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hand-feeding plecos?
Posted: 01 Nov 2003, 20:21
by sammich
I just got 2 new tanks-a 20 gallon and a 46 gallon, and I've started hand-feeding most of my fish, except for my pleco. He always seems to be scared of my hand and he'll never eat out of it. Is there anything I should do to gain more trust so he'll let me hand-feed him?
Posted: 01 Nov 2003, 20:49
by Yann
Hi !
Well most of it you need patience as it won't be done in a week, let the fish being use to your presence and feed him always at the same time and same place.
But patience should be the better advise... also don't stick you hand all day and night long in there!!
Cheers
Yann
Posted: 02 Nov 2003, 00:32
by S. Allen
heh, I've never gotten a pleco to take food from either my hand or from tongs... I guess i'm not patient enough with it...
Posted: 02 Nov 2003, 02:35
by Barbie
I think that will actually depend also on the type of pleco, and the type of food. I've had two different gibbiceps that hand fed, but my queen arabesques and zebras would be a challenge I'm not up to trying. The gibbiceps were easy, they took a liking to dried tubifex cubes, and would come swipe them off the glass where I pressed them for the other fish. Once they started that, you could just hold your finger there, and they'd come up and take it.
Barbie
Posted: 04 Nov 2003, 15:13
by Kostas
Hi,
I agree with Barbie.From my plecos i hand feed only my Liposarcus and L200.All the other plecos are scared of my hands.
Posted: 04 Nov 2003, 16:37
by sammich
Meh...mine's just a common pleco...
Posted: 04 Nov 2003, 23:38
by S. Allen
he might do it then, we're saying the shy ones are panaque, peckoltia, hypancistrus and those types, the fancies mainly. I'm not sure why as in nature they're less likely to make an evening meal for a human than a gibby, but...
Posted: 05 Nov 2003, 14:58
by Ron
sammich wrote:Meh...mine's just a common pl*co...
I have a common pleco who learned to bob at the surface to catch flakes or pelllets that were intended for my other fish. I am able to "hand feed' him as long as he doesn't see what is going on. I can drop flakes or pellets right into his moutth, until he sees my hand - then it is straight back to the bottom.