FishProfiles.com Message Forums

I have recently bought a wonderful clown pleco, she's a beauty but does hide a lot (as expected). My trouble is that she totally ignores any algae wafers I put in the tank (as do my hillstream loaches for that matter) and I am wondering how to get them to realise that this food is for them?
Even if I put it in when the lights go out they don't even notice it?
Any ideas or should I not worry?

Are you sure they don't notice them at all? When I feed my plec I throw the food in and leave and it gets to them later. Usually they do find it after some time. In fact, if I hung around, I could actually discourage the fish from feeding because they'd be nervous about my presence. That's a nocturnal fish for ya.

--------------------------------------------
The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

My clowns won't eat algae wafers. They need wood and preferably several different pieces for them to chew on. Then for fish food mine will only eat shrimp pellets. They much prefer cucumber, lettuces, kale, zuchini, mango, and various other fruits or vegetables over fish foods.

I have a BN and the algae wafers he likes are Hikari. I had another brand before and he wouldn't eat them....strange. He probably would have if he got used to them, but I had already bought another brand.

I see my BN eating them because I leave the lights on for a little bit after I feed them. Sometimes, I toss one in at night...so I don't see.

*Kristin*

As with all fish, there are variances in food preferences in pleco species. One thing is certain, however; they will eat wood. If nothing else, get a piece of softwood, smear egg yolk over it, let dry, and voila--instant panaque feast.

Well she seems happy enough at the moment with the 2 pieces of driftwood she's got in there, and she does eat the algae off of my plants so I'm not worried...I'm just concerned that once the algae has gone she'll slowly starve?
My platy's very much like the algae wafers so the wafers don't hang around long for the pleco to notice it!

There's not enough algae in the entire tank to feed a clown pleco, anyways. Not only do the y not touch the stuff, the sheer amount of cellulouse ridden material they need to chew through for a good days meal is mind boggling.

Ah, wood feeders. Not only do they need to eat a fair amount of material in order to get a good day's nourishment, but ... when it's time for all of that to make its way out of the back end, wood feeders can defecate on an industrial scale. Filter loading from some of the larger ones is frightening. Plus, it's important to get the right kind of wood - I'm told they should be given fairly soft wood to chew on.

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

You aren't kidding. My twenty long on the first story looks hideous now, as it is constantly covered in a thick layer of panaque mulm. :/

She's definately eating the algae and at a fine rate too, my plants where covered in the stuff and it's almost all gone in 2 weeks since introducing her! I can't tell you if she's eating the wood (how would you?) but there is no longer any algae on it and it looks shiney clean so I guess that could be fresh wood being exposed?

"(how would you?)"

Picture this. Everywhere. That's not a rotting anubias leaf. It's one covered in panaque crap. As they've gotten larger, the stuff's only gotten worse.

My clown pleco tank in progress: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v244/aqh88/fish/55g/?action=view&current=p1010111.jpg
Or at least that's one of it's main occupants. There's a big very thick chunk of soft light colored wood and then 3 other pieces of different types of wood. The plecos are extremely happy now and I've never seen them so active or bold. They chew through so much wood that it's always giving off tannins. Even pieces that sealed off and stopped discoloring the water will turn my tanks dark brown now. I have to run purigen constantly. There's also most of the fish from the 90g in there during those pictures because I had to take the tank down so they could replace the carpet. Good thing I had the 55g for backup and it was a perfect time to move the plecs. Otherwise I wasn't sure how I would hunt them down in that big tank.