Veggies for a pleco

gsparsan

gsparsan

AC Members
Dec 2, 2007
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My tank doesn't seem to have the trace of algae on anything. Either the pleco is doing a really good job or the algae is just not building up. Either way, I can' complain. Except that I don't want my pleco to die of hunger!

I've heard of people feeding the pleco with a bit of lettuce or cucumber. What other veggies can I feed my pleco, without fouling the water.

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Hmmmm, i'm not sure of all the veggies you can use, but from personal experience, my Bristle Nose will eat lettuce and blanched cucumber but she goes bonkers for blanched Zucchini! I hardly even have a chance to get the zucchini in there and shes already trying to suck on it and eat it. I do rub Seachem's Garlic Guard on it a little bit, so maybe thats what she likes so much. Although, the first 3 or 4 times she didn't touch it, then one day she realized she liked it, so if you do try it, don't give up after the first few times yours won't eat it...they eventually will. I've also heard of people (on here) using sweet potato and grapes was the newest one I heard! I've never tried those before. It shouldn't foul your water as long as you remove anything thats uneaten within like... say 12 hours? I put zucchini in for my girl at about 10 pm and then take it out when i get the chance the next day. Sometimes its when i get up at 8 and other times its when i come home from work at 3 and so far i've had no problems with bad water. If they eat every last piece of it then obviously there is nothing to remove right, but I know mine doesn't eat all of it so i take out what she doesn't eat. Heres a picture of my girl eating a piece of zucchini (along with some other fish too haha)

P.S. Try putting it in at night as you may have a better chance of getting your pleco to eat it.

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Nice fish. Zuc or sweet potato. Just make sure you don't leave it in there very long.
 
Many of you have spoken about blanched cucumber or blanched zucini. How important is the blanching? I've tried giving cucumber but myh pleco didn't touch it. I ran it under boiling water for a few secs followed by tap water. I'll try again. Am I missing something?
 
Blanching softens the veg & some fish like it that way. I microwave it sometimes for about 15 sec. But cooked falls apart in the tank much faster than raw & can make a mess so don't leave it in too long.

If your plec eats pellets or wafers you can try making tiny slits in the raw veg & putting a piece of wafer in. It can help them get the idea the veg is food, once or twice should do it.
 
gsparsan said:
Many of you have spoken about blanched cucumber or blanched zucini. How important is the blanching? I've tried giving cucumber but myh pleco didn't touch it. I ran it under boiling water for a few secs followed by tap water. I'll try again. Am I missing something?
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It may take a little while. My pleco didn't touch any veggies for half a day. Try putting a veggie slice in at night w/ the tank lights off and removing it in the morning (check to see if it has been munched on). My pleco (Bristlenoses) will eat veggies all times of the day, lights on or off doesn't matter to them.
 
The sticky at the top of the page is great. I started to feed my pleco a varied diet after I read it. I have a common pleco, and he is fond of zuchini, peeled grapes and mushrooms. At first I had to soften up the food, but now he won't touch anything if its cooked in anyway.
 
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