Newbie question

[Tinyabom83]

Just registered here and I'll be honest, I probably don't know a thing about plecos other than the generic. I've come across a little debate about the veggies plecos should be eating and one user said that cucumber has almost no nutritional value for plecos and that's why she will feed zucchini. Looking at the numbers, they both have roughly the same vitamin, nutrients, and amino acids but the zucchini does have higher value, I get it. What I have a hard time with is someone saying cucumber has almost no nutritional value towards feeding a BN pleco. And that there's no point in feeding it a cucumber. If I'm in the wrong spot please let me know where I can go to find what I need, what is the general census about feeding cucumber? Pros/cons? Any info or opinions would be appreciated. Again sorry for the newbie question. Thanks.

[Richard B]

Hi there & welcome to PC!

Certain loricariids seem to prefer certain fruits & veggies & many species seem to show certain preferences. With all fish species, i prefer to offer as wide a variety as possible & even if cucumber has less going for it, many will eat this over other veggies - whether it is more easily digested, easily gnawed away etc i cant be sure. What is certain though is many are constant grazers & a 24 hour supply of any veggie (replaced when decay starts) would be good.

In some respects it depends on what exact plecos we are talking about

[.Plecomania.]

be aware that cucumber has the least amount of calories of any vegetable. zucchini should have way more than cucumber.
i'd say zucchini is overall a better choice.

[Tinyabom83]

Absolutely, I understand that zucchini has more calories and is probably a better choice to feed, my point was that there is nothing wrong with feeding cucumber.

[.Plecomania.]

I do not believe there is anything wrong with feeding cucumber either. I do feed zucchini if i have it in my fridge though

[nvcichlids]

I feed my lasiancistrus and panaquolas yams (sweet potato), occasionally raw broccoli, zucchini. I have heard people feeding pumpkin, but I am hesitant of trying.

[Richard B]

I've tried lettuce, cabbage (various types), kale, cucumber, courgette, marrow, pumpkin, swede, mushroom, tomato, avacado, peas, mange tout, dwarf beans, runner beans, borlotti beans, potato, sweet potato, jerusalem artichoke, cauliflower, brocolli, sweet peppers, nasturtium leaves, palm hearts, water chestnuts, apple, pear, plum, nectrine all without problem but some are much more favoured than others, some species have particular preferences

Even my lake synos go crazy for avacado!

[BillD]

I think it is important to note that the sterile bits of vegetable we feed to plecos and such, will not provide the same nutrient content as vegetable matter consumed by the fish in the wild. Natural foods will have some form of fauna attached to it, much like the aufwuchs that is the staple of mbuna cichlids. It isn't just vegetable matter being ingested.How important is this? Perhaps not at all but most vegetable based fish foods also have fish meal included, and fish generally do rather well on them. Still, the straight vegetable matter does provide the bulk that the vegetarian plecos probably need to remain healthy.

[zeebo]

hi, I don't feed my L's cucumber only because it breaks down faster in the tank , where as zucchini is somewhat harder inside and I know I can leave it in the tank easily for 10hrs while at work without coming home to water problems. Also, some L's will eat only the skin of the zucchini (my L128's) and won't touch the inside, and love sweet red bell peppers , but won't touch the green ones. As others said, nutrition for L's is they type you have, then their perference. Experiment and good luck ! Georgie

[nvcichlids]

Also, some L's will eat only the skin of the zucchini (my L128's) and won't touch the inside

This must just be your fish. Mine only eat the insides and don't touch the outside.

[.Plecomania.]

there have been times when mine would eat only the inside, and times when they would eat only the outside.
BOOM