank. Also, a new wafer on the market that's ash free and my fish seem to love: Algae Grazers, by HBH. Seems like a good product, and the rosemary extract attracts most of the fish in my tank.

For fresh veggies, most of it has been covered, but also try some blanched corn on the cob. Do that one the night before a water change, corn can cloud your tank. It's kinda fun watching a loach bust open a kernel of corn for the sweet meat inside, but you'll have to score the cob a little to help put the scent into the water.

Whole large raw shrimp. Only use this one as the occasional treat. Your plecs and loaches will love it.


Malefic23 posting for watauga while she's in the shower :)

[Spewn]

http://www.burns-pet-nutrition.co.uk/ash.htm

Ash != evil, I'm not sure how you could have a food with zero, and in general "ash" is not filler.