Wood eating L024

[Flex]

Im surprised about my pleco, he really likes to eat wood even fed with a lot of beefheart and pellets!





Now I'm sure that those plecos need wood in diet. Has anyone observed something similar to this? maybe other Pseudacanthicus keepers?

Imo fish grows very good, almost 2cms in 3 months

[MatsP]

It certainly seems like Hypancistrus like wood.

--
Mats

[Flex]

Still eating wood and still in good shape

[drpleco]

He might be eating the wood to help pass the beefheart through his intestines. It's not good to feed animal protein to plecos because it's not easily digested. Of course there are other reasons to eat wood, too.

[Bas Pels]

He might be eating the wood to help pass the beefheart through his intestines. It's not good to feed animal protein to plecos because it's not easily digested. Of course there are other reasons to eat wood, too.

I think I must react to this.

Several plecos, such as Hypancistrus species, are carnivorous, eating all kinds of invertebrates. I think drpleco wrote 'animal protein' where he intended to write 'mammal protein'. Mammals, being warmblooded, have fats which solidify below 37 C - and solid fats hare hard to digest indeed

Feeding meat from mammals, even the most defatted meat, would hamper digestion in all fishes, but these few which are adapted to eating them. The European pike is one of such exceptions (eating joungh ducks in the wild)

[drpleco]

good catch- I did indeed mean land animal protein, and also meant that it was bad for plecos and not all fish. Over here, pike and muskellunge (a close relative) commonly eat ducks, snakes, and rodents with no adverse effects as far as I know.

But my understanding is that animal proteins aren't particularly well digested by plecos.

[YSC]

Hi,
I'm new to this forum.
Is it ok to feed only pellets which i feed my pseuda n panaque.

[MatsP]

Which brand and type of pellets?

I always believe that "variety is the spice of life" for fish too.

--
Mats

[YSC]

Which brand and type of pellets?

I always believe that "variety is the spice of life" for fish too.

--
Mats

I give a mixture of Tetra bits, Granulated Catfish food (Tropical Welsi Gran), Hikari Algae Wafer and Hikari sinking carnivore pellets.
Also give cucumber once a week.

[drpleco]

lucky fish!

[YSC]

BTW, is beefheart suitable for pleco? I've yet to try but will it affect the water condition?
All my pseuda don't eat wood except panaque.

[drpleco]

Several plecos, such as Hypancistrus species, are carnivorous, eating all kinds of invertebrates. I think drpleco wrote 'animal protein' where he intended to write 'mammal protein'. Mammals, being warmblooded, have fats which solidify below 37 C - and solid fats hare hard to digest indeed

Feeding meat from mammals, even the most defatted meat, would hamper digestion in all fishes, but these few which are adapted to eating them. The European pike is one of such exceptions (eating joungh ducks in the wild)

you should not feed beefheart to plecos - for the reasons stated above.