Veggie List for Plecos

[CanadaPleco]

This list was compiled over at PlecoFanatics.com

This is a list of a lot of Vegetables and some fruit that can be fed to your plecs. Also included are some suggestions for weighing the veg down in the tank.

IMPORTANT

1. Make sure you have an ID of your plec to ensure the correct dietary needs are met.
2. A varied diet of veg+fruit is needed so that nutritional needs are fulfilled.
3. Don't forget to include algae wafers, meat, and wood depending on species of plec.
4. If you put in anything that contains the skin or rind be sure to scrub it first to get rid of any pesticides.


STARTER LIST
this is a list of vegetables and fruit that are popular with most plecs.
(Thank you to everyone who voted in the veggie poll and all the inputhttp://www.plecofanatics.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif)

Zucchini/Courgette
Cucumber
Peas (deshelled)
Sweet Potato
Green Beans
Melon/Melon rind


OTHER VEGETABLES AND FRUIT

Apple( doesn't seem to be too popular)
Asparagus
Aubergine/Egg plant
Avocado
Broccoli/Stalk
Butternut Squash+ other squash
Capsicum/Bell pepper(not the hot ones)
Cauliflower/Stalk
Carrot
Coconut
Grapes
Kale/Collard Greens
Kiwi Fruit
Lettuce
Lima Beans
Mango
Mushroom (common plecs and goldspots love mushroom)let it float,they will reach it. Good exercise http://www.plecofanatics.com/forum/images/smilies/new/yes.gif
Papaya
Potato
Pumpkin
Spinach
Sprouts
Swede
Tomato
Yam


Most veg can be given raw but if you find no-one is interested then try blanching.
Don't leave veggies and esp fruit in for too long otherwise you can end up with water quality problems. The easiest approach is to add them in the evening and remove in the morning.

SUGGESTIONS FOR WEIGHING DOWN VEG

Stainless Steel spoon(push the spoon through the veg)
Stainless Steel fork(there have been suggestions that plecs have hurt themselves on the prongs of forks, use at your own risk)
A rubber band/rock
Suction capped Veggie clip (fish shops usually sell these)
Screwcumber http://www.screwcumber.com/buy_screwcumber_online.html

[Dr.Stretch]

Much appreciated.
I thank you, and my plecos thank you :D.

[KnaveTO]

I will state those screwcumbers are great. Good weight to them and the hold everything in its place. The only veggie I have had any issue with when using this device is mushrooms... they are too light for even that to weigh down

[Jennifer Griffin]

Question, do you know if they can eat parsnips and or rutabega/turnip? Mine seemed to like blanched carrots, and sweet potatoes seem to be popular for other people, so I was thinking similar root veg might work for them.

[CanadaPleco]

Try it and see!

I recently put some Yucca Root and they are going crazy over it! Panaques will LOVE this food, and it can be found in most asian markets.

[jimmy chonga]

never tried turnips or parsnips, i'm too busy eating them lol

still a fave for all my guys are broccoli stems, put some in last night and they were pretty beat up when I got up this morning

[Pamelajo]

never tried turnips or parsnips, i'm too busy eating them lol

still a fave for all my guys are broccoli stems, put some in last night and they were pretty beat up when I got up this morning

They are a big fav here too.

[Jennifer Griffin]

We do often have frozen broccoli/cauliflower around here, neither of which I have tried yet. I just thought that since they seem to like carrot, that other sweet root veggies might do the trick. Maybe its the texture and they like more fibrous things?

[2wheelsx2]

We do often have frozen broccoli/cauliflower around here, neither of which I have tried yet. I just thought that since they seem to like carrot, that other sweet root veggies might do the trick. Maybe its the texture and they like more fibrous things?

You can try anything. The worst thing that can happen is they don't eat it. :D People are freaked out when they see I put in raw unpeeled carrots, but the panaque love them and it really brings out the orange in my L226. Messes up the colour of my L128's though. :D

[Bwhiskered]

A good free food this time of year is Dandelion Leaves. Some people freeze them first to help break them down.

[Jennifer Griffin]

Oh, I'm sure that is abundant as well as many other wild plants that are edible. I do have some knowledge on local wild plants that are edible, at least to humans, but I don't always know if a certain item might contain a substance that is non-toxic to humans but dangerous to fish. More than anything that's why I ask to try to bounce around ideas things that I could try that might work better for them. My latest thing is to take a half-cooked veggie and kind of grate it into the cactus wood (its despined and has lots of little gaps that the bits can get into) and they really seem to like that approach, as I hear them rasping on the wood at night to get the good stuff. More than anything, I just want to make sure they get some fresh veggies in their diets consistently. Though I have to say I'd be a lot more worried about them without those Critter Crumbs!

[Bwhiskered]

Do you think that anyone monitors the food that they eat in the wild. If it falls in the water they taste it and if it tastes good they eat it. If they don't like the taste they leave it alone.

[Pamelajo]

Though I have to say I'd be a lot more worried about them without those Critter Crumbs!
:secretsmile: Thanks

[Jennifer Griffin]

True. In the wild they would just have to eat whatever is available. I admit I am a worry wart :blush: I just know how important it is for them to get enough vegetable matter and fibre to stay healthy. I read comments here all the time and it is amazing how even plecos of the same type can have different likes and dislikes; of course, there are a few veggies that seem to be accepted by almost everyone.

I'll have to let you know how the blanched parsnip and/or rutabega experiment goes. I figure since they really like carrots and sweet potatoes, that other veggies of a similar type would be accepted too.

And Pam, you are most certainly welcome. I have to say that it gives me more peace of mind knowing they are getting a bit of everything with the critter crumbs. Even my male pleco who is very shy comes sneaking out after the lights go out and those are dropped in :secretsmile:

[Jennifer Griffin]

I just thought I'd let you know I finally was able to try parsnips with my plecos last night, and it was a huge success. I pretty much just cleaned up a parsnip top and attached it to a piece of wood with a rubber band and within less than an hour of lights out, my typically shy male pleco was all over it. No joke, he was hogging it almost all night. It's a good thing the females are less shy. Honestly, I didn't even get this kind of response with raw carrots... so if your plecos like carrots, they will probably love parsnip. I can't say I blame them; they're high in fibre, folic acid, magnesium, vitamins B2 (riboflavin), B6 and E. The only thing I will mention though is that they contain a bit more copper than carrots, however, if you use raw carrots without concern on a regular basis, parsnip might be something interesting to try :secretsmile:

[Jennifer Griffin]

So last night I decided to have a nectarine for dessert. After cutting it up I ended up with a pit with quite a lot of meat left. I was like, "why not," and decided to toss it in, knowing that the cories will eat ANYTHING if the plecos did not. It wasn't long before lights out that my male LF AB BN was jumping all over it. You can always tell when they are happy because their dorsal (back) fins go up. He spent most of the night wrestling with the pit to get as much food off as he could. So food + exercise = happy pleco and one night where my plants are not uprooted! And the natural weight of the pit makes it sink immediately. Double points :)

[2wheelsx2]

And the natural weight of the pit makes it sink immediately. Double points :)

Interesting. I'll have to give that a try. Not having to weight it is good.

[Jennifer Griffin]

Heh, yeah. I wasn't sure how well they would receive it but I figured why not give it a whirl. I agree with not having to weight. I still haven't gotten some screwcumbers yet. Usually I just rubber band whatever it is to a piece of wood, let them sort it out. That can be a bit of a pain though so all the more helpful it is when things have natural weight.

[Bwhiskered]

I use the plastic clothes pins from Dollarama they add just enough weight to make most things sink. They only cost a dollar for 20. They also have stainless steel clips at 3 for a dollar. They all last about 6 months as the springs are only steel.

[Jennifer Griffin]

That's a really good idea. I will look into that as it would be nice to have an easier way to add/remove veggies.

[Pamelajo]

I use dollar store forks with fishing line attached and then tied to one of those plastic golf balls (dollar store also) with holes and hang it outside the tank
so I don't have to get wet all the time. LOL