plecos suddenly started eating plants after several years

phkhgh · Post by **phkhgh** » 11 Jun 2006, 04:15

I've had 2 plecos for many years in a 75 gal planted tank. One or both has recently taken to eating some plants they previously didn't bother. Not sure of their genus / species, but they were sold as "clown plecos, and they maxed out at about 3" to 3.25". Could be Peckoltia sp or Panaque sp. Both look similar - one is a little darker. These are herbivores - I've never seen them go after any food. I've also never had any wood in the tank.

Only difference in my tank now is there might be a little less algae, but it is DEFINITELY not algae free. Still plenty of the same type(s) of algae for them to eat. They started mowing down a patch of dwarf sagitaria that they'd left alone for several years. Only thing I can think of is the plants are growing a little better now, and maybe the sag is tastier?

I also added a few small Echinodorus cordifolius that I dug up, and they "skeletonized" several of the leaves. The same type swords that I put in other tanks at the same time have no leaf damage.

What gives? Why would they start eating plants all of a sudden? I'd hate to get rid of them after so long.

Azmeaiel · Post by **Azmeaiel** » 11 Jun 2006, 15:37

What are you feeding them?

if making no attempt to specificly feed them then this may be your problem. try items like algae wafers, slices of raw sweet potato or zuccini (courgette), also give them some bogwood or driftwood to chew as this is part of their natural diet. These kinds of fish will usually only turn to your plants out of desperation.

akvahenrik · Post by **akvahenrik** » 12 Jun 2006, 08:06

Azmeaiel wrote:What are you feeding them?

if making no attempt to specificly feed them then this may be your problem. try items like algae wafers, slices of raw sweet potato or zuccini (courgette), also give them some bogwood or driftwood to chew as this is part of their natural diet. These kinds of fish will usually only turn to your plants out of desperation.

i belive your right. i feed my catfish algae wafers and cucumber. i feed them at night.

phkhgh · Post by **phkhgh** » 14 Jun 2006, 01:33

Well, thanks for the suggestions.

But I'm still confused. Why would the plecos now be going after the sagitaria - which has been in the tank with them for years - when there is still plenty of algae.

The same types of algae still are in the tank that the plecos previously preferred over any of the plants (I assume, because they never ate the plants).

I'd always heard that these dwarf peckoltia preferred algae and really didn't bother most plants.

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 19 Jun 2006, 16:26

Just because there's algae in the tank doesn't mean that it's the type of algae that the fish likes to eat.

It may also be a response to some deficency in their nutrition. Algae contain some nutrition, but it's low on certain things, and it may be that the fish are eating the plants to get some extra nutrition. Or just that they are now big and strong enough to chew the leaves, or something else... I don't know - there could be ANY NUMBER of reasons.

However, the solution, most likely, will be to feed your fish.

Try the feeding article for some ideas on foods that may suit your fish.

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Mats