# How to make sure shrimps and plecos eat enough?



## InfraredDream (Jun 24, 2010)

Hello,

I have been working lately about this? It is a very well planted tank and has lots of endlers some julli corries, 2 amano and some cherry shrimps and now I have a few albino pleco babies. I also have snails in there. I can see amanos getting some algae wafers. Baby plecos are always up and down the glass, sometimes I see them on the rock and plants, but rarely. Shrimps are all over the place of course  I feed bloodworms, crushed flakes, algae wafers and shrinking shrimp food. Do I need to worry if everybody has enough food? What if there isn't enough algae for plecos (they are still tiny) and shrimps? I don't see them getting any food, but are they finding enough leftovers?

Thanks!


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## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

I throw in a piece of cucumber/zucchini (weighed down) once a week just to be sure that the plecos aren't starving. Besides it's good for them n they just love it. They nip at it until it's gone...


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## Mferko (Jun 8, 2010)

i do the same with blanched yam a couple nights a week throw it in at night take it out the next morning
sometimes a couple algae wafers at night too


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## CRS Fan (Apr 21, 2010)

Make sure you have ample filtration and feed items that don't spoil quickly. I feed no fresh veggies, but feed ShrimpLab food, Ebitabreed, Shirakura, NLS Algae Wafers, and soon also Critter Crumbs on a random feeding schedule. Mind you I mainly have shrimp !

Best regards,

Stuart


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## InfraredDream (Jun 24, 2010)

Thank you all! I was wondering for the fresh veggies as well, I am worried they can spoil the water. Feeding during the night sounds like a good idea, maybe I should do this. I know I am putting good food for them, but as I said there are other fish and shrimps that are faster...
Anybody has the same or similar community? I love how this tank is working and looking, but I want to be sure everybody's happy.


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## trevorhoang (Oct 13, 2010)

i put in a slice of zucchini and i leave it in there for 2 days or so and then i take it out. my pleco and shrimp seems to share their food just fine. 

hope your shrimps are doing fine milena =)


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## InfraredDream (Jun 24, 2010)

I hope they are fine, but still no babies  Not sure if endlers or cories eat them, but at least adult shrimps seem happy.
I will try zucchini as you all said they love it. If I change it every day, it should be fine and won't cloud the water, right?


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## Pamelajo (Feb 9, 2011)

Yes it should be fine. The endlers and cories could definitely be eating the babies.


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## Mferko (Jun 8, 2010)

cuccumber doesnt last long b4 it clouds the water, zucchini lasts longer, yam the longest. yam also has the most nutritional value


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## trevorhoang (Oct 13, 2010)

I never tryed yam. My shrimps don't go near the cucumbers. I assume we freeze or boil the yam and then let it cool before feeding the shrimps? 

I tryed frozen spinach and the shrimps n plecos love that too.


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## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

i fed my shrimp just algae waffers and that freeze dried cyclop shrimp . they thrived on that stuff. but i was told before that feeding veggies to plecos was not that great that they are more of a scavenger so stuff inhi protein was good . like meaty stuff.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

big_bubba_B said:


> but i was told before that feeding veggies to plecos was not that great that they are more of a scavenger so stuff inhi protein was good . like meaty stuff.


That's painting with a pretty broad paintbrush, since "plecos" encompass hundreds upon hundreds of species. Here's a great article to figure out what different plecos' requirements are: Feeding Plecos, Part 2 • Who eats what? • Catfishology • Shane's World • PlanetCatfish


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## Mferko (Jun 8, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> That's painting with a pretty broad paintbrush, since "plecos" encompass hundreds upon hundreds of species. Here's a great article to figure out what different plecos' requirements are: Feeding Plecos, Part 2 • Who eats what? • Catfishology • Shane's World • PlanetCatfish


awesome link Gary thx, what do you tend to feed the plecos of the Carnivore types? ive been feeding my l240's bloodworms and the occasional prawn but they seem to make a huge mess of the prawn and i find little pieces of it under rocks the next morning im worried it could cause ammonia issues
should i try to find some sort of carnivore pellet?


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

I think any of the cichlid pellets will have plenty of protein. All meaty foods tend to be messy. I feed them small amounts of blackworm and bloodworms. But I feed a lot of shelled frozen peas which is very high in protein.


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

when i feed fresh veggies i do it two days before water change. If its harder veggies like brocolli stocks i'll soak the stock in boiled water (not boiling) for 30 minutes just to soften it a bit.

Normally i throw in a broken up algae wafer twice a week, and a vegetable every couple of weeks. Flake food for the rest of the fishies every 3 days.

a good indicator for feeding enough is with otoc's. if their bellies are rounded then they eat plenty


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## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

my plecos like the left over nls i feed my tropheus . and also the synadonis cats go crazy over it


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## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

InfraredDream said:


> Hello,
> 
> I have been working lately about this? It is a very well planted tank and has lots of endlers some julli corries, 2 amano and some cherry shrimps and now I have a few albino pleco babies. I also have snails in there. I can see amanos getting some algae wafers. Baby plecos are always up and down the glass, sometimes I see them on the rock and plants, but rarely. Shrimps are all over the place of course  I feed bloodworms, crushed flakes, algae wafers and shrinking shrimp food. Do I need to worry if everybody has enough food? What if there isn't enough algae for plecos (they are still tiny) and shrimps? I don't see them getting any food, but are they finding enough leftovers?
> 
> Thanks!


I guess we just assume that your "Albino pleco" is albino bristlenose... correct me if I'm wrong.

If they are then they are from the genus Ancistrus which are Vegetarian then you don't have to worry about feeding them meaty food.

BTW, thanks for the great link 2wheelsx2!  
Like the other said, try to not feed too much fresh veggie since they could foul your water if they leave them in the tank for too long. That's why I only give it to them once a week. Their main diet is algae wafers and they do have a share of the shrimp food.


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## InfraredDream (Jun 24, 2010)

Yeah, that is correct, albino bristlenose  So CUTE 
And thanks for all the comments. But as I said I feed enough algae waffers, sinking pellets, etc. My worry is if these guys - baby plecos and shrimps are getting enough food. As cories and endlers are FAST. And they are big, I can't see the babies or shrimps getting into the mess of hungry fish to get a piece of it. I guess they only eat leftovers. Maybe there is enough algae on the plants to keep them full? 
I think I will try zuccini the day before next water change (Thu/Fri). Maybe I'll stick with a piece of it once a week before water change, so I am sure that one day they eat plenty and then I won't worry even if they starve a little bit during the rest of the week.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

InfraredDream said:


> Maybe there is enough algae on the plants to keep them full?
> I think I will try zuccini the day before next water change (Thu/Fri). Maybe I'll stick with a piece of it once a week before water change, so I am sure that one day they eat plenty and then I won't worry even if they starve a little bit during the rest of the week.


There's always uneaten food when you feed pellets/wafers, so they're probably picking that up, plus the algae/biofilm.

Zucchini breaks down quickly, so feeding the day before a water change is what I do also. Helps keep the mess down to a minimum.


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