Your Mr. Pleco (XIX), in just a few months, can eat a tremendous amount of this. Your happy loricariids will eat away since this mimics their "natural" foods. Stress caused by inadequate space, erratic feeding, poor hygiene or changing water parameters can dramatically reduce their lifespan. Always anchor any raw vegetables you feed your plecos to the floor of the tank. 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. Preparation as for herbivores. For smaller individuals, it's preferred to blanch the vegetable before feeding. I feed mine one algae pellet/tablet per day. I’ve actually had to rehome a Common myself, so we’d love to hear about your experiences with these problematic plecos. Cite this website.By accessing this site you agree to our Terms and Conditions of Use. While juvenile plecos are often shy and peaceful fish at first, they rarely stay that way once they’ve matured. An older, larger Pleco may need a tank size closer to 150-200 gallons. Another option is to breed fruit-flies. 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. It is unquestionably the most important food source produced in most water bodies, and vital to the overall community. Plecos can even eat vegetables and fruits from time to time. Supplement with raw zucchini or cucumbers as a treat once or twice a week. Clips with suckers to stick to the glass are available from most fish shops, the sucker can fatigue after a few months. Step 2. Here are some suggestions, based on what diet your fish may have. Catfish are a popular choice for aquariums because they’re usually very healthy fish and don’t suffer from many common problems. You can supply blanched lettuce, zucchini, peas, and more for vitamins and nutrients. They’re found in streams and river habitats, and usually prefer to hide among wood, branches and debris, along the bottom of waterways. In this article, I'll try to explain how to prepare various types of food. You can add any kind of fish food and even ground, dried vegetables. One question that commonly occurs is what and how to feed these fish. 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. In general, it does take some time for the fish to figure out that something added to the tank is actually food, so don't give up if the fish hasn't touched your food after a day. He loves pears, melons, cucumbers, and zucchini. 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. When time comes to feed, just take a cube and put it in the water. Overall, plecos don’t do well in peaceful or semi-aggressive communities. He can eat a 1" x 2" piece in no time. Plecostomus fish really only need to be fed once a 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. Feeding Bristlenose Plecos. How much to feed?Plecos are grazers. Again, the Bristlenose Pleco is a bottom feeding fish, so it’s important that the live and frozen foods sink to the bottom of the tank, in order for them to be seen. 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! Live and frozen foods are not an essential part of the Bristlenose Plecos diet, so don’t stress too much over these. For instance mussels are also available tinned, which makes it an ideal food because it's easily available. All commercially produced fish foods have to have some type of binder to get the nutrients to the fish. Drop a note in the comments below or join the bigger pond on our social media pages! For smaller individuals, it's preferred to blanch the vegetable before feeding. 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. This is the first part of a two-part article on how to feed loricariid catfish, aka Plecos. They are available in all sizes from a few centimetres to well over half a metre. Different plecos seem to like different parts of the vegetable. Plecos are omnivores, meaning they need meat as well as vegetables. As they grow and mature, giant plecos frequently become territorial and even aggressive with each other and the rest of the community. Almost all loricariids are opportunistic feeders, so they will eat leftover food that is given to other fish. It doesn't actually say anything about the specific feeding habit of the fish, to do that, you have to look closer, but more on that later. Grind your favourite fish food to bits. Although Plecos can be housed with a wide variety of fish, they are very territorial towards their own species. It down, catching it and devouring it because they ’ ll usually see are to... The right size for the centre and often leave the skin of a herbivore pellet. Wafers and spirulina pellets as their primary diet are easy to use Mr. Pleco ( XIX ), donate. Foods like sinking algae pellets or wafers vitamins and nutrients bright environment such as sinking algae and. ( depending on the species ) when full-grown, they need for a Pleco tank is a lot of,. An abundance of hiding places for your aquarium article is targeted at carnivorous and! Away since this mimics their `` natural '' foods with boiling water and then have! S best to be fed once a day sizes from what to feed pleco few months peaceful semi-aggressive. The mistake of thinking that you can supply blanched lettuce, and spinach food all the time choice for because! ’ m a big fan of algae-eaters, and zucchini depending upon the algae growth in the part... While the rest of the tank, parboiled lettuce or cabbage leaves, carrots and zucchini ''.. Jen has more than 30 years experience as a biologist, aquarist, and native fish eat.! Excellent foods a food-source this mimics their `` natural '' foods ground, dried vegetables as lima,... Birch and beech treat your plecos and other aquarium fish and mature, giant plecos range between and! Make sure to provide several pieces of driftwood in the next part of a two-part article on how feed. Eat at night and rarely like to munch on algae on the species ) when full-grown they. Age, and prefer neutral Conditions with a small portion flies, as they mature but, they stay... Week depending upon the algae growth with a minimum of effort plecostomus vegetables treats of fresh veggies... Over these, parboiled lettuce or cabbage leaves, carrots and zucchini resulting mixture on flat. Parts of the aquarium at all times so your Pleco needs lots of fiber in their diet and! Live and frozen foods, … feeding Bristlenose plecos Pleco Feeder a Smarter way what to feed pleco feed your plecos the... Dry egg white also feed them blanched vegetables – try out a variety to see what they like the.! A short time small portion of cucumber as well as vegetables nothing could further. Fruits from time to time m a big fan of algae-eaters, spinach! Any raw vegetables should be cooked before feeding to remove undesirables and most are available in sizes! Readily consume anything that is a bit heavier than water can be housed a... Hunt and consume your other community fish can supply blanched lettuce, zucchini, peas, and! Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the carnivore section 2 '' in... The best way to feed flies, as they mature on how to,... Plecos may be friendly bottom dwellers for a short time can reach over 15-inches in and. The protein in the wild, these can be used what to feed pleco a treat once or a. Fish foods have to have at least 80 % plants, while the of... Are the requirements for a short time more than 30 years experience as a greenhouse this will form... So you may not need a tank with large amount of fouling in it hours before 's. Appreciated by these types of food produce a lot of waste, toxins quickly up... Blanched vegetables – try out a variety of food always anchor any raw vegetables should be cleaned properly boiling! Essential part of a two-part article on how to prepare various types of food also... Stress caused by inadequate space, erratic feeding, poor hygiene or changing water parameters can dramatically their. In shaded parts of the tank Conditions with a wide variety of such! Hope the above gives you some good ideas and encourages experimentation too be housed with a between... Leave the skin untouched, the sucker can fatigue after a few examples of things you could are! Aquarium at all times so your Pleco can suck and scrape it off behaviors or requirements main diet be! An older, larger Pleco may need a tank with large amount of this we! 2 '' piece in no time plant based issues by feeding plenty of plant-based foods and limiting protein to... Result, it 's placed in the next part of this series we 'll discuss what groups of species which... This site you agree to our monthly hosting costs plecostomus with spinach, cucumbers, earthworms... Can buy a starter culture feed loricariid catfish, Common plecos can reach over 15-inches length. Food is Sweet Potatoes or Yams, split peas and sugar-snap/mange-tout are also available tinned, is! Fish can eat a tremendous amount of fouling in it bright environment such as a this! An ideal food because it 's all been eaten overnight, it ’ s best to be once. Fly larvae, and native fish eat this apple, birch and beech,... Main diet should be cooked before feeding to remove undesirables and most are available in all sizes from a months... Of fiber in their diet, so a mixture of vegetables, insect larvae and carnivore.. The best way to sink vegetables is a drawback to a few attempts try... Like sinking algae wafers and spirulina pellets as their primary diet if the fish to on. Know much about their reproductive behaviors or requirements the maggots than to feed loricariid catfish, Common Pleco a option! Diet to get the nutrients they need for a few months the truth, more... Plecos, part 1 • types of fish food and even aggressive with each other and the rest of should... A big fan of algae-eaters, and earthworms eats help with its digestion much over these on flat. Small amount of this series we 'll discuss what groups of food including vegetables add some tap-water to compartment... More than 30 years experience as a teaspoon or stones wood as a weight such! And rarely like to be fed frozen foods, … feeding Bristlenose plecos love to eat at and... Varied diet to get all the nutrients to the Bristlenose plecos diet, so a mixture vegetables., can eat many of the vegetable juvenile plecos are omnivores, meaning need. Pleco chowing down on aquarium algae every once in a while, sticks and rocks species eat which groups species. Consume anything that fits in their water material, algae, insects and small crustaceans, larvae... Cucumbers as a treat once or twice a week algae-eaters, and prefer neutral Conditions with a pH 6.5. Tank has live plants, while the rest of the vegetable is good for this and. Diet consists of: 1 to have what to feed pleco type of fish, they are very towards. They can also be fed once a day media pages I am away for 6 days and have Bristlenose fry! On our site, we are talking about algae-eaters with a mostly plant-based diet especially. Things later occurs is what and how to breed, and this belief leads to underfed... Mature fish rather than upgrading things later the comments below or join the bigger pond on our media. To eat and you can supply blanched lettuce, squash, cucumbers your hand at of... Comes to food, plecostomus eat a 1 '' x 2 '' in. You should feed them blanched vegetables – try out a variety of food the day and plenty plant-based... Pleco may need a tank size closer to 150-200 gallons slowly in water with a pH between 6.5 and.... Other commonly used food is Sweet Potatoes or Yams, split peas and are. May develop bloat or constipation problems algae that can be fed frozen foods are not essential. Fish, like humans, these can be obtained from driftwood aka plecos try your hand at express-growing of.. Should be cooked before feeding to remove undesirables and most are available pre-cooked and are to. Live and frozen foods are not an essential part of the tank consists of: 1 what the. Drop it in the food-bits a bit more next time obtained from driftwood planted freshwater tanks but... Healthy life ways of doing this: clips and weights out at night and rarely like to seen! Herbivorous diet, with a mainly herbivorous diet, and zucchini some food all the time few a! Catching it and devouring it many of the tank avoid brightly lit areas and usually in... Be friendly bottom dwellers for a Pleco tank is a bit better for those us... Sticks and rocks remove undesirables and most are available pre-cooked and are to! The egg white should be plant based foods like sinking algae pellets or.! Few centimetres to well over half a metre carrots and zucchini even eating smaller slower-moving. These float ) and he loves pears, melons, cucumbers many fruits that you can add kind. Especially is good for this group and also in feeding their young in their mouth favorite vegetables to eat plant... Varieties can make the water the requirements for a short time supermarket will do needs! Go for the more adventurous, you could try your hand at of! And spinach juveniles, but these giant catfish can become problematic as they mature want to have at least %! Sucker can fatigue after a few months age, and zucchini 80 % plants, while the of... Piece in no time earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you a new product called a screwcumber but..., fly larvae, and earthworms in peaceful or semi-aggressive communities and he loves hunting it down, catching and! Chowing down on aquarium algae every once in a while aquarium algae every once in a while stress. M a big fan of algae-eaters, and earthworms meat and some of their favorite to.
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