Does my shy Plec eat enough?

[jratuszn]

I picked up a ~10" pleco to help keep my tank clean. He gets a chunk of zucchini daily, but I'm not sure if that's enough. The problem is, he's never out during the day, so any algae wafers that I toss in just get pushed around the tank bottom and not eaten (I have a bare tank, so the current from my filter hitting the bottom of the tank makes it impossible to keep them in one spot).

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

-J

 

[robertmarda]

Try dropping the algae wafers in at night after you turn out the lights.

 

[Cafe Jeff]

They're sneaky bastards.
You might also try blanched frozen peas. Jeff

 

[chrism]

what other fish do you have within the tank? My plec only about 3/4" seems to have become alot more active during the day when i added my schoal of cardinals, i think they might suggest that everything is ok to come out. kinda like a busy street.

also try boiled potato, grapes, and other fruit and veg, i've tried allsorts zucchini works the best, i elastic band it to a rock plonk it in during the day, take it out the next day, this keeps it in one place and is easy to see if its been eaten. also feed at night as suggested

they are shy fish tho

 

[Cafe Jeff]

This is a little off topic, but does anyone know what a Red Ghibiis (sp?) Plec is? PJ Pets in Toronto was advertising juveniles for about $4 each. PJs is not on my usual haunts, but an oddball plec for cheap is not to be missed. Jeff

 

[TankGirl]

Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps?

 

[Menagerie]

How large is the tank and what are the other inhabitants?

It sounds like your pleco is getting plenty to eat if he's eating a chunk of zucchini a day.

 

[jratuszn]

It's a 70g, inhabitants are 7 Discus (2.5"-3.5"), one Swordtail (eats the scum) and the pleco. I've head plecs before, and they were all pretty active all day long. However, none were as big as this guy, so maybe that's why he's less active, I dunno. I think he eats the zucchini because it's big enough that I can rubberband it to my driftwood. The algae tabs really don't stay with a rubberband, so he doesn't eat em.

Thanks for the input, keep it coming-

-J

 

[Cafe Jeff]

Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps?

Could easily be. I think I may just pick up a few.
Am really getting to like Plecs.