What Should I Feed My Pleco

[jenny6165]

we picked up a pleco today, the aquarium store said it was an Ancistrus. ive tried to find out what he should be eating as i forgot to ask the people, but a website i found has just said vegetable matter. does that mean i literally put vegetables in? or is this fish food vegetable stuff?

this is the site i found with info
http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/speci...p?species_id=49

 

[johnatkin]

You can feed him algae wafers (most LFSs sell these), cucumber, blanched lettuce and peas and they also eat other foods that fall to the bottom of the tank.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Congrats on your new fish. I love my bristlenoses. Apart from the foods mentioned by Johnatkin, I also feed mine zucchini (aka courgettes), carrots, sprouts, broccoli - whatever veg we're having ourselves really, just lightly boiled- the cucumber goes in raw though. You should also add a piece of bogwood as rasping at wood aids their digestion.

 

[jenny6165]

ah yes, i bought some bogwood today from the same shop.
how small do u cut up the vegetables? or will he just suck on big pieces?

i will prob go to the lfs tomorrow and pick up some algae wafers

 

[dwarfgourami]

ah yes, i bought some bogwood today from the same shop.
how small do u cut up the vegetables? or will he just suck on big pieces?

i will prob go to the lfs tomorrow and pick up some algae wafers

He'll rasp away at them with his tongue, starting with the middle of the cucumber slice until he ends up sitting in a hoop of cucumber, looks really funny. I have eight 2 cm-long month-old bristlies in a breeding tank and they can demolish a slice of cucumber in 24 hours.