how to get wild plecos to eat?

[Snowflake311]

I just got a Chaetostoma milesi aka spotted rubber nose pleco. from what I know most all are wild caught. I have plenty o algea for him in the tank. but I want to feed him more then that. MY Bn Plecos and clown pleco took to Algea wafers no problem. But I have had a Rubber nose in the past and he never went or the man made food.

what do you recomend I feed and how? any tips?

here he is a bit stressed out .

 

[Laticauda]

Fresh vegetables. You can rubber band some zucchini or squash to a rock and leave it in for him over night. I make my own gel food using canned fish (salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, etc. not so much tuna because of the high mercury content) and fresh vegetables. I normally use kale and spinach as leafy greens, or if I can't find that, I use collard, turnip and mustard greens. I also add zucchini, different types of squash. Depending on what I plan to feed to determines the ratio of vegetative matter to protein. You can also add acidophilis pill crushed up with a men's one a day multivitamin.

You can find plain, unflavored gelatin in the baking aisle, the brand name I can find is Knox.

You can freeze what you won't immediately use, and it's DEFINITELY better than ANY commercially bought food, because it doesn't have any wheat or other grainy fillers.

 

[Rawrzer]

zucchini!

 

[Geoey]

I have a 12" gibby that doesn't seem to like zucchini are you supposed to boil it first or something he has cleaned the tank spotless of algae even in areas you wouldn't think he could get to but for the last couple of days has not taken algae wafers, zucchini,broccoli or carrots which my old common plec used to eat and guard from the other fish.

 

[Geoey]

I take that back i rubberbanded some zucchini to the wood as recommended in the dietary thread and he is eating it as we speak.

 

[Snowflake311]

OK zucchini it is. I don't have time to make all different kinds of food mixes for him. I need something I can cut and dump. Thanks. I might get some other greens.

 

[jay_leask]

my pleco's love yams, make sure you feed them the night before a water swap or you will have orange poop everywhere...lol

 

[Jack Crosby]

any fruit or veg. Ifeed potatoe, zucchini, pear, apple almost anything. use plant leads to keep it at the bottom.