Pleco - getting enough food?

I have a 1.5 inch leopard pleco and I worry about him not getting enough food.

The guppies, platys and tetras seem to get all the flakes and blood worm before they get anywhere near the bottom.

I have tried the occasional algae waifer but the others also go after that.

There is a decent amount of algae in the tank and he leaves more than his fair share of mess (which I hope suggests he is eating) but just worried he isn't getting enough.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

This species? I hope you have a very large tank!


You should feed him veggies every day.

 

Yeah that's the one. He will be going back when he is 3-4 inches. The LFS has a trade in arrangement for this exact situation.

How do I get veggies in there without the other fish getting them?

Also very conscious of my water chemistry and don't want to another ammonia spike.

 

Id like an answer to this too I have never had luck w pleccos I just can't make them eat I've researched and tried everything! I was trying to raise pleccos from a juvI for my buddies indoor koi pond but I can never get the darn things to live more than a few months!

 

If you drop in zucchini, squash, spinach, etc. at night, the pleco should have time to munch on it before the fish devour it.

Why not get a pleco that you can keep its entire life?