How to feed plecos?

[smcurry83]

I have two common plecos in my mbuna tank. (eight mbuna so far) When I feed, the plecos don't budge. I know they are algea eaters, but don't they need some other form of nurishment? I have algea wafers, but the other fish end up eating those too. Any suggestions?

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

Zuchinni. :) Just gotta sink it. You can do that by attaching it to a rock or some other safe method. They sell a prduct called the Screwcumber, I've been told it works great. Plant weights have always done the trick for me.

[sandy_n]

Here's a link to the screwcumber on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SCREWCUMBER-PLEC-LOACH-ETC-FEEDER-2X-Twin-packs_W0QQitemZ370040179657QQihZ024QQcategoryZ2075 9QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[blu]

Zucchini is the definately good..a lot of other fish wont eat it either...to make it sink you can always just tie it to a rock ...thats what I do. Some romaine lettuce would be good to and broccoli crests. Its also a good idea to feed after dark so your other fish are less likely to bother them.

[smcurry83]

Do plecos normally go right after the food (zucini) like other fish do? Or will they just graze on it at their leizure?

[blu]

It may take them a little while to notice it but they will find it..if they are not quite comfortable in your tank they may only go after it at night but either way they will eat it. Since you have two I would expect them to eat most of it...just takes them longer than other fish.

[LosC]

Im having the same problem. I'll be trying zucchini to a spoon tonite.

[doug z]

Do plecos normally go right after the food (zucini) like other fish do? Or will they just graze on it at their leizure?

Depending on how many plecos are in your tank, you will have to blanch it in boiling water for a bit, and leave it in the tank overnight at LEAST..

[xoolooxunny]

plecos are naturally nocturnal feeders. You can get them to feed during the day in some cases, but most of the time their biological clock sets them on the hunt in the late evening into the early night. Try getting a lunar light and feeding them after lights out. Mine love Hikari algae wafers. I try and give them some variety, but they snub other wafers and go for the hikari.

[smcurry83]

I've been trying the hikari wafers. I've only tried during the day and it seems like bumble bees get bloated off of it. I guess I'll try feeding late at night. Thanks....

[easty-uk]

Mine love cucumber !

I just cut it into 2-3cm slices/wedges and boil it for ten mins or so... put a couple of pieces in the tank and the next day they are almost gone. If they are still there I take what is left out. They also love algae wafers

Tony

[jillybean1852]

I feed my plecos the sinking shrimp pellets as well as the algae wafers and they go nuts over the pellets! lol Also, they are not really expensive.... I purchased a 5 oz container for $2.49 and have had it for almost a year now with some left. They are great for oscars, cichilds, and bottom dwellers such as plecos, catfish, and loaches. Hope this helps! :ssmile:

[Sniffles]

My pleco's get a piece of zuchini or squash just about every night.I cut off about a 3" chunk,seed it and blanch it for about 40 seconds,let it cool and weight them with forks and at lights out I place them on bottom of tank(I have 3 tanks the 3" piece gets divided into).Normally by morning there is nothing left.I also have one pleco that loves Mango.I always try to put it in the same spots in the tanks also,seems they go there looking for it when the lights go out.I sware my larger pleco is almost like a dog and begs for it.

[Ken Willett]

I have an 11 year old pleco and the only thing I do is feed it sinking algae pellets at night just as I turn the light out on the tank.

[fraggle]

I haven't boiled or blanched any cucumber or zucchine or squash, I just slice it up and stick it in, I just stick a fork through it, the skin holds it to the fork, I usually put in it the tank at night, and leave it in there the next day and night as well, as the oscar seems to like having a go at it and so do the loaches and bala shark in the other tank! So they have it during the day and the plecos get it at night!
I use forks or spoons or knives for all of the fresh fruit/veg I put in the tank, haven't had much trouble, a couple of times they've eaten it off what ever is holding it down, but usually not much left by that stage so just take it out.

[Mvjnz]

I never blanch or boil veggies I give fish, it pretty much removes 75% of the nutrients and makes a lot of the remaining ones useless. Plus they have never had any probs eating it raw, so what's the point?

I give mine mostly cucumber and algae wafers. It loves the cucumber and will sit on it pretty much constantly until I remove it. With the algae wafers it needs to fight the loaches and mollies for them, but it doesn't seem to be a prob. I break them up into tiny pieces so they all get a piece each, instead of all of them fighting over one big piece. If they lose a piece they will quickly find another one to suck on for a while.

[smcurry83]

No matter what I put in the tank, the cichlids get to it first. I don't even know how the plecos are surviving. I've tried cucmber, peas, wafers, lettuce. You name it. I even tried feeding the cichlids a little extra during the day so hopefully they would be full by night. No luck, they devour anything in the tank!!!

But the plecos are eating something, because they're not dead yet!!!

[duce]

plecs will eat a variety of vegetables e.g.sliced potato but dont leave in tank for too long

[smcurry83]

Well, I tried zucini on a fork overnight. Needless to say it was almost completely gone in the morning. It was cool, because I've never seen my plecos actively swimming around. They usually dart from one spot to another and hang out.

The plecos were actually swimming around the tank going after what was left of the zucini in the morning. Thanks guys...

[Juannie]

My plecs get zucchinni at least twice a week and they LOVE it & boy do they grow! They get spirulina pellets, wood pellets (can't remember name) and flake. They seem to vacuum up plenty in the tank. All my other fish seem to love the zucchinni to esp the goldfish. The plecs don't seem particularly fussy either.

[sandy_n]

They make wood pellets? I know plecos eat wood but I've never seen wood in pellet form! Who makes it?

[bluekrissyspikes]

do your pleco's have a cave of some sort? if they aren't getting food because the others are too fast try putting it in something where only they can get it, like wedge a peice in thier cave.