Goldfish eating plec's food?

Question

Hi, we have both a goldfish and a plec in a mixed tank, the goldfish is fed flake food every day, however when we put the algae tablet in for the plec, the goldfish eats that too before the plec can even get to it. Does the plec need seperate food or can it survive on the algae in the tank, will eating the algae tablets harm the goldfish?

Answer 1

I had the same problem.

I put an algae tablet in, but the goldfish ate it before it sank to the bottom...

It's harmless to the goldfish, but the Pleco is still hungry.

I strapped a slice of cucumber to a rock with an elastic band, and put it in my tank, 30 minutes after the lights went out,

You should do it after lights out, so the goldfish to try to pick at it.

The next morning, you will probably notice that part of the cucumber is gone.


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Answer 2

This is very common, and I would not worry about it. I'm sure that when you are sleeping the plec is also eating goldfish food residue. Mine do this all the time. Once the pleco gets a little bigger, try feeding a couple of tablets at a time. Sometimes a good trick is to hold a pinch of flakes in one hand and the algae tablets in the other and drop them into opposite ends of the tank at the same time. The goldfish will go for the flakes and the algae tablets will have a chance to sink to the bottom unnoticed. Just keep an eye on the pleco; if he seems like he's getting skinny then I'd be concerned, but he should grow FAST (mine doubled in size in a month or 2), and that means he's obviously eating something.

Also try adding zuchinni or a cucumber half on occasion. And goldfish need more than just flakes. When they come to the surface they can gulp air, which causes swim bladder problems. Try adding a bit of sweet peas or sinking pellets to their diet.

Answer 3

You need to make sure the pleco is getting some food other than the algae. Since plecos are nocturnal, it's best to feed them right before you turn off the lights. This way, he'll get enough to eat. It won't hurt the goldfish to eat some of the algae wafers - he probably likes some variety in his diet! The veggies mentioned by the others are good food for both of them. If you add the food at night, the goldfish may nibble on any food the pleco didn't eat overnight. Something else they both like are some shrimp pellets. Even though most people think of them as "algae eaters", in the wild, most plecos eat some crustaceans (shrimp, crabs).

Answer 4

Goldfish prefer "scavenging", as they are carp. It's not good for them to eat from the surface either as they can gulp air and develop swim bladder problems.
Plecos should not have to rely on naturally growing algae alone as their only diet. As they mature they lose their algae eating tendencies somewhat and must be fed a basic diet of sinking herbivorous foods. Lettuce or zucchini strapped to a rock with a rubber band makes a great snack for your Pleco. Dried algae tablets can also be purchased and make a great daily food. Plecos will generally leave plants alone providing they get enough vegetable matter in the diet.

Answer 5

Seperate food is better, but they should be okay on goldfish food.