plecostumus in my african tank

[nano55]

I got a pleco for my african tank that had the algae problem. It seems to be doing just fine in the tank. I've had him about a month, and the fish so far have just left him alone. But I was wondering if I need to feed him something besides the food the rest of the fish eat, and whatever he is getting from the algae? Any bottom feeding wafers? Or is what he is getting now enough?

 

[Pittbull]

Pretty much when all the algae is gone he will need something high in spirulina.

Wardley makes a great spirulina disk.

I also raise albino and regular brown bristelnose pleco's in a different setup, i feed mine the wardley disks and aquadine catfish formula and my plec's go nutso over them.

Wardley disks should be available at wal-mart or your local fish store and the aquadine formula here is where you can check it out http://www.aquadine.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=21_50 pretty much a good bottom feeder food i have had great success with it.

 

[jpappy789]

Blanched veggies are the best IMO. There really isn't a tank that can support a pleco on algae alone.

 

[Ryanstech]

Like they said ^ my pleco loves veggies and algea disc food.

 

[Coler]

I give mine a large chunk of avocado a couple of times a week, and the occasional spirulina algae tablet.

 

[Fraya]

Your africans should also have flake that is high in spirulina, depending on which lake they are from, so the pleco should get plenty of it from that but the vegies (cucumber, zuccini, romaine) are going to be good for him as well. My africans love these vegies too (and it is good for them as well) so try and make sure that the pleco gets some as well. Feeding him at night is always a good option.

 

[efors]

Hi!
My BN pleco has been in my mbuna tank for 5 months now, eating NLS stable wafers. I throw 2 portions of a wafer into the tank, when the tank and the room are in total darkness.

 

[mostlycichlids]

Also depends on what type of pleco we are talking about. Not all are vegetarians some are carnivores and some need a large amount of wood in there diet. What type of pleco?

 

[Coler]

^ v good point - I should have said I keep a nice chunk of driftwood in back of the tank too.

 

[ozgood]

Do you all have a recommendation on how to get the food to the pleco? I haven't found the trick for getting any type of food product to my bushynose. The mbuna eat everything that I've tried to put in there for him. The algae wafers are eaten in a blizzard of fish and food debris. Same goes for any veggie.