new clown pleco!

[ValRasbora]

I just bought a clown plec for my 20g! He was a impulse buy, I saw them in the flyers for $7 and thought I'd grab one. I'll post pics soon, he's cute at just 2". I don't have huge amounts of algae atm (enough to keep the little fella for a few days at the very least) but I'm wondering what you guy's pleco's fave veggie is? I don't want him to starve
~thanks

 

[ValRasbora]

another unrelated question, are river rocks (the cheap polished ones you can get at dollar stores and home hardware, about 2-3" long, 1-2" wide) okay as substrate? Like, not on top of the sand or gravel but AS the substrate? I saw it at the lfs and it looked really really nice!! I think it would look good in the 20...

 

[ValRasbora]

Top Fin® River Rock Decor Stones - 1 lb. - Décor - Fish - PetSmart
like that

 

[misterking]

Congrats on the purchase! I used to just feed my pleco algae wafers which he loved.. but I hear zucchini is very good.

 

[lauraf]

Hey Val:
River rocks are okay as a substrate, except for the fact that all the debris gets trapped in all the crevices between them. You'd have to siphon really, really well to prevent poop, uneaten food and dead plant material from rotting in there and causing a problem.
Oh, and make sure you do the vinegar test to make sure they are inert. Even if they are being sold as 'aquarium-safe'. A good dunk in hot water never hurts either.
My albino BN pleco eats slices of blanched zucchini, and goes mental for spinach. As do my angels and gouramis, actually - too funny watching my angel juvies divebombing the spinach leaves, ripping hunks off, and running away with their 'treasure' to gobble in the corner.

 

[ValRasbora]

thanks laura, will try spinach next time we get it (don't often get it) but we often have zuchinni. I only saw him nomming his cucumber a few times, but the other fish seem to loove it, especially the cories and rasboras.

I'm thinking of re-doing the 20... The pleco needs dw and the substrate looks quite awful, not to mention that it is lacking plants. I did a neat lil doodle of what I could do, and I'm liking how it looks... not to mention that this is the tank you see right when you walk in the door!

 

[ryanoh]

My giant pleco, which I had to rehome due to his size, used to tear up frozen squash. I plan on getting a clown pleco at some point in the near future though. Hopefully I'll get him at around that price, because that seems like a good deal.

 

[Dylandrewsdad]

Congrats on the new addition! Pics please! My LFS has a Golden Zebra Pleco that I want...just no room for!