What Food To Give Plecostomus

hi,
so I just upgraded to a bigger aquarium and with it I got a decent sized pleco, I am however a little worried about the food. In my old aquarium I had a smaller pleco which died. Since he was very skinny and swam about the night before I suspected it was starvation. As I keep my aquariums clean and don't have any algae growing, what can I feed this one so he doesn't ''starve'' to death?

I'm still very disappointed in myself for letting that pleco die in such a horrible way...

 

Algae wafers, shrimp pellets, zucchini, cucumber, and pumpkin are all favorites of most plecos. Do you have a picture of your new pleco that way we can ID it? (If it is a meatier needing pleco it needs different foods than from above.)

 

HI my pleco has always been feed algae tablets and cucumber and he has been happy and healthy but they will accepts many more vegetables. I also recommend having drift wood inside your aquarium for him to chew on (there’s a word for that I just don’t know it)hope this helps.

 

HI my pleco has always been feed algae tablets and cucumber and he has been happy and healthy but they will accepts many more vegetables. I also recommend having drift wood inside your aquarium for him to chew on (there’s a word for that I just don’t know it)hope this helps.

Hi, I got a big root and some driftwood! Thank you for sharing

Suction Cup Man
There's my pleco, I suspect it to be a sailfin spotted pleco Mcasella

 

Suction Cup Man
There's my pleco, I suspect it to be a sailfin spotted pleco Mcasella

That's a bristlenose, they only get around 5-6 inches long (there are a few monster sized bristlenose, but they take a while to get to be monsters lol). The diet I listed in my first response will work for her. I feed my bns a mix of plecocaine, shrimp pellet (wardley/omega one), crab cuisine, and algae wafers or green bean sticks. If it is over 3 inches it is a female as it doesn't have any visible bristles.

 

That's a bristlenose, they only get around 5-6 inches long (there are a few monster sized bristlenose, but they take a while to get to be monsters lol). The diet I listed in my first response will work for her. I feed my bns a mix of plecocaine, shrimp pellet (wardley/omega one), crab cuisine, and algae wafers or green bean sticks. If it is over 3 inches it is a female as it doesn't have any visible bristles.

Then it's a female! I don't use inches as measurements as I live in Europe but I'd say that she's a good 6 cm. I'll most probably get some Shrimp pellets and give it cucumber and other veggies as I have 4 shrimp (amano shrimp). How often and what size on the food should I give? For ex. 2 skinny slices of Cucumber and daily pellets?

 

That's a bristlenose, they only get around 5-6 inches long (there are a few monster sized bristlenose, but they take a while to get to be monsters lol). The diet I listed in my first response will work for her. I feed my bns a mix of plecocaine, shrimp pellet (wardley/omega one), crab cuisine, and algae wafers or green bean sticks. If it is over 3 inches it is a female as it doesn't have any visible bristles.

Then it's a female! I don't use inches as measurements as I live in Europe but I'd say that she's a good 6 cm. I'll most probably get some Shrimp pellets and give it cucumber and other veggies as I have 4 shrimp (amano shrimp). How often and what size on the food should I give? For ex. 2 skinny slices of Cucumber and daily pellets?

 

Then it's a female! I don't use inches as measurements as I live in Europe but I'd say that she's a good 6 cm. I'll most probably get some Shrimp pellets and give it cucumber and other veggies as I have 4 shrimp (amano shrimp). How often and what size on the food should I give? For ex. 2 skinny slices of Cucumber and daily pellets?

Since I have multiple in a tank (as well as actively breeding them) for just one (the amano shrimp will also eat this food) 2-3 pellets or an algae wafer a day, then a 1-2 cm thick slice of cucumber every other day (zucchinI would be better as it doesn't fall apart as easily, cucumber will absorb the water and be a mess if not eaten in 24hrs), with just one you could likely get away with a half circle 1-2 cm thick every other day. If she does not wish to eat the food it is best to try something else (veggies wise, if you can get plain/unsalted green beans those can be offered).

 

Since I have multiple in a tank (as well as actively breeding them) for just one (the amano shrimp will also eat this food) 2-3 pellets or an algae wafer a day, then a 1-2 cm thick slice of cucumber every other day (zucchinI would be better as it doesn't fall apart as easily, cucumber will absorb the water and be a mess if not eaten in 24hrs), with just one you could likely get away with a half circle 1-2 cm thick every other day. If she does not wish to eat the food it is best to try something else (veggies wise, if you can get plain/unsalted green beans those can be offered).

Update: I placed a zucchinI on the bottom of the tank where the pleco usually swims by, she's seen it a few times and even swam on it and immediately swam away from it, she doesn't seem interested at all. All I've seen her eat are the granules that sink to the bottom of the tank. Should I buy algae wafers and see if she eats those?

 

It may take a little time for her to realize the veggies are food (most plecos you get from store are fed algae wafers if they are lucky to get a store that will cater to them). You can get algae wafers if you would like to try them out.

 

It may take a little time for her to realize the veggies are food (most plecos you get from store are fed algae wafers if they are lucky to get a store that will cater to them). You can get algae wafers if you would like to try them out.

I'll go look for some once I have a little more money, in the mean time I will keep trying to have some granules float to the bottom so she has something to scavenge