What to feed my pleco?

[salexjared]

Bought a few plecos and is now at a lost on what to feed them...

They do not seem to be eating

Bought Hikari Sinking Wafers but do not seem to see them eat it. Already had them for 5 days. Not sure what they are surviving on.

Also throw in some sinking wafers for shrim and they are also not eating.

Threw in cucumber and also not eating....

So now lost like hell. Do they feed ?

[benny]

Which species did you buy? A bit hard to advise you when we don't know which species. Some are wood eater, others are carnivorous.

Besides Hikari's sinking/algae wafers, I find their sinking carnivore pellets very good too for most species.



Sera also have some good alternatives. I find Vipachips and Viformo to be good.



Cheers,

[Puffer]

Alex, perhaps those pleco species you've got are carnivores? Why not you post pics of them so that pleco experts in this forum can help identify and advice their diet? I've always found it safe to place at least a piece of wood in the tank cos they like to hang around the wood. Benny, the pics you posted on the food source are very useful.
Thanks,
Rob

[valice]

Agree with Rob that having wood in the tank will be great as if the cats are not happy with the tank and are hungry, they can always rasps at the wood and extract whatever food for the wood.

Also to note, since the plecs are not eating, do remember to remove the uneaten food to prevent ammonia built-up.

Have seen plecos not eating for 2 weeks after introduced, only to start eating after that. And those cats are still alive and well now.

[Quixotic]

They are also generally nocturnal animals. So you may want to try feeding after lights off.

[salexjared]

Thanks guys,

I believe one looks like a zebra and the other has gold/yellow color band on the fin and the tail. A last one is a cheap on that is black in color with some undistinguished bands. Forgot their names L13x and the other is ??

Yeap, will try to get some variety of food to see if it would work better.

Since I am travelling back to Singapore, will not be able to take photos of my plecos in China. Will do so if they still do not feed next week.

I do remove the food the next day and I feed at night.
For last night feed, it seems that the food cannot be found but not sure if the cory took them ?

I have a big piece of wood in my tank (for moss) and they do hang/hide out there. So I guess they would not starve too death for now.

[Quixotic]

I believe one looks like a zebra and the other has gold/yellow color band on the fin and the tail. A last one is a cheap on that is black in color with some undistinguished bands. Forgot their names L13x and the other is ??

The zebra lookalike is probably L134/L135? Hmm.. gold/yellow on fin and tail sounds like L47, the mango pleco.

Any pictures? It will be good to have pictures, for exact identification, and this will help to ensure proper diet can be administered and subsequently, good health for the plecos.

[benny]

Hmm.. Would this be the one?





Peckoltia sp (L134)


Cheers,

[Puffer]

Wow! Beautiful man!! Benny, where can I find it?

[salexjared]

Yeap, yours is the zebra. Just saw it today in HK and it cost a bomb - HK$480.....But it is beautiful.

Mine unfortunately is not. It is L333 Hypancistrus sp

The other is a L47. Baryancistrus sp. Looks exactly like this.

Both are still small I think about 2 inches long for now.

[benny]

Nope. L134 is not the Zebra Pleco. L046 is Zebra Pleco and it looks like this..



The markings are all different and the body color is also different.

If zebra plecos are only HK$480 per piece in Hong Kong, quite a few of us will be on the next flight there to "Ta Bao" already.

Anyway, here's a close of of one in hiding...



Cheers,

[salexjared]

haha,

Now I know the difference.

I will go back to see next week whether it is the L134 lookalike or the L046 Zebra.

Then I will let you know if you need to fly over to HK or I da bao back for you...

[iwishweallcouldwin]

L134 is leopard frog if i'm not wrong... also very cute.

[barmby]

L134 is leopard frog if i'm not wrong... also very cute.

Yes you are right. But the locals here don't address them leopard frog