# Should I "feed" my regular pleco?



## offthedome (Sep 26, 2007)

I have a pleco, it's only 2.5 inches, but it's one of the ones that grows up to 18 inches. I bought a pleco over other bottom feeders because I like seeing fish grow, but the real reason I got him was to keep the tank clean, especially the glass. I don't really want him to get so gigantic that I have to sell him or give him away. 

I have a tiny piece of wood in the tank, about 2 inches by 4 inches. I don't want him to get enormous quickly, but I also don't want him to die. I have good amounts of algea in the tank. Should I supplement his diet?


----------



## Guest (Sep 27, 2007)

I blanch either cucumber or zuchinni. Blanching is just dropping a slice of either vegetable in boiling water for about 20-30 and then immediately dumping it in ice cold water. Once it feels cold throughout I just grab a rock out of my aquarium and I use a rubberband to tie it to. They kill that stuff. Next morning it's almost gone except for the skin. They love it!
My pleco I have had for about a month now and I can already tell a difference in his size. Thank goodness we are getting a much larger tank that will suffice until we upgrade again.
Good luck!

I meant 20-30 seconds Sorry!


----------



## Guest (Sep 27, 2007)

I would give him a varied diet....veggies, algae wafers, and bottom feeder wafers or pellets. I believe Common Plecs are omnivores, which means they need something meaty and not just algae to eat.


----------



## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

all plecos are omnivores.but some are primarily herbivores and others are carnivores.all of my plecos get a varied diet of spirulina/kelp wafers,frozen bloodworms,frozen krill and plecocaine...the only difference is that the herbs get more veggie stuff and the carns get more meat stuff.common plecos will grow to over 3 feet long.


----------



## gemjunkie (Jan 20, 2005)

Even common plecos are omnivores NOT vegitarians. They do however love the raw vegies! Just don't forget a few carnivore pellets, shrimp pellets too along with those vegies AFTER lights out so they can get some food too!


----------



## Kyoberr (Dec 6, 2006)

If you have a small tank, next time buy a smaller algea eater. It will grow slower in a smaller tank. I just occasionally feed mine shrimp pellets. It's happy


----------



## FishMatt (May 12, 2010)

Algae grazers are good and he can eat on the wood to.


----------

