Just picked up a Royal Pleco today from my LFS and I'm willing to admit I did something I don't usually, I bought a fish that I didn't research at all. So first I'll apologize for taking for granted Pleco's and there needs and being generally irresponsible in regards to buying them and their husbandry. Now since I brought the lil guy home all I've been doing is research as I had a nagging feeling there was a reason I stayed specifically away from Royals. Almost immediately I found out why right way, they've got a specialized diet that needs the inclusion of wood. Now I plan on attempting to keep him to the best of my abilities and I could use a little help in the info. dept. I googled and looked around ]v[FK for some of the answers to my questions and while some of them where answered not all of them where and that's where I'm hoping to get some help from you guys.
1-How in the world do you guys afford to feed these guys as from everything I read they eat copious amounts of wood and most people seem to suggest Mopani or Manzanita. How do you guys afford to feed them with the going prices of driftwood these days?
2-May actually help answer question 1. Are there any local trees that I can collect driftwood and treat myself? Personally I live in NYC so if anybody knows any trees that I could use to create some appropriate driftwood that the Royal could consume I'd greatly appreciate it.
3-How do you guys make the time to constantly treat driftwood? I could understand waiting months for a piece to leak all it's tannin's and get water logged to use as a tank decoration, but how do you do it when they need a constant supply? Is there a way to hurry the process? I know about the boiling but from what I've read even with using that technique the wood has to soak for a fairly long time.
4-Can you positively id my Royal as my LFS doesn't label things appropiately and I always want to know what I'm dealing with.
Thank you in advance and again apologies for being irresponsible.
1-How in the world do you guys afford to feed these guys as from everything I read they eat copious amounts of wood and most people seem to suggest Mopani or Manzanita. How do you guys afford to feed them with the going prices of driftwood these days?
2-May actually help answer question 1. Are there any local trees that I can collect driftwood and treat myself? Personally I live in NYC so if anybody knows any trees that I could use to create some appropriate driftwood that the Royal could consume I'd greatly appreciate it.
3-How do you guys make the time to constantly treat driftwood? I could understand waiting months for a piece to leak all it's tannin's and get water logged to use as a tank decoration, but how do you do it when they need a constant supply? Is there a way to hurry the process? I know about the boiling but from what I've read even with using that technique the wood has to soak for a fairly long time.
4-Can you positively id my Royal as my LFS doesn't label things appropiately and I always want to know what I'm dealing with.
Thank you in advance and again apologies for being irresponsible.
