I have a question. I've always wanted a royal and was fortunate enough to get a large beautiful 'spotted royal'. It has acclimated fine and eats fine. The issue I'm having is feeding enough for the poor thing to stay healthy looking. If I go for ONE whole day without feeding, it becomes hollow looking. Boy, can this thing eat!
He's in a 90g tank with a few tank mates and a big chunk of wood. I just feel horrible seeing him have that hollow look when he's otherwise a healthy fish with a good appatite. He can eat 7 to 8 algae wafers in a sitting and still eats zuccini and cucumber too (he's a big fish!).
What could I, or should I be feeding a fish that big to keep it fed? Any suggestions? Am I doing everything I can or can I do more? I like my plecos looking a bit on the chubby side but this is something I've never seen from this one. Is it possible? I'd really love to keep this fish but if I can't keep it fed properly, I'll have to give him up.....
Thanks for any suggestions!
Spotted Royal
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MatsP
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You want to have PLENTY of wood in the tank... Several differnet kinds of wood also helps.
Other things that I feed is Sweet potato, regular potato, squash (butter-nut squash, for example), mango, avocado, tomato, melon. T[I have small in my tank - but for food-sources, they are similar].
Sweet potato and regular potato are both good because they don't go off quite so quickly, so you can put quite a big piece in, and it won't pollute the water [at least not until the fish has eaten it
]
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Mats
Other things that I feed is Sweet potato, regular potato, squash (butter-nut squash, for example), mango, avocado, tomato, melon. T[I have small in my tank - but for food-sources, they are similar].
Sweet potato and regular potato are both good because they don't go off quite so quickly, so you can put quite a big piece in, and it won't pollute the water [at least not until the fish has eaten it
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Mats
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gemjunkie
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Thanks for the suggestions. I fed a med. sized potatoe and it was GONE in less than 2 days (along with regular wafers and left over fish food). I'm trying some of the other things you suggested and he really likes the stuff (just seems to go bad a bit quicker than potatoe in the warmer tank). I added some softer cypress wood and he seems to enjoy that quite a lot but still chews on the mopani with vigor! He is looking MUCH better too, thank you again!!!! 
*The fish has ALSO developed quite an attitude toward it's tank mates and if he does NOT want to be bothered, he NOW chases them away!*
*The fish has ALSO developed quite an attitude toward it's tank mates and if he does NOT want to be bothered, he NOW chases them away!*-
Shaun
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Panaque.
I have 6 panaque maccus at 5-8cm. They go through a sweet potato, a couple of regular potatoes and a zuchinni in an average week, I shudder to think how much food a large Panaque sp. would require 
The tank also cotains several different types of wood as MatsP said they require, I can can actually see the wood starting to disappear!
The processed "sawdust" pre-waterchange is a sight to behold!
Shaun
The tank also cotains several different types of wood as MatsP said they require, I can can actually see the wood starting to disappear!
The processed "sawdust" pre-waterchange is a sight to behold!
Shaun