View Full Version : Pleco feeding help needed!
mx4ever
12-11-2009, 2:35 AM
Hey guys I was hoping the plec professionals could help me. I'm a goldfish guy and just put a BN pleco in my tank. Every time I toss a wafer in, my goldfish parade around it and prevent my pleco from getting to it. I was wondering if you guys had any experience with solving this situation. I don't want him to starve lol. Thanks in advance!:wall:
just1moretank
12-11-2009, 2:41 AM
I suggest getting or making some type of cave which is too large for the goldfish, but big enough for the pleco. You can use either your tongs or your hand to place the food inside of the cave, and then he can eat at his leisure! One thing to know about this, though, is he will likely claim the cave as his home, and you'll need to lift it and do frequent vacuuming there due to the large amount of poop they produce.
It would also do him good to offer some other foods, as well as the wafers. Things like cucumber, blanched zucchini, and blanched sweet potato are often accepted, so mix it up for him. You can rubber band any of these to a rock to keep them from floating away.
Flamfish
12-11-2009, 2:43 AM
pleco's are nocturnal. have you tried dropping the algae pellets in after turning the lights off? aren't plecos warm water fish and goldfish cold? is it alright to have them in the same tank?
mx4ever
12-11-2009, 2:46 AM
My tanks at 73. It should be okay. awww a cave. I like that idea. Any more suggestions?
just1moretank
12-11-2009, 2:48 AM
Haha the cave sounds really cute until you lift it up a week later. LOL my 7 inch Common can really gross me out! But, it gives them a place to hide during the day, because they do feel more comfortable coming out at night, and then a place to sort of get out of the activity of frenzied hungry goldfish at feeding time.
As for feeding at night, I never, ever have found a time when I could sneak food past my goldfish. LOL but it would sure be worth a shot.
mx4ever
12-11-2009, 2:56 AM
Agreed. I named my biggest Sonar because of his uncanny ability to eat 99.9% of all food dropped into the tank before anyone else even registers its there lol.
Flamfish
12-11-2009, 2:57 AM
hehe, I've never had goldies. I'll keep that in mind!
Never had that issue. My BN pleco gets her share despite being combined with the greedy orandas and black moor.:D
I suggest getting or making some type of cave which is too large for the goldfish, but big enough for the pleco. You can use either your tongs or your hand to place the food inside of the cave, and then he can eat at his leisure! One thing to know about this, though, is he will likely claim the cave as his home, and you'll need to lift it and do frequent vacuuming there due to the large amount of poop they produce.
It would also do him good to offer some other foods, as well as the wafers. Things like cucumber, blanched zucchini, and blanched sweet potato are often accepted, so mix it up for him. You can rubber band any of these to a rock to keep them from floating away.
The only thing I am worrying about is that some goldfish are far too pessimistic and may end up injured instead by the caves. Personally, I would not go with this.
mx4ever, you mentioned you just put your pleco in your goldfish tank so he must be new and still adapting to the changes. Sooner or later, he will learn to compete well with them. Several goldfish owners keep bristlenose plecos with their goldfish and their BN plecos simply adjust and compete very well. Give him to adjust for awhile. He will eventually know what to do otherwise try a divider if this persists.
pleco's are nocturnal. have you tried dropping the algae pellets in after turning the lights off? aren't plecos warm water fish and goldfish cold? is it alright to have them in the same tank?
Fancy goldfish do much better in warmer water but singletails such as shubs prefer cooler water. BN plecos will do fine with 72-78 degrees, the same bracket recommended for fancy goldfish.:)
The caves are an interesting idea and would be good for the plecos because they are cave spawners. I would go along with the idea of the feeding in the dark but probably would just feed about an hour after you turned the lights off at night when the goldfish are more inactive and have already had their daily meals. I fight the same issue with some of my cichlids and my giant gourami in with some of the larger plecos. I usually feed the other fish and wait and add the wafers after the others have feed or are busy feeding. Good luck and give those plecos some caves they might give you some babies.
Jack
pinkertd
12-11-2009, 9:15 AM
:iagree: And Jack that is a gorgeous fish in your avatar!!
Fishfriend1
12-11-2009, 3:01 PM
try feeding it at night
:laugh:
ESOXLUCIOUSS
12-11-2009, 3:46 PM
But a large piece of bog wood in and feed peas and cucumber thick slices after lights out.. ur bn will be fine, cave sounds good too but a hollowed out piece of bog wood wood be ideal, like living in a chocolate house for the bn
mx4ever
12-11-2009, 4:16 PM
It's funny you should mention that about goldies being far to optimistic about the spaces they can fit in Lupin. I had that happen to me two days ago. I blocked all the entrances to one of my ornaments with large river stones and one of my ryukins still managed to get stuck in it. Unfortunately I was out so he was stuck in there for upwards of eight hours. The problem has since been rectified lol.
smitty
12-12-2009, 6:43 AM
Maybe try adding a few more pieces.
It's funny you should mention that about goldies being far to optimistic about the spaces they can fit in Lupin. I had that happen to me two days ago. I blocked all the entrances to one of my ornaments with large river stones and one of my ryukins still managed to get stuck in it. Unfortunately I was out so he was stuck in there for upwards of eight hours. The problem has since been rectified lol.
See why I told you caves are a very dreadful idea in this particular scenario.:(
Fishfriend1
12-12-2009, 4:04 PM
you should also try feeding at night or with sinking food maybe. Good luck.:cool: