- Algae. Most of us purchase our first pleco cat as an algae eater. Most of these fish will do that, with some reservations.
- Prepared foods. These are the standards for feeding most aquarium fish. ...
- Fresh vegetables. This is really the staple diet, after algae, for these fish in captivity. There are many veggies easily prepared for catfish feeding.
- Wood. Panaque has been shown to house gut bacteria compared to those found in termites. The fish rasps away fine wood fibers and eats them.
- Micropredator foods. Some plecos lean toward eating meatier foods, and all of them will enjoy occasional meals of small worms, insect larvae, crustaceans or such.
- Agressive Plecos. 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, ...
- Buying Plecos. It is a good idea to get some idea before any purchase of the nature of the beast that catches your eye.
- Summary. To me, this is a very large and endlessly fascinating family of fish. ...
- Sources
What fish are compatible with a pleco?
Plecos are generally compatible with most other fish, apart from their own species. They can be kept with smaller fish such as guppies, loaches, platies, mollies, gouramis, and hatchets. They can live with cichlids and angelfish, but the pleco needs to be the same size or bigger than the cichlids or angelfish to withstand their aggression.
What is the best food for pleco?
The food items I list right below, are all perfect for Plecos:
- Algae wafers
- Driftwood – very important for all types of Plecos. This is a naturally encountered food source, so make sure they have plenty of it in the tank.
- Earthworms
- Bloodworms
- Shrimp
- Vegetables
What Veggies can you feed a pleco?
Feed your pleco fruit and vegetables. Your pleco will enjoy a variety of vegetables, like broccoli, shelled peas, lima beans, kale, celery, cabbage, and zucchini. Though your pleco may enjoy small pieces of cantaloupe, honeydew melon, breadfruit, and papaya, you should avoid providing acidic fruits or veggies, like oranges and tomatoes. [4]
What should I Feed my pleco?
Vegetable List For Feeding Plecos
- IMPORTANT. Make sure you have an ID of your plec to ensure the correct dietary needs are met. ...
- STARTER LIST. This is a list of vegetables and fruit that are popular with most plecs.
- OTHER VEGETABLES AND FRUIT. ...
- SUGGESTIONS FOR WEIGHING DOWN VEG. ...
What do pleco fish like to eat?
Plecos are omnivores, meaning they eat plants and animals. Your pleco will enjoy earthworms, bloodworms, and shrimp. You can choose between fresh or frozen varieties. Earthworms, bloodworms, and shrimp can be found at pet shops and fish stores.
Do Plecos need special food?
While Plecos do eat detritus and algae, it will still need its diet supplemented. Feed your Pleco every day or every other day with Pleco-specific food. One to two times per week, feed your Pleco pieces of cucumber, zucchini, or lettuce (not iceberg).
Can a pleco live with a catfish?
Pleco Habitat Companions Plecostomus are omnivorous bottom-feeders and can be safely housed with fish much smaller than themselves. Plecos generally pair well with cichlids, angelfish, barbs, bettas, other catfish species, gouramis, guppies, hatchets, loaches, mollies and platies.
What fruit and veg can Plecos eat?
You can offer your plecos veggies like broccoli, shelled peas, lima beans, kale, celery, cabbage, zucchini, and others. It is best to cut your veggies into small pieces so your fish can easily munch on and consume these foods.
Do pleco fish eat cucumber?
4:245:50Pleco Vs Cucumber - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWasn't quite as exciting as my last pleco versus food. But you can tell every pleco in this tank.MoreWasn't quite as exciting as my last pleco versus food. But you can tell every pleco in this tank. Really loves cucumbers.
How do I keep my plecos happy?
8:1112:51One Of The Most Mistreated Fish In The Hobby. Top 10 ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo use some common sense they generally won't hunt other fish. But if they get large enough and theyMoreSo use some common sense they generally won't hunt other fish. But if they get large enough and they're smaller fish in the tank. And they have the opportunity.
How long can a pleco go without eating?
Bristlenose plecos can go 14 days without food. These bottom-dwelling fish are very hardy and can survive quite long without eating anything.
Are plecos dirty fish?
Myth #1: "A pleco will clean your tank!" Plecos are messy fish which produce a lot of waste (and no, they don't eat poop). They requre heavy filtration and lots of water changes. Having a pleco is NOT a substitute for regularly cleaning your tank, doing water changes and vacuuming your substrate to remove waste.
How many plecos Can I put in a 10-gallon tank?
It's a calm and peaceful fish that likes to hide among the plants or bury itself in the substrate. It's one of the few plecos that enjoy living in groups, and most experts recommend keeping 3 in a 10-gallon tank.
Can you feed a pleco a banana?
3:0310:51Pleco Vs. Banana - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut my plecos do not like bananas guys yeah they just get on it. And then they get off of it. BeenMoreBut my plecos do not like bananas guys yeah they just get on it. And then they get off of it. Been in here an hour they've ate through the you know the outer edge of it too.
Will plecos eat fish poop?
No, plecos won't eat fish poop. Despite being a popular cleaner fish, plecos don't eat poop because fish poop is already processed and contains very few nutrients. Additionally, you can't even rely on plecos to keep your tank clean because they are big fish and produce a lot of waste themselves.
What is the best pleco food?
5 Best Pleco Foods ReviewedOmega One Veggie Rounds. Omega One Veggie Rounds contain high-quality ingredients that make them an excellent choice for most plecos. ... Northfin Kelp Wafers. ... New Life Spectrum Algaemax Wafers. ... Repashy Morning Wood. ... Repashy Soilent Green.
Can plecos eat fish food?
Because plecos are omnivores, they will eat smaller fish, invertebrates, or crustaceans, especially if they are near the bottom of the tank. Typically, they don't kill other fish for food but will scavenge dead fish. Some species even feed on driftwood.
Does pleco eat fish poop?
No, plecos won't eat fish poop. Despite being a popular cleaner fish, plecos don't eat poop because fish poop is already processed and contains very few nutrients. Additionally, you can't even rely on plecos to keep your tank clean because they are big fish and produce a lot of waste themselves.
How do you feed a pleco in a community tank?
4:2716:37How to feed Plecos - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThese OSHA nutrition cichlid veggie pellets and they also have these cichlid Omni pellets like theseMoreThese OSHA nutrition cichlid veggie pellets and they also have these cichlid Omni pellets like these they sink very quickly the veggie pellets have 40% protein. And these have 41% protein but they
Does my pleco need driftwood?
Plecos are known to feed on driftwood in minimal amounts. Driftwood consists of nutrients that help in the digestion process of Plecos. However, where driftwood can certainly help in enhancing the health of a Pleco, it is not really a need or necessity.
How to get a pleco to eat?
1. Keep driftwood in the tank at all times. Your pleco needs lots of fiber in their diet, and they can get it from driftwood. Make sure to provide several pieces of driftwood in the aquarium at all times so your pleco can suck and scrape it off. The tiny pieces of driftwood the pleco eats help with its digestion.
What is a pleco catfish?
The pleco, or plecostomus, is a type of catfish often housed in aquariums. Plecos are algae-eaters, but your home aquarium won’t provide enough algae to keep your pleco full. You’ll need to feed plecos algae wafers too.
How big of an aquarium do plecos need?
Provide them with plenty of room. In the aquarium, plecos can grow up to 18 inches (46 cm) long! This means you’ll need an aquarium larger than 100 gallons (380 L). You can choose a smaller species of pleco, like the Golden nugget, Zebra, Clown, or Bristlenose pleco, if you have a tank smaller than 100 gallons (380 L).
How to know if a pleco is hungry?
Observe your pleco after feeding. After you provide food for your pleco, watch and see if your pleco gobbles it down. If your pleco immediately begins to munch on the food, they may be overly hungry and need to be fed more often. If your pleco ignores the food, they may need to be fed less often.
When to give pleco algae wafer?
Give your pleco an algae wafer at night before you go to bed, as plecos are nocturnal and eat at nighttime. If the wafer has been completely consumed by the time you wake up, you can offer another algae wafer to your pleco in the morning. ...
How often should I feed plecos?
Feed your pleco fruit or vegetables once or twice per week. Fruit and veggies will provide your pleco with fiber, which they need to stay healthy. Offer your pleco fruit or vegetables once or twice per week.
Can plecos eat algae?
If you have a small juvenile pleco, they may be able to get by on the algae in the tank, algae wafers, and scraps left over from feeding other fish. However, if the pleco is the only fish in the tank, it will need to be fed more often.
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.
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.
Can pleco cats eat algae?
Algae. Most of us purchase our first pleco cat as an algae eater. Most of these fish will do that, with some reservations. The Hypostomus-type plecos will usually do a pretty good job on the tank glass, river rock, and large pieces of driftwood. But they quickly grow too large and heavy to work on plant leaves.
Is a zebra pleco herbivore?
At least one population of the currently popular and expensive Zebra Pleco is such a fish. It appears to be more adapted to a micropredator lifestyle than to be herbivorous. But the majority are herbivores. Feeding in tanks is not difficult, but they do need to have a higher bulk diet than most other fish.
