Am I Overfeeding My Pleco?

Everyone says to drop an algae wafer every day for plecos, but I'm worried this is too much for mine.

Up until about a month ago, he used to only eat half an algae wafer every other day, then turned into half an algae wafer every day, then a whole wafer every other day (meaning slight diet on the second day), then an entire wafer every single day. There would be waste, obviously, but not noticeable until I vacuum the gravel. Now I'm fishing out 6-7 inch long "worms" out of the tank Every. Single. Morning and there's always another right in the making. Even as I'm typing this, he's making a 5 inch worm. He's barely over 2 inches long so I can't imagine this is good for him in the long run.

Should I put him on a diet or is this just normal for plecos?

 

What size tank, water parameters, how new is the tank? what type of pleco? are you feeding any veggies? is there driftwood in the tank?

 

If it’s a herbivorous plec it’s normal for them to graze all day, but long poos suggest either too much protein or other undigested stuff, or just a lack of variety. Feed it other stuff aswell, depending on which plec it is.

 

If it’s a herbivorous plec it’s normal for them to graze all day, but long poos suggest either too much protein or other undigested stuff, or just a lack of variety. Feed it other stuff aswell, depending on which plec it is.

I'll try giving him a small piece of cucumber on top of half a wafer. I'm not sure what to do about the variety though since algae wafers were the only Pleco food I could find, and anything smaller gets found by the other fish first.

 

What kind of pleco is he? Different types of pleco have different diets.

Feed more variety. My bristlenose likes lots of different types of vegetables. I feed him courgette, cucumber, bell pepper, spinach, mushroom, cauliflower and right now he's eating a sprout.

 

I'll try giving him a small piece of cucumber on top of half a wafer. I'm not sure what to do about the variety though since algae wafers were the only Pleco food I could find, and anything smaller gets found by the other fish first.

This is why we need to know which species of plec it is. Plec food is just herbivore food, but not all plecs are herbivores. Some are omnivores or carnivores. Yours is probably a herbivore, as they’re more commonly kept (commons, bristlenoses) but until we know we can’t really give advice on food.

 

I don't know what size the pellets are or what size the pleco is. but it sounds like over feeding.
Also, are you offering a variety? consider getting another typ of pellet, I could shuggest one if I knew the species of pleco. Also some pleco need, actually need, not just want, drift wood to nash on.

I feed my bottom feeders veggies like a slice of canned carrot speared on a spoon handle, blanched cucumber or squash, leafy dark lettuce, sweet potatoe, and others. my loaches will destroy a green been in several minutes, the canned green beens are easier for then, possibly less nutrition, IDK.