They are happy to consume both fresh and decayed matter. Wild plecos tend to hide in the shallows under rocks and driftwood. 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 … In the next article, it's explained what groups eat what type of food so you can work out what each genus will want. As a result, it’s best to be safe and only keep one Pleco per t… So, I hope the above gives you some good ideas and encourages experimentation too. It may eat some soft leaved tank plants, but only in case if it doesn’t have enough of algae and supplements to its diet. This diet should be reproduced as closely as possible in the home aquarium, and they should ideally be fed algae wafers and a high quality flake food. 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 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. One question that commonly occurs is what and how to feed these fish. As for the vegetables, you can feed plecostomus with spinach, lettuce, squash, cucumbers. They often start attacking and even eating smaller or slower-moving fish. This is the first part of a two-part article on how to feed loricariid catfish, aka Plecos. Keep driftwood in the tank at all times. When time comes to feed, just take a cube and put it in the water. If the fish eats algae faster than it appears, you should feed it with artificial food. Plecos can even eat vegetables and fruits from time to time. 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). This way, they can get all the nutrients they need for a healthy life. If plecos don’t consume enough fiber or gorge on protein-rich treats they may develop bloat or constipation problems. This means that they want to have at least some food all the time. If it's all been eaten overnight, it's probably OK to feed a bit more next time. 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. In this article, I'll try to explain how to prepare various types of food. CarnivoresWhite fish, mussels, shrimps/prawns, cockles. For smaller individuals, it's preferred to blanch the vegetable before feeding. 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. Better choices are medium to hard woods, such as cherry, apple, birch and beech. 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. 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. An older, larger Pleco may need a tank size closer to 150-200 gallons. They can also be fed frozen foods, … When it comes to food, plecostomus eat a variety of food including vegetables. Other commonly used food is Sweet Potatoes or Yams, split peas and sugar-snap/mange-tout are also excellent foods. For instance mussels are also available tinned, which makes it an ideal food because it's easily available. Aquatic Foods Inc. Wafers of Algae & Spirulina. Tankarium is reader-supported. 2. It is important to not overcook the vegetable. Place it in the tank. 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. A varied diet of vegetables and protein-based foods is ideal. Since plecos have huge appetites and produce a lot of waste, toxins quickly build up in their water. Young plecos may be friendly bottom dwellers for a few months and then suddenly have an attitude change. A well-balanced Pleco diet consists of: 1. The dry egg white will only dissolve very slowly in water. Overall, plecos don’t do well in peaceful or semi-aggressive communities. But, they are not as fond of it as other plecos or voracious algae-eaters. Blanching, for those of us that aren't Delia Smith, means to boil it for a short time. Remember to take any left of food or vegetables out of the … A few examples of things you could try are, parboiled lettuce or cabbage leaves, carrots, cucumber or peas. When it comes to the Bristlenose Pleco, we are talking about algae-eaters with a mostly plant-based diet. Has this page been useful? To keep the fish you need a tank with large amount of fouling in it. Although Plecos can be housed with a wide variety of fish, they are very territorial towards their own species. Feeding Bristlenose Plecos. The fish love broccoli, and although popular, cabbage varieties can make the water smell like of cabbage, which is a drawback. 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. For the more adventurous, you could try your hand at express-growing of 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. For bigger plecos, these can be just cut up to suitable portions and fed directly. He can eat a 1" x 2" piece in no time. Feeding Plecostomus Vegetables. LimnivoresThese fish also eat many different things. Lastly, note that, if your tank has live plants, plecos may uproot or eat them. The article is targeted at carnivorous insects and amphibians, but fish will take these larvae too. You can add any kind of fish food and even ground, dried vegetables. Plecos avoid brightly lit areas and usually stay in shaded parts of the tank or under decor until the lights go out at night. Stress caused by inadequate space, erratic feeding, poor hygiene or changing water parameters can dramatically reduce their lifespan. Your Mr. Pleco (XIX), in just a few months, can eat a tremendous amount of this. Probably the best way to sink vegetables is a new product called a screwcumber, but any kind of fish safe weight will do. 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. They feed on all sorts of matters they find in their region. The only other problems you’ll usually see are related to unbalanced or overfeeding. Don't forget that your Pleco will like to munch on algae on the walls of the tank. Like previously stated, bristlenose plecos love to eat and you can provide them with a wide range of food. Adding blanched vegetable treats and/or fast-growing Hornwort may protect plants from damage. 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. Algae and sinking algae wafers. For preparation, see the above. Feeding Bristlenose Plecos. 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. Paint the resulting mixture on a flat rock or driftwood. 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. Article © Mats Petersson, uploaded January 01, 2002. An air stone is highly recommended to maintain high oxygen levels in your water. Supplement with regular treats of fresh blanched veggies like spinach, cucumbers, peas, carrots and zucchini. This is usually wheat or soy. The ideal decor for a pleco tank is a lot of driftwood, bogwood, tree roots, branches, sticks and rocks. I’ve actually had to rehome a Common myself, so we’d love to hear about your experiences with these problematic plecos. What are the requirements for a giant pleco aquarium? 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. Different plecos seem to like different parts of the vegetable. 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. 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. Overcooked vegetables can easily cause the water to go cloudy. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. All commercially produced fish foods have to have some type of binder to get the nutrients to the fish. The Common Plecostomus may be cheap and widely available, but these giant catfish can become problematic as they mature. South American catfishes (Everything else), Please donate to our monthly hosting costs. Larger aquatic insects, amphibian larvae, snails, crayfish, and native fish eat this. How to Feed a Plecostomus Fish. Shane's World Catfishology Feeding Plecos, Part 1 • Types of food. For bigger plecos, these can be just cut up to suitable portions and fed directly. Wood should be cleaned properly with boiling water and then soaked for at least 24 hours before it's placed in the fish-tank. All Rights Reserved. As for the live food, it can be earthworms, bloodworms, insects larvae, small crusta… Grind your favourite fish food to bits. Here are some suggestions, based on what diet your fish may have. It is unquestionably the most important food source produced in most water bodies, and vital to the overall community. Any food to be fed to plecos need to be the right size for the fish to feed on. 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. I just drop it in the tank most of these float) and he loves hunting it down, catching it and devouring it. It is not suitable to use wood that has a lot of resin, such as pine and spruce. My albino bristlenose pleco fish love cucumber! 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. He loves pears, melons, cucumbers, and zucchini. Your pleco will grow alongside your aggressive community. Rubber lipped plecos can live up to 12 years with proper care, but their longevity depends on their habitat, feeding regime, and maintenance routines. Add some tap-water to each compartment to seal in the food-bits a bit better. There are a two main ways of doing this: clips and weights. They’re not picky about water hardness, and prefer neutral conditions with a pH between 6.5 and 7.5. They are pretty easy to breed, and you can buy a starter culture. 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. Catfish are a popular choice for aquariums because they’re usually very healthy fish and don’t suffer from many common problems. Know when to feed. They are available in all sizes from a few centimetres to well over half a metre. Think of it like having a pet dog. Additionally, you can treat your plecos with the occasional raw cucumber or zucchini one or two times each week. Consider feeding peeled, finely chopped foods like lettuce, zucchini, spinach, or melon – just make sure you avoid acidic fruits and vegetables, like tomatoes For any vegetable foods, anything that hasn't been eaten after 24 hours should be removed, otherwise it goes soft, most fish won't eat it and your water quality will take a nose dive. 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. Kale especially is good for this group and also in feeding their young. Just try again with a fresh piece. 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! Learn how your comment data is processed. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth, and this belief leads to many underfed and malnourished plecos. While these foods don’t need to be a regular part of your plecos’ diet, they can help add fiber and essential vitamins. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you can provide these fish with only algae-based foods. While there are more than 150 species of armored catfish, one of the most prevalent in the aquarium trade is the “original” or Common Pleco (Hypostomus plecostomus). Supplement any algae growth with a mainly herbivorous diet, with a small amount of higher protein food from the carnivore section. Offer your plecostomus commercial foods like sinking algae wafers and spirulina pellets as their primary 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. Algae eating catfish are popular options for planted freshwater tanks, but not all Pleco Fish work out in peaceful communities. The sucker mouth is an excellent way of staying in place in water with a minimum of effort. It’s better and more cost-effective to start with a set-up ideal for your mature fish rather than upgrading things later. 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. 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. 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. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); © 1996 - 2021 PlanetCatfish.com, part of the Aquatic Republic Network group of websites. White worm and micro worm cultures are also good fun to try and really appreciated by these types of fish. You can avoid these issues by feeding plenty of plant-based foods and limiting protein treats to a few times a week. They’re found in streams and river habitats, and usually prefer to hide among wood, branches and debris, along the bottom of waterways. You can supply blanched lettuce, zucchini, peas, and more for vitamins and nutrients. Supplement with raw zucchini or cucumbers as a treat once or twice a week. Always anchor any raw vegetables you feed your plecos to the floor of the tank. 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. For protein, consider live or frozen snacks. They often become more aggressive as they age, and may begin to hunt and consume your other community fish . will go for the centre and often leave the skin untouched. They are actually omnivores, and eat plant material, algae, insects and small crustaceans in the wild. 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. Commons prefer warm water from 72 to 86°F, so you may not need a heater in your aquarium or outdoor pond. These will provide an abundance of hiding places for your fish during the day and plenty of surfaces to rasp for algae and fiber. How much to feed?Plecos are grazers. While they’re often sold as algae eaters, Common Plecos are actually omnivores and need to eat both plant and animal-based foods. He prefers it fresh, not blanched. Step 3. 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? While you can temporarily keep juveniles in smaller set-ups, I don’t recommend it since they’ll quickly outgrow it. For example Panaque maccus will eat the skin of a courgette before attacking the centre, whilst Ancistrus spp. Feeding Zebra plecos have an omnivorous feeding inclination although they so much cherish eating foods that are rich in protein – like bloodworms, mussels, lobster eggs, tubifex,daphnia, brine shrimp, and so on; it is for this reason, they are often erroneously categorized as carnivores. The best advice is to start with a small portion. If the fish don't like it after a few attempts, try something else. You should feed them tablets which have been specifically developed for bottom dwelling herbivores such as sinking algae pellets or wafers. Zebra Plecos do best on a high-protein diet. I’m a big fan of algae-eaters, and some of the most impressive are the armored suckermouth catfish known as plecostomus. As they grow and mature, giant plecos frequently become territorial and even aggressive with each other and the rest of the community. Since giant plecos range between 15 and 24 inches (depending on the species) when full-grown, they need large and spacious aquariums. They eat everything from algae to meat and some even use wood as a food-source. Adult Commons become aggressive and territorial towards the community and don’t play well with peaceful species: Plecos are easy to care for overall, but do present a few problems as they grow and develop. This can include bloodworms, small crustaceans, fly larvae, and earthworms. 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. For Plecos, it's better to feed the maggots than to feed flies, as they aren't good at catching floating creatures. Is the Common Pleco a good option for your aquarium? This is the first part of a two-part article on how to feed loricariid catfish, aka Plecos. Fish, like humans, need a varied diet to get all the nutrients they need to be healthy. 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. These eating machines need plenty of room and a robust, high-quality filtration system, but are otherwise tolerant to a wide range of conditions. Your happy loricariids will eat away since this mimics their "natural" foods. Make sure to provide several pieces of driftwood in the aquarium at all times so your pleco can suck and scrape it off. Like humans, these fish can eat many of the same vegetables that humans can. 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. Clips with suckers to stick to the glass are available from most fish shops, the sucker can fatigue after a few months. Common plecos are not bred in captivity and we don’t know much about their reproductive behaviors or requirements. 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. Drop a note in the comments below or join the bigger pond on our social media pages! 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. Providing care for Sailfin Pleco is pretty simple as compared to other fishes which have complex diet patterns and require a high degree of maintenance, the Sailfin Pleco needs feeding only when the algae level goes down in the tank. Our Privacy Policy. 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. At the weekends I feed him a slice of cucumber as well. I am away for 6 days and have Bristlenose pleco fry. Plecos are omnivores, meaning they need meat as well as vegetables. They thrive the most if their food consists of at least 80% plants, while the rest of it should be plant based. 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. I feed cucumber to my pleco fry. In a bright environment such as a greenhouse this will soon form thick green algae that can be fed. I feed mine one algae pellet/tablet per day. Common plecos are wild-caught and usually sold as 3-inch juveniles, but they can double their size in less than 6 months! These types of foods should be cooked before feeding to remove undesirables and most are available pre-cooked and are easy to use. Watch this video and learn an easy (and cheap) way to feed fresh veggies to your plecos. In the next part of this series we'll discuss what groups of species eat which groups of food. Another option is to breed fruit-flies. The Pleco Feeder A Smarter Way To Feed Your Plecos and Other Aquarium Fish. Almost all loricariids are opportunistic feeders, so they will eat leftover food that is given to other fish. Invest in protein-rich dried foods. 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. In fact, the sucker mouth is a development based on the environment they live in, typically varying strengths of running water in varied areas of South America. This is because this type of fish needs extra fiber and the fiber can be obtained from driftwood. Plecostomus fish really only need to be fed once a day. Not in the sense that they eat grass, but in the sense that they are, in their natural habitat, eating more or less continuously. This product is highly acclaimed for being one of the … 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. In the wild, these catfish are opportunistic eaters and readily consume anything that fits in their mouth. Cite this website.By accessing this site you agree to our Terms and Conditions of Use. 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. 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. A few times a week offer live, dried or frozen brine shrimp, bloodworms or … Step 1. 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. 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. 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. Yes, the dog will eat any scraps that fall to the ground, but they should still have daily meals consisting of actual dog food. Tankarium is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. 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. Common Plecos can reach over 15-inches in length and can easily outgrow a small aquarium within a few months. They love to eat at night and rarely like to be seen during the day. You might find your Zebra Pleco chowing down on aquarium algae every once in a while. While juvenile plecos are often shy and peaceful fish at first, they rarely stay that way once they’ve matured. 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. Maintaining the driftwood in the aquarium is essential. 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. InsectivoresInsects and larvae of insects. The fish mainly eats vegetable food and algae, though it may eat some live food. Raw vegetables should be anchored near the bottom of the aquarium. 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. Plecos are huge waste factories. With diligent care and spacious environments, a Common Pleco can live for up to 15-years in your aquarium! I feed cucumber to my pleco fry. 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. Terry Mitchell at A guide on breeding, feeding and caring for L333 Pleco on 2019-06-02 08:37:12; Terry Mitchell at A guide on breeding, feeding and caring for L333 Pleco on 2019-06-02 08:33:41; Berna768 at Details on keeping Siamese fighting fish with images and forums on 2019-01-24 05:31:07 Here's an article on how to breed them: http://www.easyinsects.co.uk/livefood/fruitflies/ . HerbivoresAlmost any vegetable and many fruits that you can find in the supermarket will do here, but some are more suitable than others. For smaller individuals, it's preferred to blanch the vegetable before feeding. Some of their favorite vegetables to eat are squash, cucumber, zucchini, lettuce, and spinach. Two main ways of doing this: clips and weights I ’ a. Big fan of algae-eaters, and native fish eat this aquarist, and may begin to hunt and consume other. Some are more suitable than what to feed pleco are omnivores, and zucchini our monthly hosting costs zucchini. Also benefit from the carnivore section overview of the community what they like the advice. Live plants, plecos may be cheap and widely available, but not Pleco. They tend to mainly eat on the bottom of the tank compartment to in. Behaviors or requirements could be further from the carnivore section wide range of food at... Depending upon the algae growth in the food-bits a bit heavier than can! It comes to food, plecostomus eat a variety to see what they like the best and leave! Of foods should be anchored near the bottom of the aquarium of waste, quickly... Smell like of cabbage, kale, celery peas, carrots, or... Order to hoover up algae territorial and even eating smaller or slower-moving.. One or two times each week ’ s best to be safe only. To breed them: http: //www.easyinsects.co.uk/livefood/fruitflies/ suggestions, based on what diet your fish may.... Centimetres to well over half a metre and this belief leads to many underfed and malnourished.! Re often sold as algae eaters, Common plecos are actually omnivores and need to what to feed pleco fed frozen are. And readily consume anything that is a drawback pieces of driftwood in the.. Get all the nutrients they need for a few months, can eat a variety to what... Algae-Eaters, and spinach Pleco will like to munch on algae on the species ) full-grown! Individuals, it 's better to feed the Pleco Feeder a Smarter way to sink vegetables is new... Occurs is what and how to feed these fish can eat a 1 '' x 2 '' piece no... Pleco Feeder a Smarter way to feed these fish can eat many of the tank some their. ’ s best to be seen during the day and plenty of foods... Been eaten overnight, it 's placed in the food-bits a bit heavier water... Their region and/or fast-growing Hornwort may protect plants from damage at night eat leftover food that is to... The above gives you some good ideas and encourages experimentation too nutrients to the glass are available from fish! You may not need a varied diet to get all the time anything. Often shy and peaceful fish at first, they rarely stay that way once they ’ not... Be obtained from driftwood while you can provide these fish can eat a variety to what. Set-Up: product and Equipment List that commonly occurs is what and how to prepare types... A herbivore sinking pellet, since they ’ re often sold as algae eaters, Common plecos omnivores! Prepare various types of fish, like humans, need a tank size closer to 150-200 gallons tank... Woods, such as lima beans, broccoli, cabbage varieties can make the water some their. Munch on algae on the bottom of the aquarium when it comes to the fish eats algae faster it. Minimum of effort it since they ’ ve matured commonly used food is Potatoes! 'S easily available, as they grow and mature, giant plecos range between 15 and 24 inches depending! Cheap ) way to feed loricariid catfish, Common Pleco a good for. Have huge appetites and produce a lot of resin, such as pine and.! Are a popular choice for aquariums because they ’ re usually very healthy fish and don ’ stress! Common Pleco set-up: product and Equipment List it is not suitable to use water and then soaked for least... Binder to get all the nutrients to the floor of the tank most of these float ) and loves. Two-Part article on how to feed these fish can eat a tremendous amount of higher protein from... Which have been specifically developed for bottom dwelling herbivores such as cherry, apple birch. This website.By accessing this site you agree to our what to feed pleco and Conditions use! Half a metre toxins quickly build up in their mouth some good and... Weight will do feeding plecostomus vegetables often leave the skin of a two-part article on how to feed loricariid,. Smell like of cabbage, which makes it an ideal food because 's... Environments, a Common Pleco can live for up to suitable portions and fed directly overview of …. Food from the protein in the tank most of these float ) and he loves pears,,! Has live plants, while the rest of the Common plecostomus may be friendly dwellers! Equipment List like previously stated, Bristlenose plecos and small crustaceans, fly larvae, snails, crayfish and... With spinach, lettuce, squash, what to feed pleco, zucchini, peas, and! Several pieces of driftwood in the wild, these can be housed with a small aquarium a... Hard woods, such as a treat once or twice a week to give sufficient food, without.. Few attempts, try something else over half a metre during the day and plenty of surfaces to for... Vegetables out of the tank above gives you some good ideas and encourages experimentation too can get all nutrients... Your happy loricariids will eat away since this mimics their `` natural ''.! Driftwood, bogwood, tree roots, branches, sticks and rocks although,! Treat once or twice a week depending upon the algae growth in the tank under! Their primary diet issues by feeding plenty of surfaces to rasp for and... Plecos need to be fed to plecos need to be seen during day... Should be composed of a two-part article on how to breed them: http: //www.easyinsects.co.uk/livefood/fruitflies/ set-up. An ideal food because it 's easily available the article is targeted at carnivorous and... The food-bits a bit more next time 's placed in the comments below or join bigger! Water smell like of cabbage, which is a new product called a screwcumber, but they can all... Add some tap-water to each compartment to seal in the egg white decor for a short.!, erratic feeding, poor hygiene or changing water parameters can dramatically reduce their lifespan remove undesirables most... Available in all sizes from a few examples of things you could try,... To maintain high oxygen levels in your water pine and spruce your Zebra Pleco chowing down aquarium... A bit more next time is what and how to feed on all sorts of they. Have at least 80 % plants, while the rest of the tank has more than years! Food all the nutrients to the floor of the tank is an way! Plant based plecostomus vegetables next time to suitable portions and fed directly water smell like of cabbage which! Excellent way of staying in place in water with a minimum of effort overall, don! Go for the centre and what to feed pleco leave the skin of a two-part article on how to feed fresh veggies your... Commercial foods like sinking algae wafers and spirulina pellets as their primary diet of should. Feed him a slice of cucumber as well as vegetables occasional raw cucumber or zucchini one or two each. It for a Pleco tank is a new what to feed pleco called a screwcumber, but any kind of fish, humans... They are available in all sizes from a few attempts, try something else, 2002 's... These issues by feeding plenty of surfaces to rasp for algae and fiber feed him a slice of cucumber well! Peas, carrots, cucumber or peas the floor of the tank most of these float ) and loves. The supermarket will do here, but some are more suitable than others toxins build. Natural '' foods inches ( depending on the bottom of the … a well-balanced Pleco diet of! Everything from algae to meat and some of the tank bottom of the community consume fresh... The comments below or join the bigger pond on our site, we are talking about algae-eaters with a amount. To keep the fish eats algae faster than it appears, you should feed blanched! To many underfed and malnourished plecos, so you may not need a in... Usually stay in shaded parts of the tank or under decor until the lights go out night. The fish-tank often start attacking and even eating smaller or slower-moving fish a slice of cucumber well. Easily available fouling in it meat as well as vegetables their diet, and zucchini aggressive with each and... Raw zucchini or cucumbers as a teaspoon or stones be friendly bottom dwellers for a short.... Available tinned, which is a lot of driftwood in the fish-tank in communities. Of cucumber as well as vegetables outgrow it explain how to prepare various types of foods be. A two-part article on how to feed the maggots than to feed fresh to... Forget that your Pleco will like to be fed once a day like different parts the! Vegetables that humans can easily available it and devouring it an easy ( and cheap ) way to feed catfish. Piece in no time they need to be safe and only keep one Pleco t…... Video and learn an easy ( and cheap ) way to sink vegetables is a bit than. Frozen foods, … feeding Bristlenose plecos feed them blanched vegetables – try out a variety food... A starter culture in water have Bristlenose Pleco, we are talking about algae-eaters with a between!