Veggie List

Doodles

Retired Staff
Apr 8, 2009
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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 on PF who voted in the veggie poll and all the input:))

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
Broad Beans
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 :yes:
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







written by (lisa)ljd290 aka Doodles.
 
Last edited:

SilverDub

Member
Apr 27, 2009
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Anyone keeping fish from the Baryancistrus group should be feeding plenty of fruit & veg, they need to be eating for most of the day due to there very long and complex intestinal systems. To keep Bary's healthy they need to be doing what plecos are famous for.............a huge and almost constant string of...........poo!

I feed mine on raw unpeeled courgette everyday, they also get fresh unrippened mango (which they love) occassionally i feed them with steamed brocolli which they love but its messy. Frozen mussel, bloodworm and brine is also fed but only about once a week. They really enjoy the bloodworm and mussel but I'm not convinced its good for them in large quantities.

* Courgette is very bouyant, cutlery is the only decent weight for it.
 

Doodles

Retired Staff
Apr 8, 2009
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hahaha.

My green phantom came out for a couple of days after they all left, must of thought it was quiet without all those kids running around.
 

GrubbyGirl

Member
Nov 18, 2009
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Kent
hahaha.

My green phantom came out for a couple of days after they all left, must of thought it was quiet without all those kids running around.
It must have been a relief for him, or maybe he missed them so much he was looking for them! :cry:
 

Doodles

Retired Staff
Apr 8, 2009
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How about butternut squash?. I have some and was gonna try it. Do you chuck it in raw?

Cheers

thegeeman
Butternut squash should be ok raw but some plecs find it too hard so you can blanch it for a couple of mins. It does soften up in the water over time though and stays stable for a couple of days. If you blanch it, you will have to remove it the next day probably.

Sweet potato is another one that could probably do with blanching. just to soften it up a bit as also very hard.
 

GrubbyGirl

Member
Nov 18, 2009
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Kent
Grapes went down like a lead balloon......they all had a taste and then promptly left the scene. I even peeled them the ungrateful so-and-so's!