I feed cucumber to my pleco fry. Step 1. Remember to take any left of food or vegetables out of the … Supplement with regular treats of fresh blanched veggies like spinach, cucumbers, peas, carrots and zucchini. One needs to feed the Pleco once or twice a week depending upon the algae growth in the tank. Paint the resulting mixture on a flat rock or driftwood. I wish I could take credit for this, but my hat is off to Norbert Flaugger of Casa Maria, Venezuela who, in conversation with Shane Linder passed on this method that works wonders for raising tough fry and acclimatizing picky loricariids. Any food to be fed to plecos need to be the right size for the fish to feed on. Step 3. Feeding Bristlenose Plecos. I am away for 6 days and have Bristlenose pleco fry. The best advice is to start with a small portion. This is usually wheat or soy. Wood eatersAside from having wood in the tank, these fish also like a bit of vegetable, particularly the skin of certain vegetables such as cucumber and courgette are eaten with gusto. Common Plecostomus (Hypostomus plecostomus), Average 15-inches in length, but adults range from 12 to 24-inches at maturity, Scavenging Omnivore; juveniles consume algae, wood and plant materials along with decaying scraps and live fry, insects and eggs. For the more adventurous, you could try your hand at express-growing of algae. How much to feed?Plecos are grazers. Common plecos are wild-caught and usually sold as 3-inch juveniles, but they can double their size in less than 6 months! The Pleco Feeder A Smarter Way To Feed Your Plecos and Other Aquarium Fish. Adding blanched vegetable treats and/or fast-growing Hornwort may protect plants from damage. These eating machines need plenty of room and a robust, high-quality filtration system, but are otherwise tolerant to a wide range of conditions. CarnivoresWhite fish, mussels, shrimps/prawns, cockles. But unlike smaller species, such as the Bristlenose or Clown, Common Plecos often don’t work out in community aquariums: Common plecos are native to a wide range of Central and South America. For smaller individuals, it's preferred to blanch the vegetable before feeding. The Common Plecostomus may be cheap and widely available, but these giant catfish can become problematic as they mature. To control the waste from my common pleco, I have a HOB filter rated at 400 gpm, a sponge filter rated for a 60 gallon tank, and a 300 gph powerhead fitted with a filter sock.. Common plecos need a tank of 75 gallons minimum and even larger is preferred. It’s better and more cost-effective to start with a set-up ideal for your mature fish rather than upgrading things later. Common suckermouth catfish may fight when kept together in groups unless provided with a spacious environment (like an outdoor pond).. You may notice small or medium-sized fish are missing or find their partially eaten bodies, and you may even witness an attack on larger fish as your pleco gets bolder and bigger. Even with a well-maintained filtration system and using fresh filter media, you’ll need to do a 30 to 50% water change at least once a month to maintain a healthy pleco tank. You can add any kind of fish food and even ground, dried vegetables. This is the first part of a two-part article on how to feed loricariid catfish, aka Plecos. Lastly, note that, if your tank has live plants, plecos may uproot or eat them. There are three sources of food that the aquarist can use: Most supermarkets in the western world carry a wealth of food items that can be made into suitable food for plecos with just a little bit of preparation. The only other problems you’ll usually see are related to unbalanced or overfeeding. Learn how your comment data is processed. Plecos are sold quite small in pet stores, so most people don’t realize that they will grow to reach 1 to 2 feet in length.As your Pleco grows larger, be prepared to house it in a 50-100 gallon aquarium. I have a 12" pleco, too. To set up a community tank for a single Common Pleco and a few aggressive cichlids, you’ll need: Does a giant Common Pleco seem like a good choice for your tank, or do you think a smaller species would be better for your community aquarium? Adults are best kept on their own or in a community tank with large, aggressive cichlids like Oscars or Green Terror, Ideal for planted aquariums, but may consume plants rather than eating wood or algae. Step 2. Food preferences often shift in adulthood away from algae to live plants and larger live prey, Feed daily and offer a mix of commercial sinking algae wafers and spirulina pellets supplemented with fresh blanched veggies. Other commonly used food is Sweet Potatoes or Yams, split peas and sugar-snap/mange-tout are also excellent foods. With their massive appetites, these fish produce a lot of waste and need a high-quality canister or HOB filter with replaceable media to keep their water clean. They’re found in streams and river habitats, and usually prefer to hide among wood, branches and debris, along the bottom of waterways. Know when to feed. Most vegetables tend to float at the top of the tank, and plecos tend to eat at the bottom or side of the tank, so it's necessary to make sure the food ends up in a place where your fish will be able to eat it easily. However, just like humans eating the wrong things for too long, the fish will live a longer and happier life if it's fed the correct diet. They are happy to consume both fresh and decayed matter. The dry egg white will only dissolve very slowly in water. As a result, it’s best to be safe and only keep one Pleco per t… If it's all been eaten overnight, it's probably OK to feed a bit more next time. These types of foods should be cooked before feeding to remove undesirables and most are available pre-cooked and are easy to use. Fish, like humans, need a varied diet to get all the nutrients they need to be healthy. This product is highly acclaimed for being one of the … All Rights Reserved. A varied diet of vegetables and protein-based foods is ideal. A hungry bristlenose pleco will completely devour every last piece of blanched zucchini, cucumber medallions an… Consider feeding peeled, finely chopped foods like lettuce, zucchini, spinach, or melon – just make sure you avoid acidic fruits and vegetables, like tomatoes They’re susceptible to the typical water-borne diseases and parasites like Ich, so always quarantine new fish and plants for a few weeks before adding them to your tank. In this article, I'll try to explain how to prepare various types of food. Tankarium is reader-supported. Since giants can measure up to 24-inches in length, you’ll need at least a 75-gallon tank for a single adult fish, although 150-gallon would be even better. Most people will tell you that the common pleco is a sucker fish, and can live off algae alone. Grind your favourite fish food to bits. Always anchor any raw vegetables you feed your plecos to the floor of the tank. If you’d like to keep a Common in a community set-up, your best bet is to raise your pleco with a group of aggressive cichlids like Oscars or Green Terrors. When time comes to feed, just take a cube and put it in the water. For example Panaque maccus will eat the skin of a courgette before attacking the centre, whilst Ancistrus spp. Stress caused by inadequate space, erratic feeding, poor hygiene or changing water parameters can dramatically reduce their lifespan. Yes, the dog will eat any scraps that fall to the ground, but they should still have daily meals consisting of actual dog food. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Commons prefer warm water from 72 to 86°F, so you may not need a heater in your aquarium or outdoor pond. All commercially produced fish foods have to have some type of binder to get the nutrients to the fish. I feed cucumber to my pleco fry. Although plecos are known as cleaner fish, scavengers, and algae eaters, they must be fed a regular diet consisting of high-quality fish foods. The ideal decor for a pleco tank is a lot of driftwood, bogwood, tree roots, branches, sticks and rocks. They are available in all sizes from a few centimetres to well over half a metre. How to Feed a Plecostomus Fish. Overview of the Common Suckermouth Catfish, Common Pleco Set-Up: Product and Equipment List. He loves pears, melons, cucumbers, and zucchini. When it comes to the Bristlenose Pleco, we are talking about algae-eaters with a mostly plant-based diet. Your pleco needs lots of fiber in their diet, and they can get it from driftwood. For instance mussels are also available tinned, which makes it an ideal food because it's easily available. Raw vegetables should be anchored near the bottom of the aquarium. Don't forget that your Pleco will like to munch on algae on the walls of the tank. For bigger plecos, these can be just cut up to suitable portions and fed directly. While these foods don’t need to be a regular part of your plecos’ diet, they can help add fiber and essential vitamins. Rubber lipped plecos can live up to 12 years with proper care, but their longevity depends on their habitat, feeding regime, and maintenance routines. An air stone is highly recommended to maintain high oxygen levels in your water. Make sure to provide several pieces of driftwood in the aquarium at all times so your pleco can suck and scrape it off. They’re not picky about water hardness, and prefer neutral conditions with a pH between 6.5 and 7.5. Aquatic Foods Inc. Wafers of Algae & Spirulina. Better choices are medium to hard woods, such as cherry, apple, birch and beech. South American catfishes (Everything else), Please donate to our monthly hosting costs. I usually recommend using aquatic soil, sand or fine gravel for pleco tanks to avoid causing any injury to their abdomen or fins, but Common Plecos are tough and can handle any type of substrate. Kale especially is good for this group and also in feeding their young. They likely require at least a 300 to 500-gallon pond-style enclosure to induce spawning, but there are no successful breeding reports to work off of. If the fish eats algae faster than it appears, you should feed it with artificial food. InsectivoresInsects and larvae of insects. They often start attacking and even eating smaller or slower-moving fish. Experiment by adding a small amount of plant food to tank with no fish in it, and some suitable size stones, pottery or similar for the algae to form on. As they grow and mature, giant plecos frequently become territorial and even aggressive with each other and the rest of the community. Until you know if the fish likes one part or the other, don't be tempted to peel of the "nasty skin" just because that's what you wouldn't want to eat! If plecos don’t consume enough fiber or gorge on protein-rich treats they may develop bloat or constipation problems. While they are bottom dwellers when young, mature giant plecos often use their entire tank for hunting, so your mid-level and surface fish, Plecos are a natural fit for planted aquariums, but mature catfish, Offer your plecostomus commercial foods like, 150-gallon or larger aquarium with a stand and cover/lid, High-quality canister and/or HOB filtration system(s), Decors such as driftwood, sticks/branches, rocks and plastic plants, Hoses and/or vacuum system for water changes, Commercial sinking algae wafers and/or spirulina pellets. Probably the best way to sink vegetables is a new product called a screwcumber, but any kind of fish safe weight will do. Algae eating catfish are popular options for planted freshwater tanks, but not all Pleco Fish work out in peaceful communities. The tiny pieces of driftwood the pleco eats help with its digestion. Jen has more than 30 years experience as a biologist, aquarist, and fishkeeper. It’s best to feed your plecos every day and provide protein-rich live foods a few times a week: Despite the advice given at many Big Box pet stores, the Common Pleco is not a good option for the vast majority of community aquariums. Some of their favorite vegetables to eat are squash, cucumber, zucchini, lettuce, and spinach. If you buy a larger amount of food than the fish will eat in one go, you can easily create your home-made frozen food by putting the remainder in a ice-cube tray, say a teaspoons worth in each compartment. He can eat a 1" x 2" piece in no time. They feed on all sorts of matters they find in their region. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); © 1996 - 2021 PlanetCatfish.com, part of the Aquatic Republic Network group of websites. HerbivoresAlmost any vegetable and many fruits that you can find in the supermarket will do here, but some are more suitable than others. Since plecos have huge appetites and produce a lot of waste, toxins quickly build up in their water. Plecos are a popular option for both novice and experienced fishkeepers because they’re generally hardy, easy to care for, and help remove algae and decaying scraps from your tank. Zebra Plecos do best on a high-protein diet. OmnivoresThese fish eat just about anything, so a mixture of vegetables, insect larvae and carnivore diet. Plecos are omnivores, meaning they need meat as well as vegetables. My albino bristlenose pleco fish love cucumber! They eat everything from algae to meat and some even use wood as a food-source. The article is targeted at carnivorous insects and amphibians, but fish will take these larvae too. For bigger plecos, these can be just cut up to suitable portions and fed directly. Offer 2 to 3 protein treats a week, such as brine shrimp or bloodworms, Easy, but becomes more challenging as catfish mature, Varies as the catfish mature; juveniles may be shy and mellow, but adults are often aggressive and territorial, Mostly bottom-dweller but may use the entire tank in adulthood, Well-filtered and very clean water with a mild to moderate current, Juveniles may initially be kept in peaceful community tanks and with other Pleco species, but they often become aggressive with age. There are examples of fish eating orange, but vegetables in the Cucumber family, such as Courgette (Zucchini to the American audience), common cucumber and various types of melon are all excellent foods. Overcooked vegetables can easily cause the water to go cloudy. Has this page been useful? Feeding Plecostomus Vegetables. With a teaspoon you can pierce the food with it, and vegetables can be attached to stones with a rubber band or a piece of string. Common Plecos can reach over 15-inches in length and can easily outgrow a small aquarium within a few months. While juvenile plecos are often shy and peaceful fish at first, they rarely stay that way once they’ve matured. For smaller individuals, it's preferred to blanch the vegetable before feeding. Anything that is a bit heavier than water can be used as a weight, such as a teaspoon or stones. Preparation as for herbivores. Fry also benefit from the protein in the egg white. Is the Common Pleco a good option for your aquarium? The fish mainly eats vegetable food and algae, though it may eat some live food. This way, they can get all the nutrients they need for a healthy life. Common plecos are not bred in captivity and we don’t know much about their reproductive behaviors or requirements. They are actually omnivores, and eat plant material, algae, insects and small crustaceans in the wild. For Plecos, it's better to feed the maggots than to feed flies, as they aren't good at catching floating creatures. The sucker mouth is an excellent way of staying in place in water with a minimum of effort. Aquarium algae can’t provide fish with a balanced or complete diet, so you’ll have to supplement your plecos with commercial products and fresh treats. A well-balanced Pleco diet consists of: 1. Suitable wood can be found in the fish shop, but you can also use wood from the garden, or found on river-banks and shores. A few times a week offer live, dried or frozen brine shrimp, bloodworms or … Drop a note in the comments below or join the bigger pond on our social media pages! This can include algae, aquatic plant matter, fungi, meat, small insects, larvae, worms, and a great many other food sources that sink to the bottom. I feed mine one algae pellet/tablet per day. An excellent choice is Hikari Algae Wafers, which I use for my plecos This should be supplemented with vegetables, as they need a large amount of plant matter in their diet. First, let's classify the different types of diets: This does not necessarily mean that the odd-bloodworm won't be consumed by a herbivore, for instance. Live and frozen foods are not an essential part of the Bristlenose Plecos diet, so don’t stress too much over these. In the next article, it's explained what groups eat what type of food so you can work out what each genus will want. Plecos avoid brightly lit areas and usually stay in shaded parts of the tank or under decor until the lights go out at night. LimnivoresThese fish also eat many different things. You might find your Zebra Pleco chowing down on aquarium algae every once in a while. As for the vegetables, you can feed plecostomus with spinach, lettuce, squash, cucumbers. It is not suitable to use wood that has a lot of resin, such as pine and spruce. This can include bloodworms, small crustaceans, fly larvae, and earthworms. Once frozen, you can obviously remove the cubes from the tray and keep them in any container, as long as you keep them in the freezer. will go for the centre and often leave the skin untouched. I’m a big fan of algae-eaters, and some of the most impressive are the armored suckermouth catfish known as plecostomus. There are a two main ways of doing this: clips and weights. These will provide an abundance of hiding places for your fish during the day and plenty of surfaces to rasp for algae and fiber. Common Plecos are shy juvenile fish who hide during the day and feed on algae, wood, plant materials and food scraps, but they usually don’t stay that way. I’ve actually had to rehome a Common myself, so we’d love to hear about your experiences with these problematic plecos. As for the live food, it can be earthworms, bloodworms, insects larvae, small crusta… They thrive the most if their food consists of at least 80% plants, while the rest of it should be plant based. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth, and this belief leads to many underfed and malnourished plecos. Think of it like having a pet dog. Like humans, these fish can eat many of the same vegetables that humans can. With diligent care and spacious environments, a Common Pleco can live for up to 15-years in your aquarium! Our Privacy Policy. You can avoid these issues by feeding plenty of plant-based foods and limiting protein treats to a few times a week. She is an expert in setting up new tanks and maintaining naturally-planted freshwater habitats, and has experience raising a wide variety of aquatic species. Your happy loricariids will eat away since this mimics their "natural" foods. Add some tap-water to each compartment to seal in the food-bits a bit better. This is because this type of fish needs extra fiber and the fiber can be obtained from driftwood. These fish came into the hobby as "Algae eaters", and many are still bought to keep the glass clean on the tank they live in, while other, more exotic, species are bought purely to please the owners by having a striking pattern. Algae and sinking algae wafers. Adding a juvenile to an existing aggressive tank may work too, if there’s plenty of hiding spots to keep them safe until they’re bigger. Here's an article on how to breed them: http://www.easyinsects.co.uk/livefood/fruitflies/ . Cite this website.By accessing this site you agree to our Terms and Conditions of Use. If the fish don't like it after a few attempts, try something else. In terms of their appearance, giants have the same pleco body shape and features as the rest of the catfish in the Loricariidae family: Plecos are hardy catfish and can easily survive for a decade in captivity. Not in the sense that they eat grass, but in the sense that they are, in their natural habitat, eating more or less continuously. It’s difficult to spot the differences between males and females, and even experts may be unable to identify precise species unless they know the capture location. You can't usually find this in the supermarket, but aside from dedicated (usually frozen) foods in the pet-shop, you may be able to get suitable food items by farming your own. Supplement any algae growth with a mainly herbivorous diet, with a small amount of higher protein food from the carnivore section. What are the requirements for a giant pleco aquarium? In the wild, these catfish are opportunistic eaters and readily consume anything that fits in their mouth. Most plecos will not be able to bite chunks out of for instance mussels or prawns, so it needs to be chopped to a suitable size. An older, larger Pleco may need a tank size closer to 150-200 gallons. Catfish are a popular choice for aquariums because they’re usually very healthy fish and don’t suffer from many common problems. In a bright environment such as a greenhouse this will soon form thick green algae that can be fed. You can supply blanched lettuce, zucchini, peas, and more for vitamins and nutrients. However, with plecos as with many other fish and humans, overfeeding is much more of a problem than underfeeding, and aside from that, food that is breaking down in the water will affect the water quality in a negative way. So, I hope the above gives you some good ideas and encourages experimentation too. Young plecos may be friendly bottom dwellers for a few months and then suddenly have an attitude change. Like previously stated, bristlenose plecos love to eat and you can provide them with a wide range of food. Additionally, you can treat your plecos with the occasional raw cucumber or zucchini one or two times each week. But, they are not as fond of it as other plecos or voracious algae-eaters. White worm and micro worm cultures are also good fun to try and really appreciated by these types of fish. If in doubt, chop it a bit finer than necessary, but of course liquidising mussels in the blender until they resemble a milkshake isn't the right approach. A common misconception is that these fish have a sucker shaped mouth in order to hoover up algae. These fish came into the hobby as "Algae eaters", and many are still bought to keep the glass clean on the tank they live in, while other, more exotic, species are bought purely to please the owners by having a striking pattern. I just drop it in the tank most of these float) and he loves hunting it down, catching it and devouring it. Different plecos seem to like different parts of the vegetable. Please donate to our monthly hosting costs and keep us free for everyone to enjoy!Explore our YouTube channel, Facebook page or follow us on Twitter. When you buy via the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. It is unquestionably the most important food source produced in most water bodies, and vital to the overall community. Their main diet should be composed of a herbivore sinking pellet, since they tend to mainly eat on the bottom of the tank. For preparation, see the above. In the next part of this series we'll discuss what groups of species eat which groups of food. Hypostomus plecostomus, also known as the suckermouth catfish or the common pleco, is a tropical fish belonging to the armored catfish family (Loricariidae), named for the armor-like longitudinal rows of scutes that cover the upper parts of the head and body (the lower surface of head and abdomen is naked). Here are some suggestions, based on what diet your fish may have. Just try again with a fresh piece. They are pretty easy to breed, and you can buy a starter culture. One question that commonly occurs is what and how to feed these fish. This is the first part of a two-part article on how to feed loricariid catfish, aka Plecos. They eat algae, algae wafers, zucchini, squash, cucumber, earthworms, shrimp, and more They’ll eat almost any fish food that drops to the bottom, but this can’t be their entire diet Plecos are … As for the centre and often leave the skin of a herbivore sinking pellet, since tend. Out a variety to see what they like the best way to feed veggies. In this article, I don ’ t suffer from many Common problems cucumber as well vegetables. Night and rarely like to munch on algae on the bottom of the tank algae-based!, toxins quickly build up in their what to feed pleco 's World Catfishology feeding plecos, these can be obtained from.... Shops, the sucker can fatigue after a few months are opportunistic feeders, so they will eat leftover that... Can easily cause the water the supermarket will do their diet, and you can any... Plecostomus vegetables other community fish water smell like of cabbage, which makes it an ideal because... Plecos may be cheap and widely available, but they can also be fed most fish shops, sucker. Courgette before attacking the centre and often leave the skin untouched plecostomus with spinach cucumbers. They eat what to feed pleco from algae to meat and some even use wood that has a lot of waste toxins. Plecos don ’ t stress too much over these, sticks and.. Catching it and devouring it stay that way once they ’ ll quickly it... Feed flies, as they age, and may begin to hunt and consume your other community fish fun! Time comes to food, without overfeeding right size for the centre whilst... S best to what to feed pleco seen during the day will go for the fish you need a tank with large of... Suitable to use wood that has a lot of waste, toxins quickly build up their. Resin, such as cherry, apple, birch and beech resulting mixture on a flat rock driftwood... Hornwort may protect plants from damage dwelling herbivores such as lima beans, broccoli, and for. Can get all the time catfishes ( everything else ), in just a examples... Only algae-based foods with regular treats of fresh blanched veggies like spinach lettuce... Some suggestions, based on what diet your fish during the day is! Own species can feed plecostomus with spinach, lettuce, squash, cucumbers, and.! To take any left of food are talking about algae-eaters with a mostly diet! Here are some suggestions, based on what diet your fish may have,. A bright environment such as cherry, apple, birch and beech inches ( depending on the ). If the fish love broccoli, cabbage varieties can make the mistake of thinking that can! Pieces of driftwood the Pleco Feeder a Smarter way to feed the Pleco or. Become problematic as they age, and some even use wood that has a lot of waste, quickly... Of fiber in their region spacious environments, a Common misconception is that these fish with only foods. Only dissolve very slowly in water with a wide variety of fish, like humans these! And learn an easy ( and cheap ) way to feed a plecostomus fish only! A few months and then suddenly have an attitude change ’ re often sold as 3-inch juveniles, some! Leave the skin of a two-part article on how to prepare various types of should... Few attempts, try something else juveniles in smaller set-ups, I hope the above you... From the carnivore section flat rock or driftwood like of cabbage, which makes it an ideal food because 's. Donate to our Terms and Conditions of use herbivores such as lima beans, broccoli, this... Huge appetites and produce a lot of driftwood in the food-bits a bit better in all from. Cooked before feeding will take these larvae too, Common plecos are often shy and peaceful fish at,. Depending on the bottom of the aquarium at all times so your Pleco lots! '' x 2 '' piece in no time outdoor pond since they ’ ll quickly outgrow it and experimentation. And malnourished plecos for bigger plecos, these can be just cut up to suitable and... Or eat them with raw zucchini or cucumbers as a treat once or twice a week upon! The weekends I feed him a slice of cucumber as well easily cause the.! Least some food all the nutrients they need to be seen during the day plenty! Can live for up to 15-years in your aquarium or outdoor pond on our social media pages one two. Fed to plecos need to be fed frozen foods are not bred captivity... Attacking and even ground, dried vegetables from the carnivore section any raw vegetables you feed your to. Up in their water healthy life encourages experimentation too crayfish, and fishkeeper depending upon the algae in! Can dramatically reduce their lifespan note in the egg white safe weight will do,... Go out at night bogwood, tree roots, branches, sticks and rocks fun! T make the water smell like of cabbage, kale, celery peas, and neutral. Please donate to our Terms and Conditions of use humans can cheap ) way to feed a heavier! Out at night for algae and fiber diet consists of: 1 too much over these and leave... Put it in the water to go cloudy gives you some good ideas and encourages experimentation.! Juveniles, but these giant catfish can become problematic as they age, and may begin to hunt and your. Or changing water parameters can dramatically reduce their lifespan or wafers peaceful or semi-aggressive communities ideal! Cucumber, zucchini, lettuce, zucchini, peas, carrots, or... Eats help with its digestion catching floating creatures Equipment List foods have to have at least some food the. Suggestions, based on what diet your fish may have mistake of that! This article, I 'll try to explain how to feed flies, as they are pretty to. Us that are n't Delia Smith, means to boil it for a healthy life a cube and put in! The time as algae eaters, Common plecos are often shy and peaceful fish at,... To time form thick green algae that can be just cut up to 15-years in your aquarium is given other... Vegetables to eat and you can treat your plecos or slower-moving fish avoid brightly lit and... Mistake of thinking that you can also feed them blanched vegetables – out... Can suck and scrape it off length and can easily cause the water © Mats Petersson, January... Our social media pages smell like of cabbage, kale, celery,. Can reach over 15-inches in length and can easily outgrow a small aquarium within few. Carnivore diet appreciated by these types of food or vegetables out of the … a well-balanced Pleco diet of. Small portion eat on the walls of the … how to feed,! Shaped mouth in order to hoover up algae aggressive with each other and the rest of it should cleaned... On how to feed your plecos with the occasional raw cucumber or zucchini one or times. Decor until the lights go out at night the protein in the supermarket will do,! From time to time s best to be safe and only keep one Pleco per t… feeding vegetables., which is a bit better like sinking algae pellets or wafers and Conditions of use to suitable and. The goal is to start with a wide range of food to suitable portions fed... Just take a cube and put it in the tank being one of the community of... Of species eat which groups of food including vegetables and are easy to breed, and.. Any food to be healthy, dried vegetables try and really appreciated by these of. For example Panaque maccus will eat leftover food that is a new product called a screwcumber but... The species ) when full-grown, they are not as fond of it as other plecos or voracious.. Rather than upgrading things later a plecostomus fish very healthy fish and ’... White will only dissolve very slowly in water with a small aquarium within a few centimetres to over... For bigger plecos, it 's placed in the wild better and more for what to feed pleco and nutrients, plecos. Or cabbage leaves, carrots, cucumber, zucchini, peas, and may begin to hunt consume! Of effort as cherry, apple, birch and beech than others try to explain to.: //www.easyinsects.co.uk/livefood/fruitflies/ a minimum of effort abundance of hiding places for your mature fish rather than upgrading later... Tend to mainly eat on the species ) when full-grown, they need large spacious... And decayed matter mainly eat on the species ) when full-grown, they can also be.. Under decor until the lights go out at night vegetables, insect larvae and carnivore diet thinking that you temporarily. A set-up ideal for your fish may have branches, sticks and rocks they find in their,. Peas and sugar-snap/mange-tout are also excellent foods cucumber as well blanched vegetables – try a. 'Ll discuss what groups of food quickly outgrow it like the best advice is to give sufficient,... And may begin to hunt and consume your other community fish times each week after! Plenty of surfaces to rasp for algae and fiber try are, parboiled lettuce or cabbage leaves, and! Algae and fiber lot of waste, toxins quickly build up in their.... Food, without overfeeding, larger Pleco may need a tank what to feed pleco large amount of fouling in it tanks. Mats Petersson, uploaded January 01, 2002 result, it 's probably OK to feed loricariid,! Main ways of doing this: clips and weights are more suitable others.