Pleco not eating wafers

[fishorama]

Like I said many "commons" are omnivores (see planetcatfish) & need both veggies & proteins & that it can depend on species. Very few fish survive on veggies only. Auf wuchs may look like algae is actually a biofilm of micro-critters & some algae. That's why I like Repashy.

If you'd read my post I did ask if there was real wood in the OP's tank. & not all plecos need it but they may like it for the stuff on it not just the lignins. As for fiber, peas & sweet potato have more than, say, cukes, it also depends on what part of the veg the fish eats.

Hikari foods aren't bad but their algae wafers are similar to their other wafers. Other brands have much more spirulina & other veggies, some even have wood.

 

[nateyj90]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I don't currently have any driftwood in the tank, only plants. I do plan on getting some. Right now, I ordered a banquet block that can stay in the water for a while without clouding it up. It's meant for Plecos and includes the fiber they need. He's pooping quite a bit and it looks normal, so I'm sure the little guy is fine. I've been doing small water changes (about 10-20%) almost every other day to suck up the uneaten wafer and to clean the tank as well.

 

[fishorama]

I'm not sure of what a "banquet block" is. Some "vacation feeders" have plaster like stuff to hold them together, not great for your fish or tank. But maybe it's a new & great food, do you have a link?

Your pleco is so small I'd tend toward a different food answer. A bag of frozen peas could last you & your plec for a while. You just have to thaw 1 pea & squish out the "guts" & feed that part not the outer "shell". Peas also have some protein . My family eats frozen (not canned) peas regularly. Other veg to try romaine lettuce, fresh spinach, zucchini, winter squash (any), green beans (slightly cooked), or even fruit like cantaloupe, watermelon etc. I don't like to leave fruit in the tank for long I think the sugars add to the pollution so I only give several hours before a water change.

Your fish is small so only a little bit of any new food is good. See what it likes. Another way to encourage veg eating is to make a small slit in it & put a small bit of wafer in it. It only takes a couple rounds of that before they like just plain veggies.

Some plecos can be more "pet-like" than other fish. Our first "common" learned to wink for a tablet (more of an eye roll) after a very short time, lol. It came with a tank & was already 7+ inches. They can live quite a long time!

It sounds like you're doing a good job, keep it up. Good luck! & oh, we love pics & may be able to help ID it even at a very small size.

 

[nateyj90]

I'm not sure of what a "banquet block" is. Some "vacation feeders" have plaster like stuff to hold them together, not great for your fish or tank. But maybe it's a new & great food, do you have a link?

Your pleco is so small I'd tend toward a different food answer. A bag of frozen peas could last you & your plec for a while. You just have to thaw 1 pea & squish out the "guts" & feed that part not the outer "shell". Peas also have some protein . My family eats frozen (not canned) peas regularly. Other veg to try romaine lettuce, fresh spinach, zucchini, winter squash (any), green beans (slightly cooked), or even fruit like cantaloupe, watermelon etc. I don't like to leave fruit in the tank for long I think the sugars add to the pollution so I only give several hours before a water change.

Your fish is small so only a little bit of any new food is good. See what it likes. Another way to encourage veg eating is to make a small slit in it & put a small bit of wafer in it. It only takes a couple rounds of that before they like just plain veggies.

Some plecos can be more "pet-like" than other fish. Our first "common" learned to wink for a tablet (more of an eye roll) after a very short time, lol. It came with a tank & was already 7+ inches. They can live quite a long time!

It sounds like you're doing a good job, keep it up. Good luck! & oh, we love pics & may be able to help ID it even at a very small size.

Thanks, I'll pick up some frozen peas soon. Here's a link for the "banquet block" https://www.aquariumcoop.com/products/pleco-banquet-block
I think it'd be good to keep the block in as a supplement while giving him peas too. What do you think? And how many peas should I feed him? He seems to like the block so far and has eaten a ton of algae in the tank. Didn't seem like he cared for the Hikari wafers but I'm going to cut one into 1/4ths and put a piece by the block and see if he eats any of it.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

There are two different fish considered to be common plecos. (SL = Standard length which does not include the tail.)

The smaller of them is Hypostomus punctatus:
260mm or 10.2" SL

Feeding

Lettuce, peas, frozen spinach and any prepared food that reaches the bottom. Larger fish enjoy prawns. Algae (especially soft brown) will be eaten immediately. Will learn to eat floating pellets from the surface if the food drifts to the sides of the aquarium.

from https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=87

The second is Pterygoplichthys pardalis:
350mm or 13.8" SL

Feeding

In their natural habitat, this species feeds on algae, aquatic weeds and other plant matter and small crustaceans. Will eat mostly vegetable fare in the aquarium but will also eat tablet and pellet foods.

from https://www.scotcat.com/factsheets/pterygoplichthys_pardalis.htm

Planetcatfish also notes that "It is important to note that the term "common pleco" is applied to several nondescript loricariid species, especially of the genera Pterygoplichthys and Hypostomus."