# What to feed a carnivore pleco L114 or L600



## Holidays

So I just got a L114 or L600 pleco, it's not too shy, he comes out to eat with all of its neighbours in the morning. I feed them (Discus, cardinals, Ram, torpedos, Khulis) frozen brine shrimp or blood worms and tetra color bits, most of it gets eaten before it settles in to the gravel. Should I add a sinking tab or wafer or shrimp pellets for the pleco, what do you guys feed your pleco?

Here is mine:


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## Hitch

you definitely need to add more pellets to the diet if most are being eaten before it hits to bottom for the pleco. Especially a glut like psudacanthicus species. 

A couple of things you can look into: Hikari carnivore or mastivore pellets (I find that most of my plecos-whether its Hypancistrus or Pseudacanthicus prefer the carnivore pellets over the mastivore), NLS H2O wafers (again, depends on the pleco and sometimes it just takes time for them to get accustomed to it), NLS Thera A (I woulnt suggest actually going out to buy this, if you have some lying around or a friend has some, give it a try and see if the pleco likes it. I find many people have trouble getting their plecos to go for this stuff). And last but not least (and you should DEF go out and get this), if the earthworm sticks that John (Sugarglider) sells, its a stable for most of my plecos. 

To ensure that the pseuda is getting enough to eat, feed the pellets right before lights out.


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## Holidays

Hitch said:


> you definitely need to add more pellets to the diet if most are being eaten before it hits to bottom for the pleco. Especially a glut like psudacanthicus species.
> 
> A couple of things you can look into: Hikari carnivore or mastivore pellets (I find that most of my plecos-whether its Hypancistrus or Pseudacanthicus prefer the carnivore pellets over the mastivore), NLS H2O wafers (again, depends on the pleco and sometimes it just takes time for them to get accustomed to it), NLS Thera A (I woulnt suggest actually going out to buy this, if you have some lying around or a friend has some, give it a try and see if the pleco likes it. I find many people have trouble getting their plecos to go for this stuff). And last but not least (and you should DEF go out and get this), if the earthworm sticks that John (Sugarglider) sells, its a stable for most of my plecos.
> 
> To ensure that the pseuda is getting enough to eat, feed the pellets right before lights out.


Thank you, save the list and now time to go shopping


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## Holidays

Hitch said:


> ...A couple of things you can look into: Hikari carnivore or mastivore pellets...


does that carnivore pellets have msg?


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## Hitch

they put MSG into fish food now? isnt that a little over done?..lol

but no, the carnivores dont have MSG. Not sure about the mastivore, threw out the original packaging.


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## Holidays

Hitch said:


> they put MSG into fish food now? isnt that a little over done?..lol
> 
> but no, the carnivores dont have MSG. Not sure about the mastivore, threw out the original packaging.


Ya, I had the hikari wafer with cory cat pic on the cover and it had monosodium glutame in its ingredient.


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## bigfishy

Hitch said:


> they put MSG into fish food now? isnt that a little over done?..lol
> 
> but no, the carnivores dont have MSG. Not sure about the mastivore, threw out the original packaging.


Hikari Massivore and Arowana Stick doesn't have MSG


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## gucci17

My meat eating plecos love massivore...I highly recommend it!


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## vrb th hrb

my L114 eats shrimp pellets, hikari algae wafers and omega one cichlid pellets. plus the occasional scallop or shrimp.

whats all the hatred for MSG?


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## Holidays

vrb th hrb said:


> my L114 eats shrimp pellets, hikari algae wafers and omega one cichlid pellets. plus the occasional scallop or shrimp.
> 
> whats all the hatred for MSG?


Just thought its unnecessary...who knows what effect it has on fish, there isn't enough study or research. Another way to look at it is some people are allergic to MSG, but can the fish tell us? can we diagnose fish allergy? just one of those thing - why risk it.


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## vrb th hrb

yeah, msg gets a bum rap.

it's not as bad as you'd think
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate 

if a fish gets to experience umami, good for them


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## Holidays

Hitch said:


> you definitely need to add more pellets to the diet if most are being eaten before it hits to bottom for the pleco. Especially a glut like psudacanthicus species.
> 
> A couple of things you can look into: Hikari carnivore or mastivore pellets (I find that most of my plecos-whether its Hypancistrus or Pseudacanthicus prefer the carnivore pellets over the mastivore), NLS H2O wafers (again, depends on the pleco and sometimes it just takes time for them to get accustomed to it), NLS Thera A (I woulnt suggest actually going out to buy this, if you have some lying around or a friend has some, give it a try and see if the pleco likes it. I find many people have trouble getting their plecos to go for this stuff). And last but not least (and you should DEF go out and get this), if the earthworm sticks that John (Sugarglider) sells, its a stable for most of my plecos.
> 
> To ensure that the pseuda is getting enough to eat, feed the pellets right before lights out.


Thanks the pleco, which I called "Spot" really like the Hikari carnivore, he blazes right to it.


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## Hitch

good to hear


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## bcarlos

All my pseudas eat bloodworms and market prawn like it's going out of style. I would recommend adding these as occasional treats as well.


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## Fish_Man

Awesome information on this thread. 

I'll have to go get myself some of those pellets too. I had the ones Holiday had with the cory picture in the front and contains MSG. Not sure if my L333 or L015 are eating these wafers


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## Holidays

Fish_Man said:


> Awesome information on this thread.
> 
> I'll have to go get myself some of those pellets too. I had the ones Holiday had with the cory picture in the front and contains MSG. Not sure if my L333 or L015 are eating these wafers


Train your plecs to come out and eat in the morning/light time that way you can see that they are eating and healthy. I eat my breakfast in front of the tank with fishies....I don't eat what they eat though lol


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## Hitch

training is not really possible. 

Pseudas are in general less shy than most.....especially compared Hypans. Sp the only way you would know if Hypans are eating well is by monitoring the leftovers and checking on their morphology when you have the chance.

Another thing to add to their diet (not sure if someone already stated), is boiled de-skinned peas once in a while.


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## Holidays

Hitch said:


> training is not really possible.
> 
> Pseudas are in general less shy than most.....especially compared Hypans. Sp the only way you would know if Hypans are eating well is by monitoring the leftovers and checking on their morphology when you have the chance.
> 
> Another thing to add to their diet (not sure if someone already stated), is boiled de-skinned peas once in a while.


hopefully one day I'd get the opp to try to train a L046 pleco...when I can afford it


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## bcarlos

Holidays said:


> hopefully one day I'd get the opp to try to train a L046 pleco...when I can afford it


I always say it takes a special kind of hobbyist to keep a colony of L46, because you're basically paying an arm and a leg for a fish that spends 23 1/2hours a day hiding. Don't get me wrong-- I am one of those special kinds 

Agreed with Hitch that pseudas, especially as they age, are more entertaining to watch. All my adult hypans (minus my L173, who's just a bastard) come out and eat infront of me, though. Reduce traffic and loud noises around the tank, feed at the same time/spot and don't over-feed and in time, you may be able to enjoy watching them eat.


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## Holidays

bcarlos said:


> I always say it takes a special kind of hobbyist to keep a colony of L46, because you're basically paying an arm and a leg for a fish that spends 23 1/2hours a day hiding. Don't get me wrong-- I am one of those special kinds
> 
> Agreed with Hitch that pseudas, especially as they age, are more entertaining to watch. All my adult hypans (minus my L173, who's just a bastard) come out and eat infront of me, though. Reduce traffic and loud noises around the tank, feed at the same time/spot and don't over-feed and in time, you may be able to enjoy watching them eat.


120 for L46, the price is coming down

http://www.pnaquaria.com/ddeal/Markham_120_00__L46_Zebra_Pleco_2_quot_-297995.html


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## CanadaPleco

I feed my pseudas a mix of foods, but their primary diet is a mix of these 3 from kensfish.com (whom sugarglidder buys from). Earthworm sticks, Brine Shrimp sticks and Spirulina sticks.


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