I cant get my plecos to eat

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ghart999

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Nov 28, 2006
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I have two new rubberlip plecos about 1.5 inches long. There was mucho brown algae when I added them. They ate all of it in 1 day making the glass perfectly clean. Since then (about 6 days ago) I have given them algae wafers which all my corys and gouramis eat right away. Since the plecos are so shy they have not even attempted to go and eat them. What to do? Are they going to starve to death? I am thinking I will try raw veggies but I don't want to give them that daily. Will they be getting enough food on their own between veggie feedings?

Thanks all.
 
I put in zuccini cut fresh then frozen every other day I defrost it first, also peas and carrots every day inbetween..
My pleco loves it all, he will also come out for spirulina.
Give him a week or two and i'm sure he will come and get some food.... if not try dropping in some at lights out.
Do you have driftwood? Most plecos like driftwood in the tank.
I did a photo shoot of my bnpleco yesterday here he is eating a pea.. :)
192433.jpg
 
Thanks I will try the veggies and try at lights out.

I do have a huge piece of driftwood which they both live under all day.
 
ghart999 said:
I have two new rubberlip plecos about 1.5 inches long. There was mucho brown algae when I added them. They ate all of it in 1 day making the glass perfectly clean. Since then (about 6 days ago) I have given them algae wafers which all my corys and gouramis eat right away. Since the plecos are so shy they have not even attempted to go and eat them. What to do? Are they going to starve to death? I am thinking I will try raw veggies but I don't want to give them that daily. Will they be getting enough food on their own between veggie feedings?

Thanks all.
Click to expand...

Be prepared to wait. I got the same type of pleco and he would not eat anything but algae. Anything I attempted to put in the tank, blanched vegetables and algae tablets either rotted or got torn apart by my oscars. From what people told me, these guys are wild caught (I didn't know this when I got him) so 1. they are shy and 2. they are not familiar with all these "artificial" food sources. My pleco finally discovered the tablets about 1 month later (!!) and now he will even fight my oscars if they get near his tablets. He's still shy though but he comes out a lot more than he used to. The fact that you have two of them might speed up the process since one may learn from the other's behaviors and they will benefit from some healthy competition.
 
TML29 said:
Be prepared to wait. I got the same type of pleco and he would not eat anything but algae. Anything I attempted to put in the tank, blanched vegetables and algae tablets either rotted or got torn apart by my oscars. From what people told me, these guys are wild caught (I didn't know this when I got him) so 1. they are shy and 2. they are not familiar with all these "artificial" food sources. My pleco finally discovered the tablets about 1 month later (!!) and now he will even fight my oscars if they get near his tablets. He's still shy though but he comes out a lot more than he used to. The fact that you have two of them might speed up the process since one may learn from the other's behaviors and they will benefit from some healthy competition.
Click to expand...

good to know. thanks a lot.
 
I was thinking of trying to feed my pleco part of a crab stick, should I do this or will it harm him
 
Well its been 12 days since I added the Plecos and they still won't eat anything. The algea wafers get eaten by everyone else even when put in after lights out.

I have tried zuchinni 3 nights now and not a single bite has been taken. Are they going to die of starvation?
 
Keep adding the zuchinni. It will take them some time to figure out it is food. Also try blanching it first, that may help. Obviously they are still eating something, so that is good. But as they age they will need far more food than the tank can provide.

Can you see their bellies? Are they still slightly plump?
 
I have blanched the zuchinni each time to no avail. They never come out except at night so I can't see their bellies either. I am sad for them. I want them to like their new home. Maybe they will like some steak??? Kidding.
 
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