Do you have to feed plecos

[rcombs]

If you feed the plecos does it make them too full to where they stop cleaning. I have only had the common pleco. Looking to get some neat ones soon. Possibly today. Do diff plecos require other foods. I have never had to give them anything, they just always go to town on keeping my tanks clean.

[Regalblue]

Yes,  plecos need food. 

Research the ones you're interested in & find out what they eat. Many need wood &/or meat in their diet.

[four_by_ken]

Plecos usually make more waste than they "clean up"

Also, if there is enough excess food that it needs to be cleaned up...  likely the tank is being overfed.

As already said... different plecos need different food.

[Maize-N-Blue-D]

I found this out the hard way.  After setting up the 180 my (2) common plecos began to attach my fish.  So I posted a similar question and now I feed my plecos Sweet Potato and they love it and best of all there is no mess.

[lorax84]

I always tell people to get plecos because they like them, not as a cleaner fish. Having said that, I feed all my plecos once every other day ad they still eat tank wall and rock algae. You should also consider the other fish in the tank, some male plecos can be very aggressive.

Different plecos definitely need different food. Most of the hypancistrus (Usually the "neat ones" are hypans.) only really thrive in a specialised setup. I kept Hypancistrus Contradens and Mega Clown plecos for a number of years and most of them were not aggressive feeders in a community setup and would be pushed out by other fish at feeding time.

[rcombs]

I do a lot of maintenance on my tanks. Plecos are a helper to me not a depended on cleaner. I clean my glass once a week and the substrate when I do my water changes. I just recently learned that plecos cause more waste than they clean up. This is what is steering me towards a neater one than the commons. Any suggestions?

[lorax84]

Bristlenose Plecos are the only Plecos I know of who reliably eat algae their whole life. I have a young bristlenose in each of my tanks.

[Sean]

I really like bristle nose and clown plecos. They're small and do a good job of cleaning. Plus I don't like the big ugly ones

[Regalblue]

Get a Spiney Monster! 

I do a lot of maintenance on my tanks. Plecos are a helper to me not a depended on cleaner. I clean my glass once a week and the substrate when I do my water changes. I just recently learned that plecos cause more waste than they clean up. This is what is steering me towards a neater one than the commons. Any suggestions?

[rcombs]

Get a Spiney Monster! 

I do a lot of maintenance on my tanks. Plecos are a helper to me not a depended on cleaner. I clean my glass once a week and the substrate when I do my water changes. I just recently learned that plecos cause more waste than they clean up. This is what is steering me towards a neater one than the commons. Any suggestions?

LIKE THIS LOL

[Regalblue]

Get a Spiney Monster! 

I do a lot of maintenance on my tanks. Plecos are a helper to me not a depended on cleaner. I clean my glass once a week and the substrate when I do my water changes. I just recently learned that plecos cause more waste than they clean up. This is what is steering me towards a neater one than the commons. Any suggestions?

LIKE THIS LOL

Dale (F.Fins) has a big SM  in his fishroom...  it's awesome!