Pleco

[all4funwfish]

My common pleco is eating my plants!! just started about a week ago...is this normal? is he just hungry? main question is cucumber for my pleco? I know that some of the other pleco species like, or even require vegetable food sources....should cucumber be supplied?

[putty]

Welcome to the world of be careful with plecos...

http://www.plantedtank.net/forum/vie...ighlight=chomp

It has been my experience that quite a few members of the Loricariidae family with will eat plants. The leaves of the plant have to however be wide enough for the fish to grab on to. Sword plants and Anubias have all shown signs of being eaten in my tank.

As far as feeding vegetables, I have tried zucchini, but it does not seem to help. In fact I would not be surprised if it enocourages plant eating.

Otto cats, Otocinclus sp. are quite safe, and busy little cleaners. Some people have had good results with bristlenose plecos, but I have never had one, so I cannot say.


Best bet is to remove the culprit, sad as it may be. I took out my royal pleco and my whiptail cats (caught them red-mouthed), and since then the other have calmed down. Interesting enough I have also stopped feeding vegetables at the same time.

[Mori]

My common plecos eat all plants. It's very normal.

If you don't give him alot of supplementary food like algae wafers and vegetables, he probably is hungry. That doesn't mean he would stop eating your plants if you fed him. It's just what plecos do. Common plecos eat ALOT and they prefer vegetable food sources. My plecos (I have 2, fairly large) eat about a third cup of algae wafers a day, plus they graze on pellets that the other fish miss, plus they'll go through any plants I give them. And mine eat less than normal because their tank isn't as warm as most. Catfish fans claim that the number 1 cause of pleco death is starvation.

I don't really recommend common plecos for a planted tank, based on my experience. Not only do they like fresh greenery, but they can be skittish and when you have an 18-inch fish get spooked, your tank will get trashed.

Visit www.planetcatfish.com (i think that's it). There is alot of information there in addition to their forums. I don't guarantee they'll be as friendly as this forum--few are--but you should be able to get some pleco tips from people who are experts.

[all4funwfish]

Thanks for the information...I do supplement the plecos diet, as i am familiar with keeping plecos...however this is my first planted tank...so ive never had plants available to them. He likes my swords though. I will probably not curb the pleco from the tank as they are a fav of mine, but i will try to find thin leaved plants. if anyone finds a solution, let me know.
-zach

[cich]

Originally Posted by Mori

I don't really recommend common plecos for a planted tank, based on my experience. Not only do they like fresh greenery, but they can be skittish and when you have an 18-inch fish get spooked, your tank will get trashed.

My last one (about 6-9"), I found laying on the floor dead when I got home Poor guy

[Fat Guy]

How big is your tank with the pleco in it?