my first zebra.... what to feed?

patrickstockton · Post by **patrickstockton** » 15 Jun 2004, 09:33

I realize this might be an overdone subject, but im excited. looking for fresh intelligence.... My new zebra is residing in my killi tank. They get live black worm and frozen brine shrimp. As far as i know, this is fine for the zebra, but curious if i could/should supplement with anything else.
the following is any info i have on this beauty.
It is about 2.5" (6cm) and of unknown sex. Allegedly it was wild caught and i know was at my LFS for a week. They said they were feeding frozen mysis (brine shrimp) but didn't witness it feeeding (not suprised).
thanks in advance.

plecolover · Post by **plecolover** » 15 Jun 2004, 10:52

Hi, Zebra are great plecos. I also have two, one is male, one is female. As known, the digestion systems of plecos cannot tolerate meat typed food well, so I only feed them with high fiber composed food such as TetraMin or Hikari Algae Wafer. They seem very happy and healthy with these!!!!

Caol_ila · Post by **Caol_ila** » 15 Jun 2004, 12:47

@plecolover thats total nonsense. You cant generalize like this...and especially not apply your theory on Hypancistrus.

@patrick if you do a search of the forum, youll find loads of info on this topic. but to me your current feeding sounds good.

plecolover · Post by **plecolover** » 15 Jun 2004, 15:13

Hi Patrick, unlike the other loricariids, H. Zebra is more of a carnivore than an algae eater. They like meaty food. Say, blood worm and brine shrimps. For more information, please refer to the following web site:

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/lo ... /168_f.php

Post by **Barbie** » 15 Jun 2004, 16:40

plecolover PLEASE do not offer conflicting advice in one thread. If you aren't sure of your information, there is no shame in saying you don't know. Bad information can do vast damage, and while you obviously went and did some research after your initial answer, there is just no need for that here. If one person doesn't know, another usually will, as long as it's a common situation, and keeping zebras would definitely fit that bill. Thanks!

Barbie

plecolover · Post by **plecolover** » 15 Jun 2004, 17:26

Hey Barbie, you are man and a moderator, don't need to over-react to some sharing messages here unless the intentions of the messages are bad. Otherwise, this seems not a forum, is your personal forum.

I would like to share with you that prolonged meat feeding on plecos will create digestion problem. This is well known. That's why there are many tailor made flakes, which emphasize composed of much algae, available in the market for plecos such as Sera Tabs, JBL Fect, and Tetra Plecomin etc.

Good luck

pleco_breeder · Post by **pleco_breeder** » 15 Jun 2004, 17:43

plecolover,

It's great that you realize that some plecos have sensitive intestinal tracts. However, this discussion is definitely not in regard to one of those species. After reaching any reasonable size, zebras will starve if forced to a vegetable diet. Even if they can be trained to eat it, the malnutrition is a ticking time bomb. A lot of people lost even more fish in the early 90s to figure that out.

As for the main thread, brine shrimp and bloodworm are fine. If you are concerned about the nutritional value over the long term, a good staple sinking pellet should round out the mix. Bloodworms are also a favorite, but should only be fed in moderation 1-2 times a week.

Just as a side note, mysis and brine shrimp aren't the same thing.

Larry Vires

Post by **Barbie** » 15 Jun 2004, 17:52

Plecolover it is actually my job to make sure that misinformation isn't a problem in this forum. Your first post conflicts greatly with the information you provided in the second post, with no explanation between the two. Planet Catfish has a great reputation for accurate information. I'm sure you'd like to help us keep it that way. No? If you would like more discussion of this issue, please contact me via PM in order to let this thread address the main question. Thanks.

Barbie

plecolover · Post by **plecolover** » 15 Jun 2004, 17:52

Yes, Pleco_breeder, I faced what you mentioned three years ago. At the most beginning, I always fed my Zebras and L56 with bloodworm, and they seemed very happy and healthy. After a period of one month, they suddenly died with a large belly. I consulted many experts about this. Now I only feed my plecos with TetraMin and SeraTabs.

fishboy20 · Post by **fishboy20** » 15 Jun 2004, 21:58

I believe that zebra plecos do well on a wide range diet consistant with meaty foods. I feed bloodworms, brine shrimp, OSI micropellets (love these), new life spectrum and tetramin flake food. They seem to take it all and the diet must be fine with those foods as I have baby zebras now. So saying no to bloodworms is not the answer but at the same time I believe that alone is not enough. Mix it up and they should be happy.

Mike_Noren · Post by **Mike_Noren** » 15 Jun 2004, 23:39

pl*colover wrote:I always fed my Zebras and L56 with bloodworm, and they seemed very happy and healthy. After a period of one month, they suddenly died with a large belly.

My experience is that you can kill anything with bloodworms - if they've been handled improperly before being frozen. Unlike e.g. mosquito larvae you can't tell by looking at them if they're slightly rotten, and they don't necessarily smell very bad - but rotten food kill fish.

As for me, I fed fish with bloodworms for years before wiping an entire aquarium with a bad batch of bloodworms. Every fish died of dropsy (intestinal bacterial infection) within just a few days.

Add to that that bloodworms are allergnic to humans.

IMHO bloodworms aren't worth the risk. One can condition with less risky foods.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I suspect it wasn't the meaty food in itself which killed your fish, but bacterial food poisoning.

Caol_ila · Post by **Caol_ila** » 16 Jun 2004, 00:50

Add to that that bloodworms are allergnic to humans.

My guess is that you mean humans are allergic to bloodworms...but its a "haemoglobin" allergy and thats not a case with all humans

Post by **Silurus** » 16 Jun 2004, 00:57

...and the same individual may develop allergies to the proteins in bloodworms over time.
I used to be immune, but developed an allergy over time.

PlecoCrazy · Post by **PlecoCrazy** » 16 Jun 2004, 03:01

If you do bloodworms I have been the happiest with Hikari Brand. As with any frozen food if it gets thawed and refrozen then it is bad and should not be fed to your fish. Maybe this is why some of you have had problems. If it accidentally gets left out or something just pitch it.

patrickstockton · Post by **patrickstockton** » 16 Jun 2004, 06:53

thanks for all the thoughts everyone. Sorry it got a little crazy in the middle! Bound to happen when discussing these amazing fish. People get nuts!
So right now it specifically gets live Black worm (not blood), and frozen brine and mysis (totally diff. just wasnt sure if peeps knew what mysis is).
It sounds like i can supplement with some sinking wafers/sticks.
so 2 more questions (directed to zebra keepers)
1) What brand/style of wafer or pellets? Hikari sinking? algae?
2) Should i bother supplementing with veggies? If so what kind.

thanks so much everybody. And listen to the site admins and forum moderators, plecolover.... they may seem intense or "over-reacting" when you are new. But trust me, you will, and should, value their knowledge. In time you will really appreciate not only their expertise, but also the time they spend responding to almost every single post.

plecolover · Post by **plecolover** » 16 Jun 2004, 07:52

Hi Patrick, Hikari Algae Wafer is a well formulated and balanced food dedicatedly for plecos. My Zebras like the wafer much. In addition, it is very stable in water causing less pollution to water quality. Below is a link you can find more information about Hikari Algae Wafer.

http://www.hikariusa.com/algae_wafers.htm

Have good breeding!!!!

blazespecv · Post by **blazespecv** » 21 Jun 2004, 17:01

Plecolover.... I don't understand why you posted wrong info, then posted correct info, and then chose to argue the correct info again, going so far as to try to flame Barbie for telling you not to be a fool and post things that you don't know. I've seen Barbie help slews of people with great advice, and she has a good reputation on this site and others. You really have no right to attack her or anyone else for your lack of knowledge. Let's say on the off chance no one else had posted here except you, then patrick would have killed his zebra, likely. You list that meaty foods are bad because yours died from eating bloodworms. Maybe it was bad bloodworms, maybe it was something else on your part, or maybe it originally had an internal issue which was never addressed due to poor quarantine, etc. Zebras like meaty foods, that is what they do. In the wild, you don't see them stalking leaves and then taking down their "prey", what a struggle. No, because they are frickin predatory, can we say carnivorous? So, in summary, you murdered your zebra, unknowingly is a bit worse imo. This is why I am against many people buying zebras just because they are "pretty". This goes back to perhaps banning ignorant people from purchasing fish which there are already too few of in the hobby AND the wild.
If you killed yours, then why should patrick kill his?
When so many people are telling you that you are wrong, and there is info all over this site regarding how wrong you are, why fight?
I have never heard of a single L-46 who enjoyed veggies, so, eh.
Not trying to be an ass, but just listen if you cannot give the right advice.
And as for the Hikari wafers, and other "pleco-specific" foods, are you aware that while they work decently for many plecos, many others will not accept them? Or eat very little quantities and stunt their growth? I have had some plecos devour them in minutes, and other avoid them like the plague. Because Hikari says they are great for plecos doesn't mean they are good for all plecos.
Why are you still giving advice?
Im sure Patrick wants his zebra to live, and therefore is ignoring you at this point anyways.

fishboy20 · Post by **fishboy20** » 21 Jun 2004, 17:31

I tried algae waffers once just to see if they would eat them, they sat in the tank until the next day after which I did a water change and pulled them out. Try to feed meaty foods heavy on the protein. Most foods are high in protein anways but anything for carnivores is great. Try to make sure it is sinking since they are bottom feeders. I know a lot of pellet foods will float forever so if it says sinking even better. O.S.I makes micro-pellets (main ingredient krill meal), also New Life Spectrum sinks well, the carnivore sinking waffers Hikari makes would seem like another good pick, the various flake foods should also be great (I like Sera the best). Do not forget to occasional feed some frozen (bloodworms, brine shrimp, mysis) or if possible live (white worms, red wigglers chopped up).

patrickstockton · Post by **patrickstockton** » 22 Jun 2004, 05:01

thanks for the help everyone! I of course know that Htpancistrus are meat eaters so i instantly ignored our annoying one. I've kept L260 queens. But i want this little beauty to be happy and thrive so i thought i'd ask some keepers what theirs like. And thanks alot for the advice! as for my recent experience.....
Over the last week i've witnessed eating of live blackworm and frozen brine shrimp. I do adda coupkle algae wafers every few days for my otos and pitbull plec who love them. But haven't seen the zebra go any where near them. Anyway. it seems to be settling in quite nicely. thanks again.

BLACK DRAGON · Post by **BLACK DRAGON** » 12 Jul 2004, 22:52

I have two zebras at the moment and have been trying various foods with the aim of a bit of research. Foods have included frozen bloodworm, brineshrimp, sinking pellets (various types), algae pellets, chopped cucumber, the list goes on. Whilst i'm not adverse to the suggestion that they are eating only what they like and not what's nutritionally good for them i can confidently say that the bloodworm and brineshrimp are devoured, whilst certain brands of sinking pellets were occasionally touched, anything in the way of pure vegatable matter is avoided like the plague. Both are very healthy displaying a beautiful pink and blue tinge to their bodies contasting the black and white.

I think too many retailers have a very thin spectrum of information when the name 'plec' is used. Often referred by new hobbyists as 'algae eaters' there are a large number of 'algae eaters' that do not suit this terminology at all.

ZebraPleco · Post by **ZebraPleco** » 13 Jul 2004, 21:07

Hello,
I am also a new owner to 2 zebras as well. I am just a little curious as to what exactly do the zebras prey on in the wilds? or are they a scavenger? For a fish this small and slow moving, there isn't exactly alot of things they can prey on. I can only think of things like worms, clams, or snails.
My current zebras also share the same tank with some amanos(algae eathing) shrimps, and my shrimps are running around all the time, which indicates the zebras aren't hunting them.
When you guys say they are carnivours, do you mean they prey or they scavenge?