feeding plecostumus

Question
Hi.  I got a new plecostumus, and am wondering if there is anything I can feed him.  My last one died and I was told it was because I didn't have enough algae in my tank.  I rarely clean it, and have a "whisper" filter.  I have 2 goldfish, 2 catfish, & the plecostumus.  I was told I could buy algae tablets, or put a peice of apple or cucumber in the tank.  Any ideas?
Thank You,  Rebecca

Answer
Hi Rebecca;

Plecostamus enjoy chunks of cucumber and squash as well as romaine lettuce. They are nocturnal feeders, so plop them in when you turn the lights off at night. Rinse them well first and you don't have to cook or peel them. It may take a few days for him to get interested if he isn't used to them. If the other fish like them you can leave the leftovers for the daytime. Remove the remnants that evening and add fresh for night time again.

I'm wondering about a few things, just so we can head-off possible causes for the death of the last one;

Goldfish are cold water, so does the tank have a heater? The plecostamus needs temperatures of about 75 or higher all the time.

What size is your tank? The regular ones get pretty big (12 inches long) so do you know what kind of plecostamus he is? If he's the big type he needs a 55 gallon tank and larger. There are several varieties that stay 6 to 8 inches or so. Bristlenose and clown are just two that I can remember off hand.

How often do you vacuum the gravel? They can get sick if there has been waste down there. Sometimes they like to feed on the bottom instead of on the sides of the tank. They're omnivorous scavengers.

Let me know if you think any of these things might be an issue and I can help you work through them.

Followups Welcome

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins

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