Feeding

Question
QUESTION: I have had an albino tiger Oscar for a little over a year and he eats like a monster. I recently got a pleco about a mnth ago. I have algea waffers for him but I can't get them to him. I feed the oscar brine shrimp, bloodwroms, krill, and Oscar show and occasionally an algea waffer bu I can't get food to the bottom for the pleco. I friend putting a krill on one side of the tank and when he goes for it dropping in an algea waffer on the other side but he still gets both. I do I get food to the pleco

ANSWER: Hi Bill,
 Drop in a bunch of algae wafers when the light is off on the tank.  The pleco can easily smell them and can find them in the dark whereas the oscar will tend to be asleep.

-- Ron C.  
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks. I think it works, I never see the pleco eat any food but it dissappears. Yesterday I forgot to turn the light on before I left and I didn't return until about 6 30. When the oscar got up I gave him some krill that he usually loves. But he would go to bite it and miss. I thought to wait it out until today and tried again and he still misses th food. He is about a year ald and about 6" inches long and has never done this before.

Answer
Hi Bill,
 Are you doing regular weekly partial water changes?  You should be changing 25% of the water once a week, every week.  Issues with feeding are one of the first signs of deteriorating water quality.

-- Ron C.
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>