Pleco eating fish flakes?

I thought plecos ate algae and sometimes shrimp bits....Why has mine started eating the flakes I dump in for my clown loaches? Is it that hungry or is it just bottom-feeding normally? Should I supplement with algae wafers still? The clowns like the wafers as well, so I guess they can share, buffet-style.

 

My plecos eat whatever hits the bottom flakes, shrimp pellets, veggie wafers, bloodworms etc you get the picture You still need to supplement with veggie wafers. Too much protein can cause the pleco to get constipated so needs lots of veggies.
Carol

 

Constipation could be a good thing for a few days...this one's a pooper! Nah, I'm joking, I love gravel cleaning, I really do.

 

Yeah I'm right there with you. I love gravel vac'ing, umhum sure I do :-X (are we convinced yet?)
Carol

 

My LFS feeds their plecos with raw potato. I got talking to them about it one day, they don't cook the potato at all, else it tends to disintegrate in the water, and also make sure they only leave it in for a couple of hours

 

That's new! I've only heard of zucchinI used as pleco food. I'll try potato too. Are you talking about the normal brown Idaho potatoes?

 

I've heard of them being fed zucchini, cucumber, peas, watermelon, sweet potatoes so regular potatoes don't surprise me. the only thing mine like are zucchini. I think their spoiled just a little Somewhere around here is a picture of one of mine eating a piece of zucchinI
Carol

 

How do I know if my Pleco is eating at all? Yes, I adopted this one as well. The tank is new so there can't be any algae. I bought the algae wafers but it seems all the other fish are getting to them first. I am a little worried that he isn't eating.

 

Drop him one close to his hiding place after lights out,that should ensure he gets some of it.Also feeding something that floats, like flakes should deter some of the other fish.
Carol

 

Yes I have been dropping them as I feed the others hoping they will go to the floating food. They do but later they go for the algae wafers anyway. I try to get them to fall right by him but it is difficult. I will give the nighttime feeding a shot. The thing is that I feed the other fish in the morning after I turn the light on.