Driftwood 4 Plecos

[Gr8KarmaSF]

Can people tell me the benifits of having driftwood for your pleco???

I recently bought a great looking gold nugget and got some driftwood (boiling it for the next few days) for her since im always hearing how they like it.

How does it help them?

 

[DeLgAdO]

think of it as getting some "rofage" (spelling)

know what i mean?

 

[yourmylunch]

they feed on it i have heard that any fancy type pleco should have driftwood in the tank

 

[Miles]

Majority of Plecos, especially the Panaque family, use driftwood as a good part of their diet.. This isn't commonly known due to the fact that common plecos sold in store don't have this same dietary requirement..

 

[oscar1]

i believe it's a dietary supplement full of vitamens and all that good stuff

 

[Culinaria]

Alot of plecos need the bogwood for digestion. The bogwood has bacteria on its surface that the plecos scrape off along with the algae; if it is present. This bacteria in turn helps to digest the plant material in there stomach. It is also a nice safe place to hide.

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

It's neither vitamins nor bacteria that's so special about driftwood. a) wood is not a good source of vitamins b) bacteria also grow on gravel, plants, you name it. As Miles said, they actually eat the wood. It's a great source of fiber for them (lignin is hard to digest). That's something most foods don't provide.

HarleyK

 

[jenBLKAROWANA]

The Panaque family of plecos actually live on driftwood. They have special enzymes in thier stomachs to help digest the wood. It is a main source of food for them. My royal eats the wood, and SOME algae. He mainly eats the wood though.

Jen

 

[joeytoe]

Alotve the rare/odder looking plecos require driftwood in there diet, If you have the Common snowflake Pleco its not needed but for pretty much all others like your gold nugget, Royals an many others its a Def requirement. My Bushynose rarely lets go of the Driftwood in my tank.

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

coconut shells also work: They provide food, hidings spots, and caves for breeding. Especially Ancistrus dolichopterus likes them.

HarleyK