Topic: Feeding plecos and loaches

[Ezekial]

I've been reading and have heard people say they feed their pleco's cucumber's and other veggies like lettuce.  Is there anything special you need to do to your veggies to do that or do you just cut off a slice of cucumber and throw it in?  What other veggies do people use?

Do they eat it all or do you need to take it out again later?  Will this work for loaches as well?

Right now i'm just feeding the loaches and pleco's a combo of shrimp pellets, algae wafers, bio blend bottom feeder wafers, and frozen blood worms.  I usually throw in the algae and bottom feeder wafers at night mostly for the pleco's. 

[JC]

Well you can boil the cucumber or zucchini slightly to soften it up but it's not entirely necessary. Same wiht spinach or dark leaved lettuce, though it's easy to overkill on that and might wash out some of the nutrients. Best way I've found was to use a veggie clip and stickit to the back of the tank close to where the pleco usually likes to hang out.

[Ezekial]

Thanks JC, i'll try that.

[seouleast]

Don't your other fish eat the algae pellets and wafers before the pleco has a chance? My O's tear them up! The bloodworms are gone before they hit the bottom. So, zuchs and lettuce (like JC recommended) are what I feed him. I will have to utilize that clip idea, though!

Thanks JC!!!!

Peace-
seouleast

[Ezekial]

My loaches attack the wafers i throw in.  I tried the cucumber this weekend, just stuck one end under a decoration and the loaches ate it up.  Not sure how much the plecs got, i wasnt' there watching the whole time.  My acara seemed to love it as well.

[Gerry]

I have given my O sweetcorn (boiled) as a treat (and keep him regular(like he needs it,,ha ha)) and he loves it 

[JC]

Oh Gerry you shouldn't give your O corn... that's one of the harder digestibles for fish. *cringe*  Shelled peas and slightly boiled melon (honeydew or cantaloupe)would make a better option. The skins on the corn as well as the actual flesh of the vegetable dont' process well and could end up impacting the fishguts 

[OCP]

I was in PetSmart last night and noticed they had strips of cucumber in various tanks.  Not just bottom feeders and Plecs.  They were using a lead strip plant weight wrapped around the piece to hold them on the bottom.  I don't know that  lead is a good idea for a tank.

[Gerry]

Thank JC, did not know that (obviously) Melon,,I hardly get melon, so O ain't got much chance,,,he can have my peas (when the wifes not looking hee hee.)

[JC]

LOL

yeah don't go letting her think you dont' like her mushy peas or she'll never forgive you 

[Gerry]

LOL

yeah don't go letting her think you dont' like her mushy peas or she'll never forgive you 

More likely never feed me again

[seouleast]

JC, my O's tore up the lettuce! Pleco didn't even get a chance to eat any. Funny fish! I think that the zuchs are the only things my O's don't have a taste for. They pick at it once in a while, but leave it for the plec.

Peace-
seouleast

[convict artist]

i know this is an old thread but i always give my pleco's a slice of potato(no skin very messy) because my clown loaches always eat the cucumber before the plecos even discover it! and they seem to like the potato better anyway.

[Ezekial]

LOL my loaches do just devour the cucumber now.  I'm not sure what the plecos get.  I'll try the potato idea.  thanks.

[JBa3fan]

my pleco seems to Love our tomatoes  I just  clip  the cut off  top or  bottom part of the  tomatoe to the stickon  clip  anywhere on the  tank glass ........  I think he sees the   red as I walk into the room . also he doesn't leave the tomatoe untill all that is left is the stem and  skin