My Pleco finally figured it out =)

[grimlock3000]

After months of trying to get my Pleco to eat anything except Hikari algae wafers, he finally discovered that zucchini is edible. I have previously tried lettuce, zucchini, squash, and cucumbers in the tank and the veggies were alway ignored. If I put in a Hikari algae wafer, the Pleco would find it in about 2 minutes with no lights on. I went a couple weeks w/o putting algae wafers into the tank so all he had was tank algae and scraps. Then I tried the zucchini again hoping the Pleco would be hungry enough to eat the zucchini for a change. When I woke up the Pleco had eaten a big chunk out of it, woohoo 8)

 

[Hypostomus]

I have a young pleco at school with me that doesn't seem to care about cucumber. Actually, the ones at home don't either. It's zucchini that's the ticket for them, for whatever reason.

 

[grimlock3000]

I am glad I can stop putting the wafer in the tank. They end up making a mess as my fish drags them around the tank eating them. The zucchini is much cleaner since I have a veggie clip and the uneaten zucchini does not break down overnight.

 

[Menagerie]

Good for your pleco! My common pleco will "climb the walls" for zucch or cucumbers It's fun to see him hanging off the veggie and watching the cichlids try to eat around him!

 

[grimlock3000]

My Pleco still refuses to leave his cave any time the tank light or ANY light in the room is on. This has been going on for 6 months since I got him, I have to grab a dimmed flashlight when the room is dark and check on him once a week. Sometimes

 

[Guest]

Algae wafers, even though they dissolve and get all grainy, make less of a mess than lettuce for me. Maybe in the past you didn't leave it in long enough for him to find it and chew on.

 

[grimlock3000]

I left the veggies in the tank overnight and refreshed the veggies frequently when I was trying to get him to eat. My Pleco barely eats tank algae as well, he has been extremely picky.

 

[Guest]

Leave it in for more than one day and see what happens. You can leave it in for several days. It doesn't go bad that fast.

 

[Deitta]

I have used zucs, wafers and floating cubes of tuberflex worms. It is funny to see them floating in the current attached to the cubes! yummy yummy!