How Often (Much) Should I Feed My Plecos?
- Algae wafers: one or two per day (based on the size of the fish)
- Veggie pieces: one small slice, once or twice a week
- Shrimp: two or three cut into small pieces, once or twice a week
- Shrimp pellets: two or three, once or twice a week
- Earthworm/bloodworm: one (sliced into small pieces), once or twice a week
Do plecos need food?
While they’re often sold as algae eaters, Common Plecos are actually omnivores and need to eat both plant and animal-based foods. 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.
Do plecos eat other fish?
Plecos seldom eat other fish as they are natural scavengers. They would much rather vacuum up some bits and pieces from the bottom of the aquarium than square off with another fish. If you observe a pleco eating another fish, there is a high likelihood that the fish was dead anyway.
Can plecos live in outdoor ponds?
Thankfully, plecos can work in koi ponds as well as other outdoor fish ponds, provided that the water is warm enough, they have enough space, are given proper hiding spaces and plenty of territory, and you feed them the right foods. Click here to cancel reply.
How to care for plecostomus?
Plecostomus care
- Water care Daily - Check filter, water temperature and other equipment Weekly - Test water quality at least once a week Weekly to monthly - Change 10-25% of the total ...
- Introduce new inhabitants to the aquarium gradually. ...
- Avoid overcrowded conditions; they are a major cause of stress and disease
How often should I feed my baby pleco?
Feed your pleco fruit or vegetables once or twice per week. Cut them up into small pieces before adding them to your tank, and add an aquarium weight so they sink to the bottom of the tank. Alternatively, you can use an aquarium clip to attach the food to the side of the tank near the bottom.
When should I feed my pleco fry?
6:2410:01HOW TO FEED PLECO FRY AND MAKE YOUR PLECO ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIn six days so roughly every three days.MoreIn six days so roughly every three days.
How do you take care of a baby pleco?
After hatching, the baby Plecos will latch onto the sides of the cave and feed on their eggs sacks for a few days. Once you see them swimming throughout the tank freely, you can try to feed them some food. They will eat algae like their parents, but mashed vegetables are a great supplement.
What do little plecos eat?
A well-balanced pleco diet consists of: Algae and sinking algae wafers. Plecos require plenty of fiber. Supplement with raw zucchini, sweet potato, carrots, lettuce, spinach or cucumbers as a treat once or twice a week.
How long can baby plecos go without food?
Bristlenose plecos can go 14 days without food. These bottom-dwelling fish are very hardy and can survive quite long without eating anything. However, going that long without food can result in growth stunts, stress, and illnesses. Bristlenose plecos may starve because their owners don't feed them.
How fast does pleco fry growth?
Generally, bristlenose pleco fry tend to grow very slowly, staying under an inch in length during their first three months of life. After three months, they usually hit a growth spurt, growing an extra two or three inches until they reach six months of age.
Will plecos eat their babies?
No, bristlenose plecos usually don't eat their babies. Unlike most other fish, bristlenose plecos typically don't try to eat their own eggs or young. Some first-time parents might try to eat several of their babies, especially if they lack food, but they won't completely decimate their fry.
How many babies can plecos have?
They need to age close to a year before able to breed regularly, and a single pair can be very prolific, having 150 -200 eggs at a time.
How long does it take for a pleco to grow full size?
It takes about five years for a common pleco to grow to its full size. A common pleco typically grows 3-5 inches in its first year. After that, its growth rate will slow down until it attains its full size of 20-25 inches.
Do plecos need vegetables?
Vegetables. Plecos can eat vegetables. Romaine lettuce, the tops of celery and other leafy vegetables provide a good plant food source. Slices of cucumber, parboiled zucchini and parboiled peas are welcome in the pleco's diet.
Can you feed plecos cucumber?
0:215:42#414: How to Sink Raw Cucumbers for Plecos - Tank Tip - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThis is a product by opti fish they're out of the UK. And they've come up with this really ingeniousMoreThis is a product by opti fish they're out of the UK. And they've come up with this really ingenious little tool to help you feed raw vegetables to your plecos.
Do plecos eat carrots?
Veggies. Bristlenose plecos can also benefit from supplemental feedings of vegetables. Grocery store veggies like spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, peas, carrots and green beans are suitable pleco foods. Some of them, like zucchini and carrots, work better when blanched first.
What do plecos eat?
Some plecos lean toward eating meatier foods, and all of them will enjoy occasional meals of small worms, insect larvae, crustaceans or such. These high-protein treats are no doubt similar to the small creatures they could capture while grazing on algae beds in the wild. I do give frozen bloodworms to my plecos with some regularity, and during gardening season, treats of small (or chopped- don’t gag please, they really are frozen and broken) earthworms. The only trick is to feed the cats in mixed tanks without the other fish stealing the treats. I do this using red lights after the regular tank lights and room lights are out, but then everybody already knows I am a bit crazy.
What fish are attacking my pleco catfish?
A recurring theme on the boards are pleas for help, shock, and dismay from tank keepers whose pleco catfish are attacking their prize Discus, Gouramis, Silver Dollars, Goldfish, or any other fish with a large enough body for the pleco to grasp with their mouth.
Do plecos eat rind?
Most of the plecos will not eat the rind, so it should be removed after about 24 hours. I have a couple of Panaque who eat the rind first, so that in not a universal rule. Cucumbers are another fresh food for the catfish. Many folks hold that the cukes are without food value and should not be used.
Why are squid engineered?
They are “engineered” to process a larger quantity of material than other fish in order to get equal food value. Obviously this ability to exploit a low-nutrition food source has paid off for the family, as they are widespread through South America east of the Andes, with a remarkable number of species.
What is the best lettuce for fish?
Leaf lettuces are also popular and good foods for these fish. Romaine is the most commonly suggested, but most dark leaf lettuces can be used. Iceberg lettuce is low in food value and would provide essentially bulk only, I do not use it. Leaves are best either blanched or frozen.
Why do fish have rasping mouths?
These fish are “designed” with a rasping mouth to enable them to scrape algae from surfaces, or the pulp of fruit, or even wood itself- not just algae from the wood, but to eat and get nourishment from the wood. Much of their food is relatively high bulk/low food value. They are “engineered” to process a larger quantity ...
Do plecos like brackish conditions?
But they get rather large and like brackish conditions. Plecos also will not do well with only the leftovers from the other fish. Hopefully there will not be enough of that to keep them going, and it is not likely to be an adequate diet.
Feeding Baby Bristlenose plecos
Ok... I have a bunch of baby Bristlenose plecos, and egg sacs are starting to dwindle now.... what are the best foods to feed them, and should I wait till their yolks are gone or start before they are completely absorbed??
Re: Feeding Baby Bristlenose plecos
I feed mine blanched veggies like squash, zucchini , carrots even broccoli and just about any of the reg. fish foods I feed in my tank. I also feed algae wafers periodically and another type of sinking food called plecocaine that I purchased off AB. They eat all the time!!
Re: Feeding Baby Bristlenose plecos
Corgette (zucchini) algae wafers, flake food. I dont blanch it first but it does need weighing down with something (not the flake of course).
Re: Feeding Baby Bristlenose plecos
Babies eat the same thing as the parents. And no feeding until yolk sack is gone. They are pretty good at finding food, so not difficult to bring up as long as you keep the water quality under control.
Re: Feeding Baby Bristlenose plecos
Can I ask why you have them in a fry keeper ? The parent will NOT bother them in any way and will protect them from most fishy predators. They can also find their own food easier in the main tank where there will (generally) be more to eat than a bare fry keeper.
Re: Feeding Baby Bristlenose plecos
I feed my pleco fry mainly earth worm sticks and supplement that with some Spirulina Sticks and frozen blood worms. All pleco fry will do very well on earth worm sticks. It is a food which breaks down into a mush shortly after you feed them and baby plecos eagerly suck up all this mush.
Re: Feeding Baby Bristlenose plecos
I took them out for a couple reasons... 1st, because I didn't know better, but more importantly, 2nd... I have some perugiae's in that tank, and figured they would snack on them..... I suppose I could take them out and let the fry go with parents....
How To Keep Baby Plecos Alive
Firstly, before you even think about buying a Pleco for your tank do some research on the fish breed. If your aquarium already has fish occupying it you will need to check if they are compatible with Plecos. Most Plecos are fairly chilled out and will get on with most other species.
How Long Does A Pleco Live?
This really does depend on the conditions of the aquarium. If the parameters and surroundings are spot on then an average Pleco could live between 10 and 15 years. So when buying one for your tank it is worth taking this into consideration.
Best Pleco For Beginners
All Plecos are relatively hardy and fairly easy to look after. But the Bristle nose Pleco is probably the best species for a beginner. The Bristle nose is a placid fish and is readily available in most aquatic stores worldwide. They will also do a superb job of keeping your tank clean for you, can’t be bad!
My Top 3 Plecos For Beginners
Plecos come in a variety of shapes and sizes with over 150 species known worldwide. As you can imagine they all have different requirements to maintain a healthy fish. Some of the Plecos such as the common Pleco will simply outgrow the average aquarium.
Final Thoughts On Keeping Baby Plecos Alive
Keeping baby Plecos alive may not be as hard as some people think. As long as they have comfortable surroundings and the parameters are somewhere near they should be fine. Just remember the one thing that will turn them aggressive is another Pleco. These fish are a great asset to most tanks and will give you years of enjoyment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pleco eggs really do not take long to hatch at all. If the Plecos are in perfect surroundings then it can be in as little as 4 to 10 days to hatch into babies.
