pleco question

[FINNO.fishy]

I have a gold spotted pleco not sure of it's kind but Im a little concerned it's not eating enough.

My tank has only been going for just over 2 months now so there wouldn't be much to scavenge off of so im trying to feed him veggie pallets. Because I have a guts of a melanarus it never gets a chance to have a decent feed. Is there some sort of way I can see it eat in peace or maybe purchase a food that nothing else will touch.

Maybe im being a little more concerned then I should be, it still looks fine and has grown a little since getting it.

 

[Cynic]

Boiled zucchini slices will float to the bottom of your tank and your pleco will be all over it. Easiest way to see if a pleco is underweight is if it's stomach is hollow, if you can catch it sucking on your aquarium glass this is a pretty simple check.

 

[ashleynicole]

try cucumber, you don't have to blanch it or anything. Just cut a slice and remove the seeds, you can use a regular stainless steel fork and stick it down in the gravel, a veggie clip, tie it to a piece of slate. Your pleco will LOVE it.

 

[JoeyGeeze]

I'm actually in the same boat as you Finno... I've had my rubber lip for about 3 or 4 months now and have tried everything from algae wafers, zucchini, cucumber, etc... Will even drop a cucumber right in front of his little hide out spot, and he doesn't touch it. Literally, the only thing he will eat is algae off my glass and plants... I guess I can't complain too much, he cleans up well! Hopefully yours is finding some source of food to munch on, but definitely try cucumbers and zucchini, I've heard they love them... I dont think mine knows its food lol

 

[vanimal]

Yeah mine eats algae wafers, algae, and cucumber. He probably eats during the night too so you might not see yours eating even though it is.

 

[ashleynicole]

Put the cucumber in at night after lights out. When you turn the lights on in the morning you will see the munch marks.

 

[vanimal]

Yeah that's what I do.

 

[JoeyGeeze]

I've tried the cucumber thing at night, it's untouched the next morning. Sorry, I failed to mention before a lot of times my other fish eat the algae wafers soon as they touch the water, even at night, they smell it in the water lol.

 

[FINNO.fishy]

Thanks heaps I will try all those ideas. I have drift wood in there, I've read they much on it, is that true cause that's his little hang out. Until I try to feed him that is. (like the fork idea)

 

[daveho]

he looks like an L022, and i agree cucumber on a fork it takes a while for em to work out what it is but eventualy he will get it

 

[FINNO.fishy]

Does that mean he's a common or a bristle nose

 

[FINNO.fishy]

Haha the fork idea works a treat, that's until melanarus and Texas finally get bored of trying to drag the fork round. cheers

 

[daveho]

Does that mean he's a common or a bristle nose

niether one, i have one as well and from what i have come to learn many are confused for commons because they can get to a simmilar size of almost a full foot

 

[FINNO.fishy]

Interesting, cheers mate