Picky Pleco? Perhaps.

For as long as any fish hobbyist alive can remember, a Plecostomus has been in just about every freshwater display we've ever seen. They're billed as the ultimate cleanup crew, and if you get the right one, they are! Some Plecos have a bottomless appetite for algae and literally no equal when it comes to removing that algae from your aquarium. This being said, the "set it and forget it" approach to feeding them is a recipe for malnutrition. Even the obligate algae eaters among these fascinating armored Catfish have diverse dietary needs that go beyond scavenging for leftovers as in the wild, the algae they eat is also home to a variety of small invertebrates that are a significant part of the Plecos diet. To truly thrive, they require a supplemental diet that mimics what they would find in their natural South American habitats.

There are different Pleco groups, or “guilds” and understanding which group your Pleco belongs to is paramount in making sure they get the right food. Today we'll break down the nutritional requirements of the four major pleco groups: herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and wood-eaters—so you can ensure your bottom-dwellers live long, healthy lives. These different groups have evolved different digestive systems that allow them to specialize and thrive on different food sources. Knowing which group your Pleco belongs to is the first step in proper care.

First up are the grazers, the classic algae eaters that you've been seeing in aquariums your whole fishy existence. They are the Pleco that most hobbyists are familiar with. Their specialized teeth have been adapted over years to make them experts at scraping algae and biofilm off rocks, plants and anything else algae can grow on! Bristlenose Plecos (Ancistrus sp.) and most Common or Suckermouth Plecos (Hypostomus sp.) fit in this group. They require a high fiber, mostly plant-based diet. Live algae are the best food for them, and once the tank is clean, they're going to need more food. Some aquarists will farm algae in other tanks, by putting rocks in a filter less tank in the sunshine to grow algae, and these rocks can be added to the tank for the Plecos to mow down. Algae wafers are also popular foods for them. Nutramar's Freshwater Algae and Color Boost Shots are excellent food for these salad lovers but are a little high in protein to be a daily food. You can also blanch some vegetables like zucchini, spinach or kale and feed these in small doses. Always remove any uneaten food within 24 hours or less.

Next up is the carnivores (meat eaters). This is going to come as a surprise to some of you, but there are Plecos out there that live that high-prolife and turn up their noses in the greenery. If the Pleco you bought is being kinda useless at cleaning up algae, you may have one of these. Arabesque and Zebra Plecos (Hypancistrus sp.) as well as Cactus (Pseudacanthicus sp.) and Sunshine (Scobinancistrus sp.) are all gorgeous fish that fit into this group. They love sinking pellets and Shots. Nutramar Complete and Algae & Color Boost Shots are both perfect foods for this group. They'll also eagerly take frozen foods like Gamma Bloodworm, Mysis, and Brine Plus Omega/Garlic/Spirulina. You can also give them live treats from time to time like live gut loaded brine or small redworms etc. Don't feed them mammal bits like beef heart or liver; they'll probably love it, but these foods are hard for them to digest and pass, causing issues down the road.

Some Plecos are generalists, falling somewhere between our vegetarians and our carnivores. They're opportunity eaters taking both algae / vegetables and meaty offerings. They'll need both to thrive long term. Vampire Plecos (Leporacanthicus sp.), and the very common Hypostomus plecostomus fall into this group. Clown Plecos (Peckoltia sp.) are also generalists, but they'll need some woody matter in their diet too, a topic we'll get into in a moment. The Nutramar Algae and Color Boost Shots are a really ideal food for this group. They'll also usually take leftover food from the rest of your fish, as well as consuming some fish waste. You can supplement their diet with algae farming and algae wafers too. Variety is what you’re looking for here.

The final group we were going to touch on is the xylophages and they definitely get the nod for coolest name! Their guts are home to a specialized bacteria that allows them to digest cellusose in the form of wood fiber. While they don't only eat wood (needing a large portion of algae in their diet too) some of their diet has to be woody. The Royal and Blue-Eyed Panque (Panaque sp.) as well as L104/L162 Clown and Flash Pleco (Panaqolus) all fall into this group. Feed them soft woods like Cholla or Bogwood. Malaysian Driftwood is also a popular choice. Any long-aged driftwood that has lost its oil will probably be ok. Avoid really hard woods like Mopani, and while there is great debate on the matter of cedars and pines, we'd avoid it just to be safe. There's plenty of other choices. Make sure these Plecos get plenty of veg matter. The more driftwood they have, the more surface area there is for algae to grow, but they'll still need some supplemental food in the way of wafers.

Most Plecostomus are largely nocturnal, or at least crepuscular (another cool word of the day, meaning something that is active during low light periods – dawn/dusk). This means their foods can get eaten by other fish while they're mostly inactive. Feed Plecos after the lights go out regardless of what they eat. If you think your fish isn't getting enough to eat, place their food near them, or their favorite hiding place (target feed) until they get used to being fed by you. If you are trying to feed blanched veggies, you'll need to weigh them down to keep them at the bottom where the Plecos are looking for food. We'd suggest doing this right after lights are out, so you can remove any uneaten food when the lights come on in the morning.

Plecostomus are wonderful aquarium animals. They're interesting and pretty, and nothing cleans up like a Pleco (even the carnivores will help clean up a bit). They're generally very hardy and come in a huge variety of colors and patterns. Feed them well, and you'll have your Armored Cat healthy and vigorous for years to come! Now you just have to pick one of the over 500 labeled species, which is another article entirely! Ask your LFS about all the options available from Aquatropic today!