Pleco's anticipate feeding...

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Halo

Puppies with Fins!
Sep 18, 2005
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I've got a nice big pleco tank, filled with big friendly armored fish (see signature). I've been feeding them on a regular schedule for a few months, and I've noticed they really seem to grasp when feeding time is.
Every other day, they get half a zuchini, split in two and lightly poached, and fresh corn on the cob, also poached. On alternate days, they get two to three fresh prawns for the meat lovers in the tank and a few algae wafers for tideover snacks for the strict veggitarians. Begging for koi food treats is accepted and encouraged anytime they get the munchies. Twice a week, they get frozen algae cubes, and a bloodworm or krill cube goes in for the guppies...
Now here's the thing. They know when it's a zuchini night. They know when it's a shrimp night. They know when it's feeding time <midnight> and they get into ready positions before I even start the pot to poach. When I approach the tank before feeding time, they don't rush up thinking I've got food.
Has anyone else noticed this kind of anticipation and awareness in their fish? I've got three big plec's hanging out in the light, counting down till midnight and eyeballing me with an air of expectation. Let's hear your brainy fish stories...
 

Must4ng s4lly

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Jan 9, 2004
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I don't feed on a real regular schedule time-wize, but I can tell when they think I have missed feeding. The huge plec have starts cruising the tank and sticking to the front waiting for his spinich or zuchinni. It is funny to watch. they also know when I start sticking the clips on the side of the tank, that food is coming and they don't shy from my hands..

I love plecs because you can tell what they are thinking!
 

long2534

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Nov 8, 2005
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i have 2 large (1 foot) common plecos in my oscar tank. I dont feed them at regular times and ive conditioned them to swim happily eating night and day as though they were the same. Mine have become so used to feeding they will swim up and take algae wafers from my hands, also i can put food in front of their face if they are on the bottom and they readily swim up with no fear of my hand at all and pull on the algae wafer until they swim off with it in their mouth which is a weird sight to see. they also eat fish flakes and tubiflex worms floating at the top of the water. ive found that they are extremely smart fish that bond with their owners because mine wont accept food from other people. I wonder if its possible for them to recognize voices because my oscars seem to know when im talking about them but maybe im just crazy. the fish deffinately can tell if its me or someone else standing at the tank though.
 

manna

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Oct 10, 2005
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My common pleco lets me know when he's ready for a zuccini by hovering in the "feeding zone" and giving me the eye. He has no trouble in getting his point across. In fact, even my kids, who are not into fish at all frequently tell me, "your plec is screaming for a zuccini again..." lol! :rolleyes:
 

indiginess

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Nov 26, 2005
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neat thread, decided to bump it with a comment, and pleco threads are always popular

plecos are some of the smartest fish i've encountered, rivaling mbuna

i had a bristlenose that would pout if it didn't get its wafer. it would be active and happy for a day or two, then it would hide

i even tested the theory, multiple times, waiting four days, six and eight... it would hide until it had its wafer

the scientist in me thinks there were other factors, but you never know
 

aknif

...maybe the Dingo ate your baby!!
Dec 27, 2004
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I recently got a common pleco for my 135g cichlid tank... I've only had the guy for about 2 weeks now, but he already goes to the one corner of the tank where I sneak him algae wafers right after I turn out the tank light at night.

One night, my hubby turned out the tank light while I was up getting the kids into bed... when I came down, I sat down on the couch and began to watch tv. Then I realized the tank light was off... I turned around and looked, and sure enough, there he was, rooting around in that corner of the tank trying to find his algae wafer! LOL! He's got me trained already!

:D
 

jagarundi

Bonafide, 100% Cichlid Lover!!
Oct 6, 2004
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Well I guess my Plecos are a different breed because all they do is HIDE ALL THE TIME and suck on my Albino Channel Cats!! I've tried feeding them Zuchinni, Cucumbers and lettuce to no avail. I've had them for a year now and they have yet to grow more than maybe 3 - 4 inches longer than when I first bought them. I'm looking to get rid of them now.
 

Halo

Puppies with Fins!
Sep 18, 2005
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jagarundi said:
Well I guess my Plecos are a different breed because all they do is HIDE ALL THE TIME and suck on my Albino Channel Cats!! I've tried feeding them Zuchinni, Cucumbers and lettuce to no avail. I've had them for a year now and they have yet to grow more than maybe 3 - 4 inches longer than when I first bought them. I'm looking to get rid of them now.


Still trying to eat your channel cats?!? Aww man... Have you tried garlic infused water to prepare your zuchini? Those guys are really determined.. I'm sorry you're having such pleco problems...
 

808_fairladyz

Hawaii Freshwater Aquaria Hobbiest
Nov 23, 2005
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Hilo, Hawaii
I've never fed my Pleco zuchinni before. Lightly poached? Does it sink to the bottom of the tank? How does the zuchinni look lightly poached? I'm just curious as to what texture it should be for feeding plecos. As for feeding habits. I feed my pleco at the same time every day twice a day. Once in the morning @ 8:00am before i go to work, and 7:00pm when i come home. He knows when it's time for feeding because he gets very active and will swim up to the top and start eating the Hikari pellets.

Morning:1/2 tbsp shrimp pellets, and 1 tetra min pellet. He also goes up to the top to feed on Hikari Gold Pellets that i feed the Oscar( he loves the pellets and i think it's strange for him to do so).

Evening: Again, he will eat the Hikari Gold Pellets from the Oscar's feeding time & 2 algae waffers. He eats everything that sometimes i want to feed him more, but he gets fed twice a day plus Hikari Gold Pellets and i think that it's enough for him to be healthy and he is.
 
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