Pleco won't stop eating...

[Joelynn26]

Anybody have experience with a voracious Pleco? I have a common Pleco in a 35 gal tank. I got him about a year ago and he was about 2" long. Now he's about 6" and very active and healthy looking. I give him 4 TetraMin Variety Wafers in the morning and 4 in the late evening. He gobbles them up in about 10 minutes each time. He also forages around for flake leftovers from a school of glass cats. If I give him an extra wafer, he immediately eats it. The way he's been eating, I think he would eat 10 wafers at a time. Can he be fed too much?

Attached is a picture of the big boy (although, I'm not sure if he's a boy or not).

 

[SimonWoodstock]

Well, the more you feed it the more will come out the other end. I wouldn't try to see exactly how much it can eat before turning it down. Feeding it once a day should be fine.

That's a nice looking fish. Keep feeding it well and it will get huge.

 

[Joelynn26]

Thanks. I guess I want to make sure he gets enough as he grows. if he's eating 8-10 wafers a day at 6", I wonder how much he'll need at 10"-12".

 

[Jtd724]

A hungry fish is healthier then a overfed fish. Once a day should be plenty.

 

[Bmeasure]

I bet you would have just as much growth from your fish giving him only 2 or 3 wafers a day. That should be plenty even for a fully grown one (up to 2'). These fish can really become poop factories if you let them. He can only use so much food! Your tank will be cleaner if he stays a little hungry anyways. Not only will he eat much more algae in your tank, but will poop less!

 

[Maj0rFiSh]

Thanks. I guess I want to make sure he gets enough as he grows. if he's eating 8-10 wafers a day at 6", I wonder how much he'll need at 10"-12".

8 to 10 wafers a day, wow, my plec wich is 3 inches like the one

 

[SimonWoodstock]

Just make sure you keep an eye on the water. Feeding it that much will probably cause to have to vacuum the gravel more often.

 

[Joelynn26]

Right SimonWoodstock! I feel like I'm vacuuming constantly. I'll cut way back on the wafers.

 

[daveedka]

http://www.aquasource.org/CMS/modul...ns&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=33&page=1

Pleco's are designed to process huge amounts of rough vegetation and "junk"
therefore they consume huge amounts of whatever food items they can and quickly process them. I would start feeding a lot of fresh veggies and making sure he has some driftwood to hang on and or munch on. the wafers are great in that they carry a lot of good nutrition, but the pleco is used to getting a little nutrition from a lot of bulk food, so other items will be more beneficial when mixed with the wafers. Mine is a wood eater, but generally feeds for about 18 hours a day give or take 6. he only gets wafers once or twice a week.
Dave

 

[Joelynn26]

Thanks everyone for the helpful information. I will change Plec's feeding routine.