how to get pleco to eat veggies

[Desire]

You could also try boiled Brussels sprouts. My hypostomus pleco ate that gladly, as well as cucumber raw, zucchini also raw, green beans and petite pois. My cirhorrus still eat cucumber etc... Sometimes it just takes them a while to figure it out, but if you want them to eat veggies I suggest not over feeding them on cucumber as it is more moisture than anything else and very low in nutrients, or so I was told. Just mix it up, and don't forget to make sure the veggies have not been treated with chemicals....
Hope this helps a bit...

 

[celts88]

The peice i use is prob about the size of a half dollar coin. i have used algae wafers and im also not sure if they touch those either and the only other food i gave was cucumber but i know they didnt touch that. And yes desire that was very helpful but what do you use to keep the brussel sprouts on the bottom?

 

[Desire]

celts, make sure the sprouts are boiled to an inch of their lives pretty much. I eat sprouts in the winter regularly, but i hate it when they are not soft. A well cooked, soft prout will pretty much sink like a ton of bricks. make sure you use the big sprouts, they are easier to do in my experience.
The only veggies i give to my fish are biological, so no treatment has been used on them, like pesticides etc...

if you give them sprouts, only give them one or two at MOST, and dont leave them in too long, or your water will be cloudy for a day or two.

If you give them things like cucumber, give them a decent sized piece, i usually get a whole cucumber, divide it in 3 equal parts. slice one of the parts lengthways in half, stick a spoon or fork in the two parts, drop it in the tank and wait for the feeding frenzy to begin. Once they have figured out it is food they will gorge themselves on it.

 

[celts88]

Ok i will try that. Thank you for the information. i will just keep trying until i see they eat it

 

[ElectricBlueSeanBurch]

I would try cutting a while zuccini in half, and put one piece on either side of the tank. This way it is easier for him to stumble upon.

 

[celts88]

i will also try that one. Last night when i dropped it in he was on the gravel and i dropped it next to him. He didnt really care about it to much. This morning when i woke up and looked in he was still next to it but he was alot closer than when i dropped it in. I still dont think he touched it though

 

[bassguy]

have the same problem with a 14" lepord. I don't know how he is still alive. I think in the night he eats the left over cichlid pellets. Will not touch cucumbers, zuc, or sweet potatos and he is 14" long. I don't get it!!

 

[Jc1119]

You could also try putting the vegetables in a cup of water for a day or so to start getting a bit slimy. Mine go nuts for vegetables that aren't quite so fresh. Some folks leave vegetables in the tank for a day or so, but that might compromise you water quality. Presoak in a cup outside the tank to avoid this. Some plecos take awhile to realize certain veggies are food. Mine eat cucumbers, zucchini, potatoes, yams, lettuce, tomatoes and even certain fruits like watermelon and honeydew.

 

[Jackson]

Carrots and green peas. I have yet to see any type I've owned not eat them especially green peas. Use frozen ones and squeeze them out of the shell/husk.

 

[celts88]

Still no luck. I've been trying all of your suggestions and still nothing