Egg eating Common Pleco??

[thrill6699]

I have a 10" common pleco I have raised from just a baby ( 2"). I have spawned numerous egg laying cichlid species in the tank with him, ie. Convicts, Kribensis, Labidochromis auratus. Now I have a pair of Rainbow Cichlids that layed eggs a few days ago. The very night after the eggs were laid, I woke up to be horrified that all the eggs were gone. There was pleco fecal matter that had what looked to be undigested eggs in it. I was unaware that plecos were egg eaters. Why hadn't he eaten eggs in the past? He is well fed with a varied diet of veggies and fruit. Is he simply too big for the rainbows to fend off of their nest? They are only 3" or so. Perhaps I just need to get a smaller pleco?

[YoFishboy]

Although veggies are good for them, Plecs will eat pretty much anything.....mine even work pellets on the surface....and I'm sure a little cavier is appreciated by them....think of them as a finned goat...

[plah831]

I've heard of otos eating an occasional egg or two, so it doesn't surprise me at all that a pleco would relish eggs (being more omnivorous than otocinclus catfish).

[clayt101]

They love eggs!!!