# Pleco Feeding



## h_sheltie (Jun 16, 2005)

I just finished cycling my tank and I went down to the lfs and got some new fish. One of the ones I got was a small pleco. The guy told you feed them only 1 algae wafer like every 3-4 days. Is that right? I just wanna be sure because it doesn't seem right.


----------



## h_sheltie (Jun 16, 2005)

Nvm...The pleco died. I only had it in there for about 2 hours. I don't understand how it died. Everything is normal. Does the pleco need a higher ph or something. I would think my lfs would have told me about something like that.
PH 7.2
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
nitrate 5 ppm


----------



## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

hm your nitrates are a bit high, how did you acclimate him?


----------



## h_sheltie (Jun 16, 2005)

I thought 10 nitrates and below is normal. Anyway, I let him sit in the bag on top of the water for about 35 min before I let him out.


----------



## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

you said your nitrates were 5 ppm


----------



## h_sheltie (Jun 16, 2005)

Ya i know I said they were 5, I thought 10 and below is normal. Is that wrong? I'm not trying to sound like a smart ass, this is just what I read on the internet.


----------



## garfieldnfish (Jan 18, 2005)

If the PH in your tank is much different from the one at the store the pleco may have ended up getting something similar to what divers get when they come up from the ocean floor too quickly (the bends). When you get a new fish your should add a little of your tank water to the water in the bag every 15 minutes until at least 1/2 to 2/3 of the water in your bag is from your own tank. This tanks a little time but it is much safer for the fish.


----------



## h_sheltie (Jun 16, 2005)

That must have been what happened. My dad brought me home a new pleco from a different store today. It's a hypancitrus pleco. I have been looking around on the internet and from what I've found they don't get too big. Here's a link showing a little bit about them.
http://www.malawicichlidhomepage.com/other/hypancistrus_king_tiger_L066.html
He seems to be doing well. I dropped a algae waffer in the tank. Like I said my lfs told me only to put one in every 3-4 days. Is that right? It seems like I should be feeding him more than that.


----------



## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

good luck with your new addition. i would feed him every other day not every 3-4 days


----------



## h_sheltie (Jun 16, 2005)

Thanks, I hope this one does better than my other one. 

:EDIT: 
I made a mistake hes not a hypancistrus hes just a common pleco. They looked pretty similar. Sorry about that.


----------



## garfieldnfish (Jan 18, 2005)

Lucky you got a big tank. LOL. He'll be happy with the rest of the fish you have in there and will keep your tank clean. With this size tank he should get enough algae to actually sustain himself. But I feed all my algae eaters on the side. It really depends on how much algae grows in your tank. Time the lights are left on, how close to the window, live plants, etc. If you see algae build up and your pleco is munching on the wafers, cut down on his "treats" to get him to eat what you got him for in the first place. (The exception to this is dark green spot algae, no algae eater will eat that with the possible exception of a rubberlip pleco). But plecos also love blanched zucchini, cucumbers and will snack on other veggies as well. Some of my plecos (I do not have a common pleco, but CAEs, Siamese Algae eaters, clown plecos, rubberlip plecos and bristlenose plecos and they all eat sinking fishfood, i.e. shrimp pellets, carnivore pellets, algae wafers, goldfish sinking pellets, heck anything that hits the floor and they get to it first. In addition to the algae wafers I would feed him a variety of things, mostly veggies, twice a week but no more as he will most likely snack on some fish food as well. This way you keep him focussed on cleaning the tank.


----------



## h_sheltie (Jun 16, 2005)

Next time I go to the store I'm going to pick up a few cucumbers. He's doing really well. Right now I feed him a algae wafer every other day. Here's a pic of him...


----------



## euRasian32 (May 19, 2005)

Nice fish! At first glance it looks like a spotted sailfin pleco (gibbiceps). If I'm right, they can achieve 18-24 inches when fully matured. I had 2 in a 55, almost 2 years later they were every bit of 18inches. Although a common breed, I think they're awesome with their armor like skin, nocturnal instincts, and (if it is a sailfin) that tall dorsal fin. You should be okay for a couple years.

Instead of feeding x amount every other day, why not feed 1/4 wafer once a day right after the lights go out?


----------



## h_sheltie (Jun 16, 2005)

I was going to ask that. I probably will start doing that.

Your probably right about it being a sailfin pleco. I really don't know because I got it at petsmart and they don't have any signs up saying what it is.

Edit: After looking around on the internet for awhile, you are right. Thank you! I finally know what kind of pleco I have.


----------

