Pleco Feeding

jobeak

jobeak

Medium Fish
#1
Mar 13, 2006
87
0
0
Sligo, Ireland
#1
Hey Guys.

I have 2 x 2 inch pleco's in one of my tanks and they don't seem to be eating any food that I give them. I have tried two different types of food, Plecostomus Tablet Food and Catfish Pellets. Thinking that they would not eat during the day, when the tank light is on, I tried dropping some of both types of food in just before I went to bed. When I got up the next morning, the food was still there on the gravel. One of the pleco's is fairly active and can be seen cleaning the gravel, tank and some of the plants, but the other one doesn't seem to do a whole lot. If anyone has any experience with pleco's and their feeding habits, I would appreciate any help.

Thanks in advance.

Jobeak
 

jpc123_hockey

jpc123_hockey

Small Fish
#2
Apr 3, 2006
33
0
0
#2
Hi There,
With plecos you do not really have to feed them, I have had my pleco for 6 years and I have never fed him any extra food. Plecos seem to be happy just cleaning the stuff off of the bottom and off the glass.

Cya Later
 

PlecoCollector

PlecoCollector

Superstar Fish
#3
Aug 21, 2005
1,430
0
0
34
Clinton, NY
#3
jpc123_hockey said:
Hi There,
With plecos you do not really have to feed them, I have had my pleco for 6 years and I have never fed him any extra food. Plecos seem to be happy just cleaning the stuff off of the bottom and off the glass.

Cya Later
Click to expand...
That is a very common misconception and also very false. :eek:
Plecos indeed need extra food suppliment. How long have you had your Plecos? Do they have hiding spaces? What are their tank mates? Tank size?

I feed mine sinking algae wafers, brine shrimp pellets, and boiled zucchini. The zucchine is by far their favorite. I highly recommend it. Cut a half centimeter thick piece of zucchini or two for them, boil it for a few minutes so it'll sink (boil longer for a larger piece) and drop it in the tank right after lights out. I always wake up to a well chewed piece of zucchini :D
 

jobeak

jobeak

Medium Fish
#4
Mar 13, 2006
87
0
0
Sligo, Ireland
#4
Cheers for the prompt replies guys. I have a 10g for the two plecos. They share the tank with 6 black widow tetras and 5 neon tetras. The one that I bought recently is eating algae off the sides of the tank and the gravel but the one that I have the longest doesn't seem to be eating at all. As I am writing this the one that doesn't seem to eat is sitting on the residue of the food I dropped in the tank about ten minutes ago and is doing nothing. There are plenty of hiding places as the bog wood I have in the tank has lots of caves in it and they also hide under it. I also have a small bridge which they hide under also.

Jobeak
 

PlecoCollector

PlecoCollector

Superstar Fish
#5
Aug 21, 2005
1,430
0
0
34
Clinton, NY
#5
They probably are feeling a little smashed in there... a 10g tank is by far not a sufficent tank size for a Common Pleco (I'm assuming they're common, please correct me if I'm wrong), let alone two. They're grow rather quickly and really need to be in a much larger setup.
 

jobeak

jobeak

Medium Fish
#6
Mar 13, 2006
87
0
0
Sligo, Ireland
#6
They are common pleco's and I am moving them into the 55 gal but I have to wait for a heater that I ordered for it first. The 10 gal is only a temporary home. The new heater wont be in stock until friday at my LFS. Maybe the small tank is the reason that they are not feeding. Unhappy fish maybe.
 

Pure

Pure

Elite Fish
#7
Nov 1, 2005
3,216
7
0
Jacksonville, FL
#7
Naaa plecs are pigs, I doubt the tank size has much to do with it. most likely they just do not like the food you are offering. I see you are in Ireland, I don't know what is available to you over there, but i would def do the boiled zucchini until you find something they like. I know it's called something different over there, but I can't remember. ask around on the boards, I'm sure someone else can help you. You can also try potato.

But yes they need much larger accommodations, and the 55 will only last them for so long before it is too small.
 

Rush07

Rush07

Large Fish
#10
Mar 1, 2006
252
1
0
Oneida, NY
#10
Zucchini is also green squash. At least I hope it is because that is what my Royal has been eating! White and sweet potato works well at least with my guy.
 

jobeak

jobeak

Medium Fish
#11
Mar 13, 2006
87
0
0
Sligo, Ireland
#11
Cheers for all the advice guys. I have bought some Zucchini, which are known as Corgettes over here. I have boiled them and I will wait until bed time to drop them in the tank. I am relatively new to fishkeeping and as I get more knowledgable about it, I will definately be buying a bigger tank. Maybe a 90g at some stage. So I think the long term outlook for pleco growth should be pretty much covered.

Again guys, Thanks for the help and advice.

Jobeak.
 

PlecoCollector

PlecoCollector

Superstar Fish
#13
Aug 21, 2005
1,430
0
0
34
Clinton, NY
#13
jpc123_hockey said:
I have had many plecos before this one and they all lived for atleast 4 or 5 years and i never fed them any extra food so I still do not think that they need extra food.
Click to expand...
They DO need extra food. I've had (well, my parents had) Plecos that lived for 13 years. Four to Five years isn't a very long lifespan for them.
 

I

Intravenous

Large Fish
#15
Jan 19, 2006
200
0
0
Edinburgh and Aberdeen Scotland, UK
#15
What you're all talking about (sinking pellets, zuchinni, sweet potato) might be fine when talking about a common pleco (which fair enough this one is, but you all made the suggestions before discovering this) but some plecos wouldnt touch these foods if their life depended on it. Some plecos are meat eaters and wont eat any vegetable matter.

Maybe this is irrelevant in this post now but I'd just like to get rid of the misconception that all plecos are fine when given only algae or sinking tablets.

Edit: jpc123_hockey, is that your betta? Oh my god, I'm in love! *drools*
 

Last edited:
PlecoCollector

PlecoCollector

Superstar Fish
#16
Aug 21, 2005
1,430
0
0
34
Clinton, NY
#16
Intravenous said:
What you're all talking about (sinking pellets, zuchinni, sweet potato) might be fine when talking about a common pleco (which fair enough this one is, but you all made the suggestions before discovering this) but some plecos wouldnt touch these foods if their life depended on it. Some plecos are meat eaters and wont eat any vegetable matter.

Maybe this is irrelevant in this post now but I'd just like to get rid of the misconception that all plecos are fine when given only algae or sinking tablets.
[\QUOTE]

That's why I mentioned brine shrimp pellets in one of my earlier posts ;)
No matter what a fish eats, plants or meat, IME will eat brine shrimp pellets. It's what I feed my Zebras and Common alike. They love 'em :D
Click to expand...
 

Pure

Pure

Elite Fish
#18
Nov 1, 2005
3,216
7
0
Jacksonville, FL
#18
I agree with intra on this. The meat eaters should be given "meat" not processed fishmeal as a staple. As a food from time to time..sure, but not every day.

PC did you ever try that home made raw shrimp recipe I gave you? Bet your Zebes will love that. If I need to repost it let me know. I'll dig it back up for you.
 

Pure

Pure

Elite Fish
#19
Nov 1, 2005
3,216
7
0
Jacksonville, FL
#19
I have had many plecos before this one and they all lived for atleast 4 or 5 years and i never fed them any extra food so I still do not think that they need extra food.
Click to expand...
And this is why your plecs only lived for 6 yrs. Really nothing to be proud about if you know how long they are sposed to live.
 

PlecoCollector

PlecoCollector

Superstar Fish
#20
Aug 21, 2005
1,430
0
0
34
Clinton, NY
#20
Pure said:
I agree with intra on this. The meat eaters should be given "meat" not processed fishmeal as a staple. As a food from time to time..sure, but not every day.

PC did you ever try that home made raw shrimp recipe I gave you? Bet your Zebes will love that. If I need to repost it let me know. I'll dig it back up for you.
Click to expand...

Please if you don't mind :) I bet my little ones would love a change from their brine shrimp pellets and frozen bloodworms/brine shrimp diet :D
 

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