Pleco dietary needs...

[ChileRelleno]

I'm seeing a really alarming oversight amongst alot of fishkeepers with Plecos.
The trend is to just throw a few algae wafers in after lights out and think that that is enough supplementary food for'em.
Its not! :mad2:
Plecs may start off just fine eating algae in the tank and/or algae wafers as juveniles, but as they mature their needs change.
Most Plecs are very opportunistic omnivores*, in other words they'll eat just about anything they can get a hold of but primarily subsist on vegetables/fruits.
A plecs digestive system is designed for a diet high in bulk fiber and low in protein, they need large amounts of vegetable/fruit matter and occasional protein. Their digestive system is designed to handle alot of bulk material to attain a their nutritional needs, they need more than just a few low bulk/high protien algae wafers and whatever food they find leftover or a little algae growing in the tank.
None but the largest tanks could support enough algae to feed even a medium sized Plec, and while enough algae would have bulk it is very low in nutrition.

A Plec without fiber bulk (vegetable/fruit) in his diet, is a Pleco that feels like he's starving most of the time, even if he's getting enough nutrition to survive and grow.

It'd be like be like you getting only a slice of bread per day that has enough calories, protien, fats, sugars and asst'd vitamins for you to survive and grow...
But you'd be horrendously hungry the rest of the time.

Excellent daily vegetable supplements are, romaine, spinach and other leafy green lettuces (Iceberg is very high in bulk but very low nutritionally.) that have been blanched* first, cut/sliced zucchinni, cucumber, sweet potato, broccoli stems, peas and beans (blanched and skinned), and others. Fleshy fruits of various types can be fed too, Plecs in the wild feed on fruit fallen into river from overhanging trees. Papaya, breadfruit, cantalope/honeydew melon are a few examples, experiment and find what your fish likes.
It takes most Plecs a few feedings to discover and realize these are food, but after that there is no keeping them away. Some fish will even guard these foods to keep other fish away.

I found it very hard when housed with other fish to get such delights as worms and small scraps of cut fish/shrimp, shrimp pellets and other sinking food tablets/pellets down to the plecs.
Other fish can be sooo greedy :rolleyes: .
My solution was to load their zucchinni or cucumber with shrimp pellets, carnivore sticks and so on, like cloves on a ham.
Just attach it to clips or rubberband to a rock or wood, makes it easy for your Pleco to find it and eat it.

*As stated above "Most Plecs are very opportunistic Omnivores", but some are primarily carnivore (e.g. Zebras etc) and others (e.g. Panaque ect) require bogwood (Yes, wood!) in their diet to survive.
*Blanching; too quickly prepare a food by placing it in or pouring boiling water over it. Leafy greens 5-30 seconds, or longer for other vegetables, the idea is to wilt or soften the food so its easier to eat.

There are hundreds of different Plecos, please research your specific Plec and its needs thoroughly.
I implore all of you with plecos who do not currently regularly supplement their diet with veggies and/or other appropriate food sources to do so, please!
I guarantee you will notice a increase in growth and improved physical appearance :)

[Watcher74]

I vote this for a sticky. A lot of people have misconceptions about Plecos. Not only the diet they need but seemingly that there is no need to consider a pleco as part of the biomass of a tank.

[downloader]

don't forget driftwood! plecos eat driftwood

www.bluewhippet.net

[ChileRelleno]

and others require wood (Yes, wood!) in their diet to survive.
don't forget driftwood! plecos eat driftwood
Reading without comprehension is a waste of time...
Its in there ;)

[Holly9937]

Great post, do you know of any links for more specific info. on common plecos?

[RTR]

Not more specific in particular, but another slice of the same pie:

http://www.thepufferforum.org/viewtopic.php?t=1543

[ChileRelleno]

Great post, do you know of any links for more specific info. on common plecos?
Two of the best sites on the web for Plecs, by utilizing the Cat-elog at Planetcatfish you can search for info on almost any Plec or Cat using its common or scientific names. Both have excellent forums and ect...
http://www.planetcatfish.com/
and
http://www.plecofanatics.com/

[Mr Fish]

I have a bristlenose pleco (black), a clown pleco and a baby gold-banded pleco.

I love plecos, I wish they were more aggressive coming out during the day. I've found that if I leave a zuchini slice in my tank it's shredded within 24 hours. I also house many ottoclinicus catfish and they seem to enjoy eating it as well.

I think I'll try loading some cucumber with shrimp pellets, thats a sneaky idea!

One question: What exactly do you need to do to spinach and other leafy greens to prepare them? I didn't understand... what more than washing them off would you need to do?

[OrionGirl]

Many people blanch (put in boiling water for 30-60 seconds, or microwave in a wet paper towel for 30-45 seconds) leafy vegetables prior to putting them in. This softens them, meaning they last less time, but are often eaten sooner. It also makes them sink easier.

[Must4ng s4lly]

What a great POST! Thank you! I have lots of plecs and I feed them different things so that they get a balanced diet. This is interesting, but my syndontis cats LOVE spinich too. I have to put in plenty for everyone...

[Roan Art]

GREAT! I feel like I've bearded dragons all over again :)

We've had our Molly Maid (whom I THINK is a Trinidad plec) for about a month and I wondered if s/he was getting enough to eat. Followed the advice in this article somewhat: I boiled a bowl of water & garlic in the nuker, cut a zucchini*** into 4 pieces, lengthwise. Cut off a 3" chunk of that and re-zapped it for 45 seconds in the boiling water, stuck a fork in it and threw it in the tank.

*** (Green squash, hope it was zucchini but the store only labels them as "yellow" or "green" squash. Looked like zucchini)

I waited a while but, s/he didn't even look at it and its not a shy plec. I left it in the tank and went about my business. About ½ a day later I looked and s/he was stuck on the veggie. Cool! I looked the next morning and all that was left were a few crumbs and some of the peel.

S/he ate that 3" piece in 1 day??? OMG I've been starving the poor thing!

The platies were also pecking at the zucchini and I saw one of them down a small seed. That good or bad?

Will corries and loaches eat it? I threw a piece in another tank but a Mystery Snail is all over it :)

Roan

[Mudfrog]

Excellent post, I'll deffinitely start feeding my pleco's better. I also love the tip on microwaving the food in a wet paper towel. I was having trouble getting the food to sink, now it does everytime.

One question, my new Pleco has awesome coloring, red stripes everywhere, are there any foods that will bring out the color more?

[pophead]

great post! shame on me for my ignorance! :p: you should put that in the article corner, maybe.
great info.

[Bortass]

Interesting. We have a Pleco that is over 13 years old. I think it's over 12 inches long( not including tail fins). I remember when it used to hide under a rock propped in the corner of a 20 long. Now it's in a 135 gal tank and it can come close to reaching from substrate to surface when it hangs out on the glass.

It's always been in a tank with driftwood. The normal tank diet is flake food, shrimp pellets and sometimes algae wafers. I may have to check out some other foods to suplement it's diet now.

[mysis]

i got a plec and every week i give him a bit of lettuce, i just make sure that the tank has algae for him to graze on, a few plants incase he get peckish and then i throw in some spirulina tablets, he gobbles them up no probs, is this idet ok?

[ChileRelleno]

i got a plec and every week i give him a bit of lettuce, i just make sure that the tank has algae for him to graze on, a few plants incase he get peckish and then i throw in some spirulina tablets, he gobbles them up no probs, is this idet ok?

A plecs digestive system is designed for a diet high in bulk fiber and low in protein, they need large amounts of vegetable/fruit matter and occasional protein. Their digestive system is designed to handle alot of bulk material to attain a their nutritional needs, they need more than just a few low bulk/high protien algae wafers and whatever food they find leftover or a little algae growing in the tank.
None but the largest tanks could support enough algae to feed even a medium sized Plec, and while enough algae would have bulk it is very low in nutrition.

A Plec without fiber bulk (vegetable/fruit) in his diet, is a Pleco that feels like he's starving most of the time, even if he's getting enough nutrition to survive and grow.

It'd be like be like you getting only a slice of bread per day that has enough calories, protien, fats, sugars and asst'd vitamins for you to survive and grow...
But you'd be horrendously hungry the rest of the time.
Is this enough? Well it depends on how big the Plec is, what type of Plec, maturity and other variables...
If he's not more than a baby or young juvenile it may be sufficient for him to survive, BUT, is he thriving?
That is the question.
IMHO, he would do better with more foods, a varied diet is a healthy diet.
I've educated myself and passed good solid facts and wisdom on to you...
Read, comprehend and make educated choices.

[Tekslave]

I'm trying to figure out why I have been the grim reaper of Plecos lately :-(

I bought a Gold Nugget Pleco a month a go and put it in my 20 gallon tank with a few rainbow sharks, double swordtail guppies, a dojo, and a common swordtail. He died within a day. The fish store gave me another one a few days ago and it died in a day. The tank temp is running between 74 and 78 degrees fahrenheit and the pH is 7.5. Amonia and Nitrites are negligable and no one is picking on him. There is a large piece of driftwood and several hidey holes. They last 1 to 1.5 days... what am I doing wrong?

[ChileRelleno]

I'm trying to figure out why I have been the grim reaper of Plecos lately :-(

I bought a Gold Nugget Pleco a month a go and put it in my 20 gallon tank with a few rainbow sharks, double swordtail guppies, a dojo, and a common swordtail. He died within a day. The fish store gave me another one a few days ago and it died in a day. The tank temp is running between 74 and 78 degrees fahrenheit and the pH is 7.5. Amonia and Nitrites are negligable and no one is picking on him. There is a large piece of driftwood and several hidey holes. They last 1 to 1.5 days... what am I doing wrong?
Hmmmmmm...
OK, some Plecs a can be very unstable, especially wild caught specimens, rough handling/shipping, lack of food, bad water, disease and int/ext parasites and shock are all too common when arriving at the LFS.
Gold Nuggets can be condsidered Prima'Donnas for the care they'll need.
Much care must be taken when picking a Plec at the LFS or where-ever. Choose a plec with a full rounded stomach and clear alert eyes, not a sunken belly and/or eyes (Fish with sunken eyes is a dead fish, just doesn't know it yet.) Check the gills for good color and no ICH, normal respiration and
whether the coloration and fins are normal?
Have they fed the fish, did they see it eat?

You need a qaurantine tank and the water/tank/filters need to be mature/established.
Water quality needs to be perfect 0-NH3, 0-NO2, 0-30ppm NO3, and a neutral PH is best, slightly acidic.
You said that NH3 & NO2 was negligble? Negligble is not acceptable, 0ppm are the only acceptable readings.
Temp should be stable, not a 4'f variable, 76'f is a good number.
Test the LFS water and slowly acclimate to your water.

Its all just ordinary everyday common sense, responsible animal husbandry/fishkeeping.

[mysis]

yeah, sound to me like it could be stress, to eliminate this you may want to try a different method of introducing him into the tank. i am guessing that you float the bag for 15 mins, put a bit of water in and float for another 10 mins. well this is what i would do. get a bucket and start a drip, let the drip last for about 1 hour and make sure most of the water in the bucket (around 70%) is from your tank, put a tea towel over the bucket, gently remove the plec into the tank.

the benifits of this are the fish is not getting stressed, when other fish come to have a look at the plec in the bag it will be stressing it and may cause it to die, also the rainbow sharks may be causing some harm, you will not know what they are doing all the time and may be bullying him at night, you never know.

Make sure the fish isn't caught with cyanide, better yet buy captive bread species or go to another lfs and if the fish there lives then you know the First Lfs had a bad supply of fish.

[CharlieV]

just my .02

My plecs (except the Rio Jari Zebra) go mental for raw potato with Algae wafers place inside it.
I put it in 1hr after lights off and remove it the next evening, sometimes place it in darker area of tank incase they want a snack during day.

[divja.dristi]

should i blanch zucchini before feeding it to my otocinclus cats? if yes, then how long should it be boiled? is the blanching for easier digestion or easier sinking?

also, do otos really need a piece of driftwood in the tank? why? where would i get some wood and how should i go about adding it to the tank?

thanks so much,
hannah

[ChileRelleno]

should i blanch zucchini before feeding it to my otocinclus cats? if yes, then how long should it be boiled? is the blanching for easier digestion or easier sinking?

also, do otos really need a piece of driftwood in the tank? why? where would i get some wood and how should i go about adding it to the tank?

thanks so much,
hannah
For Oto's I would blanch the zucchini, blanching softens the food making it easier to eat and sometimes with some foods helps it sink.
Oto's do not (As far as I know)'need' wood in their diet as some Plecs do, Oto's will do best/thrive with some live plants if possible.

Most LFS carry asst'd wood decor for aquariums or you can order on-line form various sources. Boiling and/or soaking is the preferred way to prep wood for the aquarium.

[Boohoo]

Last evening I blanched a piece of parsnip and threw in for my L015. It seemed to go over quite well. I've seen him munching on it numerous times today.

[Galaxie]

I've been feeding my 11-inch common plec a quartered zucchini half every 2 days...along with 2 algae tabs and 2 spirulina tabs per day. That zucchini doesn't last long. By the 2nd day, even the rind is disappearing. I guess if he likes rind I'll leave it in there. Otherwise, I just need to do some shopping and see what veggie is the cheapest. (I hate zucchini and cucumbers! Awesome fish food!)

[ChileRelleno]

I've been feeding my 11-inch common plec a quartered zucchini half every 2 days...along with 2 algae tabs and 2 spirulina tabs per day. That zucchini doesn't last long. By the 2nd day, even the rind is disappearing. I guess if he likes rind I'll leave it in there. Otherwise, I just need to do some shopping and see what veggie is the cheapest. (I hate zucchini and cucumbers! Awesome fish food!)
Have you tried loading their zucchinni or cucumber with shrimp pellets, carnivore sticks and so on, like cloves on a ham?

[Galaxie]

Have you tried loading their zucchinni or cucumber with shrimp pellets, carnivore sticks and so on, like cloves on a ham?

Not yet. I just heard about doing this as you mentioned it. Not sure I've seen these in the LFS, but I assume shrimp pellets are like cichlid pellets. Carnivore stick sounds like something at the Hunan Buffet. :joke:

(Kinda interesting story....kinda gross too...but.... about 2 years ago I gave the oscar a feeder goldfish. It was kinda big, so he gulped down the rear half and spit out the front half. Within a few minutes, the pleco was munching away happily. Before then I thought plec's were purely vegetarians, so I began feeding him spirulina tabs. Learning about how to keep any particular creature happy makes aquaria an interesting hobby.)

Thanks for the informative post. :thm:

[divja.dristi]

tonight i cut a few quarter-size slices of zucchini, blanched for 1 minute, dropped them in the tank...the 3 otos found them almost instantly. they are just so d*mn cute. thanks for the advice! i'll try spearing the zucchini with shrimp pellets, and let you know what ensues.
--hannah

[Halo]

http://www.plecofanatics.com/gallery/data/500/IMG_1218.JPG

You're not mentioning one vital fact of proper pleco nutrition... It's fun feeding them! Weather they are nibbling on koi treats, diving for shrimp pellets, or hulling out a zuchini, feeding time is always a special moment for plecos. It's when you're most likely to get a great look at these, sometimes, shy fish, and when you're most likely to interact with them. My three commons have all learned that hands are the source of good food, so they nuzzle right up to mine whenever I stick them in the tank. How many other fish out there seem to appreciate being pet?

http://www.plecofanatics.com/gallery/data/500/IMG_0506.JPG

Add to that a rich variety of favorite foods that only cause your fish to be more robust, and feeding time for the plecos becomes the central highpoint of your aquarium keeping.

[jagarundi]

This post is an eye opener. No wonder my Pleco's have been sucking all over my Channel Cats! I'll start feeding them some lettuce and Carrots this evening in a spot only they can get to.

[cyberbeer65]

What about canned spinach,any thoughts?

[sumthin fishy]

I would read the ingredients on the canned stuff. Im assuming there are things in there not meant for fish.

[ChileRelleno]

What about canned spinach,any thoughts?
Way way too soft, it'll fall apart and foul the whole tank.
When you blanch a lettuce or green your just softening/wilting it a little not cookingit to a slimy pulp like fully cooked spinach/greens.

[Roan Art]

Well, I tried parsnip and the otos liked that for a little bit, pleco for a little bit. Not much excitement there. I must have nuked it too long 'cause I had parsnip "slime" floating in the tank :rolleyes: Changed water and threw in a broccoli stem. THAT went over really well. Dang pleco won't let anyone else near it.

Roan

[newbeestl]

Are most of these veggies good for otos as well as plecos?

[Galaxie]

Are most of these veggies good for otos as well as plecos?
Probably, but at a fraction of the quantity. I've only ever seen my otto sucking on glass though.

[Roan Art]

All of my otos (2 tanks) like zucchini. They don't go "pl*co" over it, but they do love it :)

Question:
What is the best type of wood for --

A) candy striped pleco
b) common pleco

I have Malaysian and bogwood in various tanks. The common has been sucking on the bogwood, but he hasn't had Malaysian. Dunno about the candy pleco, he has bogwood but he's upstairs and I've only ever seen him under the wood on the gravel.

Probably doesn't like it.
Advice?

Roan

[Boohoo]

I have Malasyian driftwood in my tank and my Tiger loves it.

[Halo]

Maylasian or bogwood are both equally good choices for your fish. Don't fret that you never see the candy strip sucking on it, he's looking for meaty treats more than bits of wood or algae.
Your common has less descriminating tastes, and will nosh on just about anything he can scrub up. He does'nt digest wood, but he can get algae and bulk fiber out of it.

[Roan Art]

Maylasian or bogwood are both equally good choices for your fish. Don't fret that you never see the candy strip sucking on it, he's looking for meaty treats more than bits of wood or algae.Huh, that will work out good :) He's in a tank with some dollars and they always go for the veggie stuff first, then the bloodworms and shrimp. So he's getting some meat.

I think I'll move him into another tank when I upgrade everyone so that he can get control of the carnivore stick studded zucchini. I tried to find shrimp sticks, but all my store had was carnivore sticks. They really like those ones.


Your common has less descriminating tastes, and will nosh on just about anything he can scrub up. He does'nt digest wood, but he can get algae and bulk fiber out of it.Nod, I've seen him doing that on off-veggie day. Today is broccoli day and he loves that stuff.

Thanks for the advice, Halo

Roan

[inxs]

Although this is a good post about mixing up the diet for plecos (as for any fish) You have to remember that "pleco" is a generic name and usually hints to loricaridae.
For many of the "plecos" such as commons, sailfin, hypostomus, etc the diet requirements are mixed with veggies, dry and meaty foods and they do like to chew on wood.

Panaques should be fed protein very sparingly and must have wood as they eat it and it helps them digest any protein fed.

My albino ancistrus will eat only vegetable based products and dry goods.

Hypancistrus (zebra plecos, queen arabesque and others) will not (or very rarely) eat veggies. They are predominantly carnivores and should be fed accordingly. The same goes for pseudocanthicus - though I think I have seen a few of mine chewing on zucchini.

As mentioned previously, THe Cat-elog on planetcatfish.com is a great source and if you have some unusual plecos, do check it out for their requirements.

[akki]

good note ill remember to tell that to customers

[Glennifer]

My 12" Sailfin Gibbiceps used to polish off 3-4" of Cucumber in 24 hours!! Gibbiceps moved home, now resident in LFS display tank. My L200 goes though 2" of Cucumber in 2 days with a little help from the otto, delicate whiptail, molly, angels, gouramis and siamensis.

[smilesalot]

thanks for the info. I just got a pleco 4 days ago. Ill feed him veggies and fruits. :)

[Snoozy]

I got a common pleco, (about 4 inches) about a month ago, to clean up the algae in my 55g. The algae was gone in two days. He would come out when I came up to the tank and stare at me. I dropped an algae dish in and it landed on his head! He sat there not moving, with the disc on his head. I almost got a picture, but he moved. I was worried that he was starving and found out about cucumber, so I parboiled it and threw it in. He came out immediately and started eating like a fiend. He layed on top of it and put up his sail. I guess the sail is to prevent predators from attacking from above.

I've found that the clown plecos love the veggies too and so do the clown loaches. With everyone chewing away at the soft food, I found a lot of seeds and pulp floating around the aquarium. I tried raw veggies rubberbanded to a small bag of marbles. There's a lot less mess, especially if I remove the seeds first. I still haven't tried fruit, but cantelope and even bananas are supposed to be good.

What do you do about the tons of poop from plecos? I've just been vacuuming it up at least once a week, some times twice. Will this settle down? Or are plecs just poopmonsters?

Snoozy

[ChileRelleno]

What do you do about the tons of poop from plecos? I've just been vacuuming it up at least once a week, some times twice. Will this settle down? Or are plecs just poopmonsters?
Snoozy
Major fece factories! Vacuum, vacuum and vacuum some more :rolleyes:
No need to blanch cucumber or zucchini, I prefer zucchini to cucumber, less mess.

[Nim Dibbley]

I blanched some spinach and dropped in the tank last night. my pleco has so far not been interested in it. i will try something else tonight, but how long should i leave the spinach in there? i am just worried about polluting the water.

the next question you would probably ask me is what kind of pleco he is and i am really not sure. I just got him two days ago and based on the pics I have seen online, i can't base a decision on the species type although i remember hom being labled as an 'algae eater' at the lfs. i am going to run by the lfs after work tonight and verify that info just to make sure greens are good for him in the first place.

thanks.

[Galaxie]

I blanched some spinach and dropped in the tank last night. my pleco has so far not been interested in it. i will try something else tonight, but how long should i leave the spinach in there? i am just worried about polluting the water.

the next question you would probably ask me is what kind of pleco he is and i am really not sure. I just got him two days ago and based on the pics I have seen online, i can't base a decision on the species type although i remember hom being labled as an 'algae eater' at the lfs. i am going to run by the lfs after work tonight and verify that info just to make sure greens are good for him in the first place.

thanks.
I've seen Hillstream Loaches labelled as "algae eaters". An altogether completely different fish. Take a picture. I'm sure someone here will recognize it. Otherwise try www.planetcatfish.com

[ChileRelleno]

I blanched some spinach and dropped in the tank last night. my pleco has so far not been interested in it. i will try something else tonight, but how long should i leave the spinach in there? i am just worried about polluting the water.

the next question you would probably ask me is what kind of pleco he is and i am really not sure. I just got him two days ago and based on the pics I have seen online, i can't base a decision on the species type although i remember hom being labled as an 'algae eater' at the lfs. i am going to run by the lfs after work tonight and verify that info just to make sure greens are good for him in the first place.

thanks.
I agree with Galaxie in that you need to get a positive ID in order to decide on proper care. If you can get a clear quality pic, that would be best.
Post that pic here in the Catfish Forum and in the proper forum at the two sites below.
Besides www.planetcatfish.com you can try www.plecofanatics.com , either are top-notch Cat/Plec & Plec specific sites.

I would have little trust in the recommendations of a LFS/LPS that labels any fish simply 'algae-eater', their $0.02 IMHO is worthless.
Get a valid ID, look the fish up on planetcatfishes cate-log and it will give you a profile with habitat, care & dietary needs.

[Spykce]

I have driftwood in my tank, and feed my plecs zuccini, shrimp pellets and flake food. I love watching them go after everything.

[gatotsu77]

The only kind of driftwood we have at work is grape driftwood. Is that safe for the aquarium? I know that we sell it in our reptile department seeing as it provides a lot of basking/hiding areas, but is that stuff ok to go underwater? Also, is there any particular "type" of driftwood that plecos will eat/preffer over other kinds? I don't have one currently, but I told one of my regular customers that I'd adopt her 6" pleco, and I'm trying to get everything set before I get him. (probably within the next 3-5 days)

[Captain Hook]

What about seeds in cucumber and stuff like that? Should I scoop them out before feeding the plecs?

[fishcatch22]

thanks A LOT for the sticky!! :) :cool: i'm getting a zebra pleco soon and I knew I needed to feed them veggies and flakes, but not meaty foods! i'll go get some shrimp pellets and bloodworms soon!

[DiscusFanatic]

I'm new to this site and am enjoying it!
I just got a BN pleco as a gift from my son for my b-day...I have had plecos before in all my other tanks. But none lately. As you can see from my nickname on here I am into Discus, the reason I went with BN is so the other types of plecos don't give them any "hickeys" so to speak. My bn is currently in a 25 gal qt tank by itself. I have been feeding it algae wafers, blanched homegrown zuchini, shrimp pellets and this morning just dropped in a bit of frozen blood worms to see if it will clean them up. This qt tank was setup the very day my son gave me the bn. So I know there's no algae in it for him to munch on hence the varied diet I'm trying to put in for it. I did pull a acrylic ornament out of 1 of my discus tanks that has the diatom reddish brown algae on it and put it in there for it to work on. All my tanks are bare bottom including this one. I am currently running 4 tanks all barebottom with discus in them with the exception of the 25 gal that I just set up. All my tanks get a 90% water change every other day.
I am going to get some real driftwood this week from a an LFS and boil it before putting it into my tanks. I am also hoping to find some more BN for all my tanks since none of the lfs seem to carry any with the one exception of the one my son bought for me.
DF

[iamsquatty]

do you think giving him some small pieces of apple would be ok? or would that not be soft enough and too grainy?

if not i will definately be running to the grocery store tomorrow to get some veggies!

[iamsquatty]

ive been feeding them zuchinni, summer squash (which they liked better), and today i gave them some mango, and they about went nuts over it!

[DrussRob]

I've seen Hillstream Loaches labelled as "algae eaters". An altogether completely different fish. Take a picture. I'm sure someone here will recognize it. Otherwise try www.planetcatfish.com

LFS here tried to sell me a brazilian royal they had labeled as a vampire pleco... Anybody can open a fish store. To open a fish store it takes money, not brains unfortunately.

[NecrochildK]

So glad to have found this thread! I love my pleco, but I wasn't aware that even the algae tablets weren't enough for him! Goind to get some spinach greens today. I know he'll be happy for that! I usually try to research my fishes' needs when I get one, but I had never read that about plecos before. Mine is still very little, (he's sucking on a crab food pellet he found right now) but it doesn't hurt to give him such leafy treats like spinach and such at his age, would it? I would imagine it would help him grow big and strong ^_^.

[iamsquatty]

^^ you might want to skip out on the spinach greens for right now, with the whole e.coli scare and all....try summer squash, or zucchini, or cucumber instead. mine absolutley goes NUTS over mango.

[jagarundi]

My Pleco practically climbs out of the tank to get to his zucchini. I split one in half, wrap it in a wet paper towel and nuke it for a minute and a half. After it cools, I attach it to a clip and stick it onto the wall of the tank. If I put it in the tank before I go to work, by the time I get home that evening, the Pleco and Black shark has it eaten to the skin!

[Star_Rider]

ecoli mostly affects humans

I don't blanch my zuccinni anymore..it doesn't seem to matter to my bn's. and the zuke stays fresher a bit longer too

[iamsquatty]

i was carving up a pumpkin for halloween, and had some pumpkin flesh left over so i decided to see if my pleco would like it....

...trick or treat...he went crazy over it. haha!

[ice jack]

What about coconut shell? do plecs enjoy sucking on this?

[WhitneyGail]

I have been giving my albino bristlenose plec zuccini slices about once a week......

Exactly what other fruit and vegetables are good for them? Or rather....are there any that should be avoided?

[ChileRelleno]

What about coconut shell? do plecs enjoy sucking on this?Shell, no. Meat/Copra, yes.

I have been giving my albino bristlenose plec zuccini slices about once a week......

Exactly what other fruit and vegetables are good for them? Or rather....are there any that should be avoided? They need to fed fruits/veggies on a daily basis.
The only veggies I've heard that are bad are potatoes/corn, supposedly they are undigestable. I do not know of any fruits that are off limits.
I suggest firm fleshy type fruits/veggies and etc..

[Malefic23]

The only veggies I've heard that are bad are potatoes/corn, supposedly they are undigestable.


I've heard of quite a few folks using sweet potato, especially for royals. I use corn on the cob often for my commons, and they seem to have no trouble eating or digesting it. Both cloud the water, but don't seem to harm the fish. I've been feeding corn for well over 3 years, as a treat food or suppliment to the ever popular zuchini.

What's your source for corn being bad? They seem to like it, but I don't wish to give them something that will ultimately hurt them.

[ChileRelleno]

I've heard of quite a few folks using sweet potato, especially for royals. I use corn on the cob often for my commons, and they seem to have no trouble eating or digesting it. Both cloud the water, but don't seem to harm the fish. I've been feeding corn for well over 3 years, as a treat food or suppliment to the ever popular zuchini.

What's your source for corn being bad? They seem to like it, but I don't wish to give them something that will ultimately hurt them.I don't have any specific sources per se, only something I've heard a few times around a few forums.
I can neither confirm nor deny as factual, hence my use of the words Heard and Supposedly.
I do not present it as fact.
I too had fed sweet potatoes to my SnowKing Pleco and he loved'em, I had fed shelled corn to my small tropicals and my Oscar, with no ill effects.
I stopped feeding these after hearing this even tho unsubstantiated, better safe then sorry.

[ChileRelleno]

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Some of the members at www.monsterfishkeepers.com have contributed excellent replies to this article as posted/stickied there, http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42856
I have learned much from this site and their input is worth linking/crossposting. :D
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**StiffMeister** nice article. gives a good impression on why to feed veggies next to pellets. you wrote it in a nice way. i do want to comment on daily veggies. might be nic efor the fish but not for the tank. i usually feed veggies once or twice a week. water will go to hell if done more often and filters clog way faster. i also keep the veggies in the tank for a mere couple of hours. the fish dont mind as they will eat it straight away and it will deffo keep the water up.
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**davo** lol, some plecos are lucky with algae wafers, and just get the scraps from other fish, and is there to eat algae. i dont tend to use pellets, and all my plecos get a massive range of foods and the ratio is changed for each pleco depending on its preference towards meaty foods, or vegetarian. You can feed them so many different vegetables- basically everything, and there is a wide variety of meats to eat. even the most herbivorous plecos should get meat, and you can see the difference just in their colours. the same goes for the need of a bit of veg for the carnivores. its important for the digestive tract- they need the roughage. The other thing is many plecos NEED bogwood- and its not just the panaques. its important as it is part of the teeth grinding, roughage intake and important lignin. its easy to tell the difference between a well fed pleco and one that isnt (not just looking at weight).
a few things- i dont see any need to blanch- thats just getting rid of nutrients for no reason- the plecs should easily be able to eat it as it is
- plecos dietry needs change as they age- not just in amount of foods but also the food type
-i dont consider these as supplementary feedings- these should be their diet. supplementary gives the impression its something to be added too.
otherwise good article

**WyldFya**To add to that, although in general plecs that start going after slime coat CAN be a sign of poor nutrition offered by the keeper, it isn't always a sign. Often if they acquire the taste, they will not stop going after it, and even can start hunting other fish. I have had three now that have become not only slime coat suckers, but also hunters. They were fed 1 market shrimp every other day. That still didn't stop them. It depends on the individual pleco.
.................................................. .................................................. ..............................

**davo** Right this has been a long time coming to make the answer to "pleco feeding" as a sticky, and this thread had the best basis ChileRelleno

So to add to what has been said, here is some more info.
Bascially ALL plecos are OMNIVOROUS. Like every animal, plecos need a balanced diet.
However, it is important to look up your species to know the ratio of what to feed your pleco- carnivore:vegetarian. Carnivores need some vegetables in there diet, and vice versa.

The size/age of your pleco also has a massive bearing on what you should feed it. For example, hypostomus plecostomus as a juvenile, needs a lot of roughage in its diet, and leans more towards the vegetarian side of an omnivore. However, as it grows and reaches sub-adulthood more and more protein rich foods should be given.

Another, commonly looked over food source is bogwood. Natural softwoods make it easy for a pleco to gain lignin, which is a chemical compound found in cell walls etc. it doesnt degrade easily, but plecos still need a good supply as it helps keep their digestive tracts in order. they also gnaw their teeth down aswell as the wood fibres add to their roughage intake. It is absolutely essential to some pleco genus, such as panaques.

Feeding at night time, may be considered better as plecos are a nocturnal species, and are more active and look for food at night time. Hence, feeding just before lights out is a good thing, to let them feed in the dark.

Feeding plecos together: Think of the compatibility of your plecos, some species will easily out compete others for food, and hence some will starve as a result.

Here is a list of some suitable food sources for plecos:
*I have not including the many types of sinking pellets and flake food, because although a useful addition I dont believe them to be as useful as fresh or frozen foods such as those below and would never use them as a main diet, but merely supplement.

Meat/Protein based foods:-
Worms- bloodworms, blackworms, nightcrawlers etc (a side note, i've never had a young carnivorous plec refuse bloodworms)
Mysis
Beefheart
Prawn
Shellfish- mussels, cockles etc
Squid
Silversides
Spirulina
Brine Shrimp
Crustaceans
Other Insect Larvae
Fish Eggs
Krill
Daphnia
Chicken Liver

Vegetables (remember to wash all veggies of unwanted bugs and blanching veggetables isn't necessary- it takes away nutrients):-
Cucumber
Zucchini
Potatoes (I would soak these for a long time and wash thoroughly as they contain a lot of starch that is bad for water quality, although otherwise a great food source)
Sweet Potatoes
Shelled Peas
Broccoli
Carrots
Lettuces
Cabbage
Courgette
Yams
Parsnips
Squash
Suede
Spinach
Beans

Others:-
Melon
Bogwood
Mango
Apple
Kiwi
Rotting Leaves (or live)

Please add any feeding tips or techniques here to help squash the myth of "plecos eat algae".
Cheers

**WyldFya**Don't forget pumpkin! My plecs went NUTS over pumpkin.
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**COL** Just for the record, there are only two genera of loricariidae that have been shown to eat wood for nutritional value (roughage can be obtained from other sources), those being the infamous panaque and two (and perhaps more) species of lasiancistrus. For some odd reason, the morphologically similar hypostomus-cochliodonts lack the necessary gut microbes to extract nutrients from wood with the efficacy of larger panaque, though they, along with several other hypostomini and pterygoplichthyini tribe fishes show limited capacity to digest woody substances. Also, lignin is more or less impossible to digest to any significant degree. Rather, it is the hemicellulose that is so vital to the panaque palette.

All in all, it really comes down to what kind of pleco you've got; there are as many different dietary niches in nature as there are species of loricariids. Just in ancistrini alone, you've got a plethora of different fishes with different dietary needs:

Ancistrus/chaetostoma/lasiancistrus, and to a lesser extent, pseudolithoxus/hopliancistrus/dekeyseria-periphytonic grazers inhabiting consistently shallower waters, where the natural awfuchs makeup is represented largely by algal growth and decaying vegetation. Thus, a diet rich in fiber and other vegetable products is preferred, although, as with other grazers, microrganisms are consumed in the process of grazing, thus, protein should be offered, though with some care.

Megalancistrus/leporacanthicus-these closely related genera are almost exclusively invertebrate-feeders, specializing in feeding on snails (leporacanthicus), small to medium sized crustaceans such as river prawns, predatory insect larvae, worms, etc, and sponges. In accordance, these fish prefer high protein, low fat fare; mollusks and crustacea commonly available in the fish markets (clams, shell on shrimp to wear down the teeth, and, to a lesser extent, white fish) are perfect. Both genera, as previously stated, feed heavily off of freshwater porifera, and thus, seem to be fairly attracted to, and may even need fiber to substitute the vast amounts of spongin ingested while feeding. This, perhaps, explains why these fish are relatively prone to bloat in comparison to other "carnivorous" species, though it is hard to say how closely spogin and cellulose compare, molecularly. A fair amount of wood is also found in gut analysis, presumedly the side affects of grazing on spongal growths attached to various woody structures.

Hypostomus/pterygoplichthys/acanthicus/psuedorinelepis/peckoltia -nondescript feeders that will take anything and everything. With unspecialized villiform teeth, these fish will eat anything. From the sand sifting aphanotolurus and squalliforma, to the wood-grazing hypostomus cochliodon, all of these fish, regardless of habitat, are dietary generalists and feed on both vegetation and protein. Both should be fed heartily to ensure that specimens grow sufficiently while staying bloat-free.

Scobinancistrus/hypancistrus/psuedacanthicus-these are the generalized carnivores, so to speak. Some are adept scavengers, others, skilled predators (large scobinancistrus, for example, frequently pluck small, free swimming fishes from the water column above them), and all can tolerate relatively high levels of fat and crude protein. However, in optimal conditions, they should still be fed relatively high quality, lean foods, akin to the dietary recommendations given to the aforementioned leporacanthicus. Similarly, fiber should still be provided, as their natural diet still allows for more fibrous victuals, including beans, seeds, and nuts, which are commonly consumed by all three.

Panaque/lasiancistrus/hypostomus cochliodon-wood. What more is there to say?

Spectracanthicus/various peckoltia/baryancistrus/parancistrus-these deep water limnivores feed exclusively on the bio-film deposited onto various aquatic surfaces by decaying vegetation and animal matter, along with the microorganisms found alongside this organic debris. Because of their deeper water habits, dietary demands of such species are less focused on algae and more on protein. Henceforth, high-protein foods should be fed at least once a day, in addition to a heavy feeding of vegetable matter, corresponding with the dietary mixture found in the awfuchs consume by these fish. Like their shallower water, more herbivorously inclined relatives, they should be fed frequently, corresponding with their grazing lifestyle.

This is a more or less comprehensive list to the dietary needs of subfamily hypostominae, disregarding the rarer fish (cordylancistrus, neblinichthys, etc.) or the veritable scientific trash heaps (ancisti, hemiancistrus, etc.). Enjoy.
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[lovemybarbs]

I have put cantelope in there before, but they didn't touch it. This time I nuked it in some water for about 30 seconds first. The barbs, loaches and my pleco all enjoyed it. The clowns are clicking right now. My son loves cantelope, so they will be getting this a lot.

My pleco also loves left over canned green beans. He goes to those immediately.

[pleco4030]

if you were to add a piece of apple in the tank would you have to blanch it? or could you just drop it in?

[Neilsie]

I was thinking of trying to feed my pleco part of a crab stick, should I do this or will it harm him

[Into the ocean]

:dance:


Very good thread...this should be required reading for any new fish keeper when they are sold their first "algae eater" by their LFS.

I have a bristlenose and a spotted raphael housed together. I have been feeding daily algae tablets as well as driftwood and dropping in some freeze dried brine shrimp or blood worms a few times a week.

Tonight I will start with veggies/fruits as the staple of their diet, and add algae tablets and pepper the veggies with some shrimp or worms on occasion.

I'm going to try cucumber and mango first...why? Well, this omnivore likes them too.

:clap:

[Into the ocean]

I forgot to mention that I have fed small pieces of zucchini to my Convict Cichlid before and he loved them. I'm going to try this with the cucumber and mango also.

:dance2:

[Derringer]

I found it very hard when housed with other fish to get such delights as worms and small scraps of cut fish/shrimp, shrimp pellets and other sinking food tablets/pellets down to the plecs.
Other fish can be sooo greedy :rolleyes: .

Aint that the truth! I have a plec housed with comets/shubunkin and they ALWAYS hit anything I drop into the tank. The plec is still a juvinile so I'm hoping for now he can get by on any algae in the tank and the occassional left over algae disc. I am thinking of rigging up a stick/pole of some sorts and spot feeding him some treats.

[larcina]

thanks for the insight! I have a bristlenose and feed him cucumber and alge wafers. he loves the wood as well. I didn't think of lettuce or sweet potatoes and think that is a fabulous idea! I was worried that I wasn't giving him the variety he needed and turns out that I should be concerned.
THanks again

[lovesfish]

I have cichlids, plecos, and triopicals. they all love the broccoli florets. just clip the stem to the veggie clip and watch the cichlids go at it. The plecos will latch onto them and seem to love them. I buy the frozen and thaw them in a little warm water first. They also like the zuchinni

[iamsquatty]

what about tomatos?

[lovesfish]

hmmm have never tried them. They have a lot of acid, so I would prob just stick with the green veggies

[Aislinn]

Tomatoes are pretty pulpy. I think even if you drained them, they'd still make a big mess in the tank.

[Carp37]

Before joining this forum, I was concerned that my Ptergoplichthys juvenile wasn't getting enough greenstuff in his/her diet, therefore I bought a lettuce and put 4-5 small leaves of blanched lettuce in the tank. These were pretty much ignored for 2 days, then on the 3rd day the majority of the greenstuff of the lettuce had been eaten (not necessarily by the Pterygo), therefore I removed the remains of the lettuce, and added another couple of small leaves.

However, I had to remove these because the water clarity dropped markedly in the tank in a very short space of time. As yet I haven't got pH or nitrate/nitrite test kits- will get them this weekend, but does anyone have any suggestions to avoid water quality problems when adding vegetables? I noticed someone suggested raw potato, but I'm worried that this will also adversely affect water quality.

[KnaveTO]

Place the vegetable in before you go to bed and remove in the morning. This shouldn't affect your water quality too much. I also not that a lot of people mention blanching your vegetable... you do not need to do this as the mouth of the pleco is filled with tiny teeth designed for rasping rocks and woods to be able to get food. Blanching is something that will make the item sink a bit easier, but if you attach the vegetable matter toa heavy object then it will sink just fine. Quite a few people will use a stainless steel instrument of some sort to give it weight and thus keep it at the bottom. There are also vegetable clip out there at the LFS for such things.

[Carp37]

Thanks Knave- I'll try that after I've tested the water

[lovesfish]

Before joining this forum, I was concerned that my Ptergoplichthys juvenile wasn't getting enough greenstuff in his/her diet, therefore I bought a lettuce and put 4-5 small leaves of blanched lettuce in the tank. These were pretty much ignored for 2 days, then on the 3rd day the majority of the greenstuff of the lettuce had been eaten (not necessarily by the Pterygo), therefore I removed the remains of the lettuce, and added another couple of small leaves.

However, I had to remove these because the water clarity dropped markedly in the tank in a very short space of time. As yet I haven't got pH or nitrate/nitrite test kits- will get them this weekend, but does anyone have any suggestions to avoid water quality problems when adding vegetables? I noticed someone suggested raw potato, but I'm worried that this will also adversely affect water quality.

Hi Carp37.....
I feed my cichlid frozen broccoli tops. Just thaw them out in some warm water and drop them in the tank. They love them and so do the plecos. No cloudy water. My plecos just love them, they'll get on one and just keep eating until all the florets are gone and only the stem is left. You can also clip them on the side of the tank with a veggie clip. They also like fresh zucinni, just freeze it, then thaw it and peel it. Freezing and thawing makes it soft. Hope this helps.

[DLV082]

question. What does all this vegetable matter do to your water quality. Do you have to more water changes etc. I do 2 a week already.

[ostrangeone89]

My L008 or leopard pleco hasn't showed much interested but I shall see tomorrow! He is pretty shy, so we shall see! He likes to hide in the shell that I have in there, right now he is actually being social and is out on the side of the tank! The other fish are loving it, although I always try and add vegies into the tank.

[lovemybarbs]

My clown plecos enjoyed a spinach leaf last night. :)

[nmrsco]

my young clown pleco likes brocoli, peas, and zuchini best and barely touches lettuce or cucumber

[lovemybarbs]

I just gave mine a broccoli stalk. I didn't blanch it. We'll see if they go for it. The barbs are pecking at it.

[lovemybarbs]

They didn't touch it. :mad2:

[NewbieFish]

In a planted tank would a Pleco munch down all the plants?

[Lupin]

In a planted tank would a Pleco munch down all the plants?
If you don't feed them veggies, they will. It depends on the species of plecos you have. Some are purely carnivorous such as the L46, some eat wood, some will eat both veggies and meat.

[wwg]

i have an ancistrus sp3 which eats too much protein even though i do feed them veggies,which are zucchini,spinach,peas,broad beans,green beans and feed my goldspot mushrooms too. i tried carrot they ate a tiny piece of it

[Lupin]

i have an ancistrus sp3 which eats too much protein even though i do feed them veggies,which are zucchini,spinach,peas,broad beans,green beans and feed my goldspot mushrooms too. i tried carrot they ate a tiny piece of it
The explanation is simple. Meaty foods are often relished more by lots of fish including herbivorous ones than veggies and plants. Do note that most herbivorous fish have long intestines and as their digestive system is not designed to take in lots of proteins, they become prone to bloat. Even plecos can suffer bloat and eventually die.

[wwg]

how to prevent bloat ?feed veggies more often?

[Lupin]

how to prevent bloat ?feed veggies more often?
Limit the meaty foods (for herbivores only) and feed them more foods with high fiber content particularly veggies.

[King Lobster]

They didn't touch it. :mad2:

Hi guys, glad to have located this forum.

I currently have a one year old clown pleco and a one week old bristlenose pleco(ages approx from purchase date from fish shop)

They both love brocoli stems, my very shy and peaceful bristlenose was even so bold as to chase away my red tail shark which is about 5 times bigger than he/she is from its brocoli today, it's usually my red tail shark that does any chasing!

lovemybarbs, perhaps try preparing it a different way, I strip/trim the tough outer layer off first, this also reduces any chance of pesticides being left on the brocoli. I then I place in boiling water for about 3 minutes, and place in cold water immeadiately after boiling to stop the cooking process.
I put a couple of small pieces in the tank and place the rest in the freezer for future use, and thaw out before feeding. (Brocoli needs freezing, even for human consumption as it quickly degrades in the fridge, you can tell by the yellowing of the florets in just a few days.)


Question for those that know.
1)Isn't blanching helpful to lock in the nutrients by destroying the plants enzymes which take out the nutients even if frozen?
2) If the vegatable is given raw as some advocate, what are the risks of harmful bacteria being transfered to my tank and fish?

I'd rather keep blanching until someone can answer those 2 questions above.

Thanks.

[Mitsunei Ray]

This is great stuff!
I try to tell people about feeding their plecos other things aside from algae wafers! And now i can be like HA! They do like it~!

[goalieman59]

I need some advice with feed the plecos cucumbers, I did all recommend steps, and they never touched it, I took one, cut it in half then cut that in to 1/4s, any other ideas for me?

[jpappy789]

It will take time, I have never had any fish notice veggies right away.

[goalieman59]

It will take time, I have never had any fish notice veggies right away.
Will it hurt my cichlids to eat any of the veggies?

[jpappy789]

Nope, most (and by most I mean pretty much all africans) are vegetarians.

[goalieman59]

Fish finally started eating the veggies but they eat so fast not everyone gets to have some.

[shin0r]

My plecos go wild for mango. A word of warning though: the fibrous strands of the mango can easily foul up your filters!

[Slyther83]

wow i had no idea about this, i had thus far been feeding my pleco simply sinker pellets.


anyway, today i blanched some baby broccoli and a slice of zucchini and rubber banded them to a rock. after about 15 mins my pleco discovered this and was all over it like a fat kid on cake. hes about 9" long, and devoured it all.

my god i had no idea the poor guy was hungry like that i thought the sinkers were good enough!

anyway, thats what he gets now!

maybe some fruits as a treat on occasion, im going to get some cantaloupe this weekend.

[hydraloveingman]

i had no idea......one of my plecos has paled and i thought it had a bacterial infection,but now i can't rule out low fiber,any suggestions on good food for a common pleco?

[FINJOY]

HI, GREAT PIECE ON THE PLECOS, MY BRISTLENOSE ARE IN MY ANGEL FISH GROW OUT TANKS, SO IT'S NOT FEASIBLE FOR ME TO THROW IN THOSE VARIETY OF VEGGIES, SO I DEPEND ON THE ALGAE WAFERS, VEGETABLE STICKS, SPIRULINA STICKS, AND ALSO EARTHWORM STICKS WHICH IS SAID TO GET THEM TO BREED, SO FAR FOR ME IT'S TO SOON TO TELL AS I'VE ONLY ACQUIRED THE BRISTLENOSE ABOUT A MONTH AGO.

[Fishfriend1]

i had a pleco for a long time (it was a foot long when it died) and all i did was make sure that my goldfish didn't eat all the food. the pleco also had a cave.

[Angels]

Thank you very much! I've been looking and looking for stuff to feed my pleco and I never knew. I just now put some spiniach in my tank! Poor little guy! He's just been getting wafers... and by now he is medium sized! I've had him for two years, and I just got the internet recently... There should be more information on them, it's really hard to find any kind on um...

[vanillarum]

I haven't seen this solution posted yet, so I will do the honors. I have many plecos: L104s, L240s, L240s, L400s, L046, L260s, ottos, and farlos. Their dietary needs are somewhat different, obviously. If you are looking for a way to get your fresh (or frozen or blanched) veggies and fruits to sink, try sticking a fork in them and resting them on the bottom of your tank. I do this with zucchini, and the plecos always know where to find it. And shelled peas are good for all fishes digestive systems. I put a handful of frozen peas (I use petite size) in a cup of water and microwave them for 1 minute. Then drain the water and shell the peas. Some of the peas I will mash up for the other fish, but for the plecos I drop them whole into the tank. Good luck.