Pleco's anticipate feeding...

[Halo]

808_fairladyz, go check out the sticky for pleco feeding and nutrition at the top of the list. It's got all you need to know for preparing foods for your pleco, and I believe I even left a picture on there of my common stuffing himself on koi bits.

 

[jagarundi]

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...

***Update***

After posting my previous post, I went home and placed some Zuchinni in the tank. Before I did, I wrapped the Zuchinni in a wet paper towel and microwaved it for 40 seconds. I let it cool and then attached it to a clip that suctions to the wall in the tank. I put it in an area where the Plecos normally hide. I cut the lights and went to bed. When I awoke this morning, BOOM, the Zuchinni was hollowed out! The seeds were in the area under the rock cave where the Pleco's dwell so I know it was them who ate it! I'll give them a slice every other day. Should I start to see some type of physical changes on them soon? If so, what kind?

 

[Halo]

Well hopefully the first big change you'll see is, they stop sucking on your channel cats!

With a little more in their belly, I would'nt be suprised if you see them a bit more active, and a lot less agressive. Once they get used to a regular feeding cycle, they are not going to act like starved wolves untill it's zuchini time.

Fresh veggies seem to encourage more natural growth rates. You'll see lighter bands in their pattern as they start to have mini growth spurts.

Pleco Poo. The downside to having a pleco with a full belly is, he's gonna start decorating the tank with some truly amazing strands of poo. It's natural, it's normal, it's not healthy if they don't. Before you start thinking of him as a colon with fins, keep in mind some of your other catfish might consider this gunk edible, as it's still got nutrients in it.. yuch.

Color pattern. As they get bigger, and better fed, you should see more patterning in their hide. This is at least true for gibby and hypostomos.. I'm not sure which you have, both are considered common, and both are great fish.

Man I'm glad to hear they are taking zuchini at last Jag!

 

[Xielos]

I think most fish are a lot smarter than people give them cred it for :

My angelfish tells me if shes hungry by trying to swim to me through the glass whenever I'm in my room. One Time I had slept in really late (around 1 pm) and I could tell she was mad at me for being so late with her breakfast . As soon as I opened the hood she splashed me.

 

[808_fairladyz]

I tried the poached zuchinni but my pleco did not even touch it. Do i give it more tries? How long should i leave the zuchinni in my aquarium? Feeding plecos zuchinni seems to be a real possitive thing. I hope that i can get mine to eat it. All he wants is the Hikari Pellets.

 

[Halo]

I tried the poached zuchinni but my pleco did not even touch it. Do i give it more tries? How long should i leave the zuchinni in my aquarium? Feeding plecos zuchinni seems to be a real possitive thing. I hope that i can get mine to eat it. All he wants is the Hikari Pellets.

You can leave poached zuchini in the tank overnight, but I'd suggest taking it out in the morning. You don't want it spoiling and clouding your tank up. I'd give it at least a few tries. If he's never seen it before, he might not recognize it as food yet. To stimulate him to eat it, you can add some fresh, minced or granulated garlic to your zuchini poaching water. Another user also suggested studding shrimp pellets onto zuchini. I've not tried it, but my pleco's pig out on zuchini before I've let go of it. Might work with your pellets? Let us know how it goes