how do i feed a algae wafer to my pleco

[pookie71384]

today for the first time I'm getting my pleco algae wafers but I'm not sure on how to feed it to my pleco...I know plecos are nocturnal so should I drop a wafer in when the lights are off?...how many times a day should I give a wafer?

 

[rreekers]

you definitely should not be feeding wafers multiple times a day

1st. what type of pleco is it? how large is he? size tank? and tank mates? in most cases people feed wafers a few times a week. and vegetables a few times a week .. most plecos are also scavengers

 

[LyndaB]

+1

great advice and questions

plecos require driftwood, too, as an aid in digestion

 

[pookie71384]

common pleco...29 gallon tank...5 inches...2 convict cichlids...I know the pleco gets big...not getting a bigger tank...the plecos fine in this one for now...convicts are 2 inches long

 

[LyndaB]

I'm not getting on your case, just sharing this. My husband had a common pleco that reached about that same size in a 46. All of a sudden, it died. We were shocked. The owner of our good lfs told us that they don't have to reach a larger size in order to start having stunted growth issues. You might want to reconsider keeping him, for his sake.

 

[pookie71384]

sorry for your lost but that's hard to believe that a 5 inch pleco in a 46 gallon tank had its growth shortened due to not enough room...that's more then enough room for a 5 inch pleco...I know people that kept a single pleco in a 10 gallon tank till it reached like 7 or 8 inches...a lot of people don't know that much about a certain species...I'm pretty sure that person told you the only thing they could think of because they really didn't know what happen...some fish live and sone fish don't...that's just the fish hobby

 

[LyndaB]

Actually, Chris never just speaks to hear himself talk or take a guess as to what he feels is going on. He's a very reputable lfs owner and distributor and is very knowledgeable about most species. So, sorry, but I do believe what he said. Just because others have kept fish in an entirely inappropriate tank, like the 8 inch pleco in the 10 gallon tank, and lived to tell the tale, doesn't mean that the stunted growth can't occur as we were advised.

It doesn't mean that an untimely death won't occur in a tank, but it seems a little shortsighted to lay out the welcome mat. Just sayin'....

 

[Coursair]

Feed after lights off or your Convicts will just eat it. I'd start with a half a wafer and see how it goes. I like fresh veggies better.
Zucchini
Romaine Lettuce
Spinach on occasion

You can either freeze or lightly microwave in water first to help it sink or use a clip to weight it down and it should soften in a day or so. The Convicts I worked with left the veggies alone but would eat the wafers.

+1 on driftwood

And large fish need large tanks even as babies. Common Plecos can live into their 20s with good care. And grow FAST when given the room. So growing slowly, not a good sign. But you'll do what you want.

But as far as feeding, vary the diet, make sure the Convicts don't go crazy on him.
I would offer food every other day at first and see how fast it disappears and see how thin/fat the Pleco looks.

Keep an eye on your water. Common Plecos are poop machines.
Enjoy your fish, keep an open mind and keep learning

 

[pookie71384]

I understand exactly what your saying but its also fair to say that possibly wasn't the case with your pleco...anything could have happened...the best way to have found out the cause of death with your pleco was to have taken him to a vet and even if you had did that the chances of finding out exactly what happened are slim because the profession of veterinarians very much so lack the knowledge of fish

 

[LyndaB]

Anything could have happened but one thing that probably will never happen for me is a necropsy on a fish.

 

[pookie71384]

lol same here unless it was a 24 karat gold fish lol