Feeding Veggies to Plecos, Cheap and Easy

[@kimfreeman852]

I bought a four pack of stainless steel skewers at Walmart, in the grilling section, for about 2 bucks!! They have a hook on one end and I tie a plastic string to it so it's easy to pull back out of the tank.

[@voz5585]

Can you post link please?

[@ferko6]

😂 I was going to post the same 😂

[@missedtheeggmcintyre417]

This could be dangerous with the end point for the plecos

[@TMAquatics]

Remember.....do your water changes, feed quality food, and keep your plecos happy!!! 👍

[@aquaman269]

Facts

[@kristine5561]

I had no clue there were so many cool plecos!

[@andysfishden6506]

Thanks for the great idea Tom! I do have a couple forks that I use exclusively to hold veggies for my plecos, they never come out of the fish room, I even drilled a hole at the end of the handle and put a piece of fishing line through so I just pull on the fishing line to remove from tank, no getting my hands wet. I'm going to be ordering some of these rods though, smaller and not as obtrusive as a fork in the tanks.

[@kmexperience1140]

I actually use a knitting needle. Works just as great!

[@TimsBitsnPieces]

There is 3 reasons why I use a fork for my tanks.. 1. I can put more than one piece of food in there for them and 2.I have a hole drilled in the top of the fork and fishing line attached so I can pull the fork out when the food is eaten so I do not have to go and fish the fork out of the tank. 3. I have had soo many forks over the years I won't miss 1 for each tank. Ohh and I don't have a partner to worry about.. haha...

[@stevechristian5268]

Yup I have done the exact same for many years except the fishing line is attached to a suction cup at the top of the tank. No putting hands in the water each time to retrieve it

[@TimHarkness]

I simply let my veggies float on the surface. The plecos swim up and hang off it. Pulling it down with their weight. It’s fun to watch, and they get exercise out of it.

[@canadiannavy9229]

I want to see that

[@jackparkin1339]

I had a peace of courgette float even with a folk on I left it a while to see if it would sink on its own I got board open the lid it take it out and my pleco swam up at sank it to the bottom lol scared a little bit of wee out of me haha 😂

[@kidtuber3407]

That must be a common pleco. Fancy plecos don't even come out of their caves, forget about them going up to the surface

[@jackparkin1339]

@@kidtuber3407 no it's a Bristlenose pleco and I have an albino Bristlenose pleco

[@kidtuber3407]

@@jackparkin1339 welk that's what i thought it's either BN or common. I have like 50 species of plecos and none of my plecos will eat from surface

[@isoaqua5825]

Such a underated channel.....

[@MichaelsFishRoom]

DAMN FINE IDEA! Love it!

[@jimmyhfishes]

Great tip..i may just try it...i been using forks..lol..or buy can green beans since they sink.... but maybe boil the rods first and clean them with dawn afterwards..thanks Tom.. 👍

[@DENMONKEY]

I use stainless steel screws. Just screw it into the bit of veg and drop her in.

[@kellycasperhanson4426]

I tried this tip but the axles I purchased quickly lost their "stainless steel" coating and turned black. I'm back to using small "dessert" forks, along with suction cup veggie clips. I found some clips that DO NOT have any metal that might rust, and I love them❤. I buy the clips from Amazon, and they cost $6.95 for four of them. It's a bit spendy but the clips are high quality and they last a long time. I haven't had any them fail or lose suction. The veggie clips are the most convenient way to feed when dealing with multiple tanks of bristlenose plecos. Thank you for your suggestion! I love your channel.

[@TMAquatics]

That’s too bad. There shouldn’t be a coating on them. Apparently they weren’t true stainless steel rods(?). Mine still look like new.

[@jackparkin1339]

I can honestly tell you I was ready to call this bollocks but after watching I'm really glad you shared this tip thanks mate

[@MarvinTheMusicMan]

BBQ FORKS are even better....They are stainless steel and extendable. Mine go from 6 inches up to 2 feet, so you can keep one end out of the water...no need to go fishing with your arm. Pack of 4 cost me £3.50 - about $5.

[@ajparent87]

this was super helpful! Thanks for sharing!

[@bigdaddylou9467]

Thanks for that tip. Wife is ordering some as I type. Keep up the great work and videos.

[@missedtheeggmcintyre417]

I have a small baby's fork, I specifically keep to hold down fresh vegetables for my bristlenoses, I keep the fork separate to our cutlery

[@RLCAquatics]

Well done! No more hearing the wife complain about missing forks!!! 🤜🤛

[@missedtheeggmcintyre417]

Buy a baby's fork just for the plecos

[@HasmineHCruz]

Is it ok if you could still use metal forks and silverware?

[@mettugran]

You can also snap off pieces of metal hangers or use large nails. 👍👍

[@patsystuva404]

Don't those things rust? Not stainless steel

[@karenfishroom6599]

i use hot dog sticks for the campfire, they are long enough and hold the raw zucchini slices much easier to place in the tanks and only $15 for a set of twelve , added bonus can remove the snails in the morning, so simple

[@geraldinemay806]

Thanks that was brilliant 👏

[@sushisamurai9415]

Ordered some rods straight away Thank you!! My l134 are on eggs first time, first time breeding plecos thanks for the tips all the way from western Australia :)

[@TMAquatics]

Wow, congratulations!!! Hope you get a lot of fry. My group stopped spawning early April, but have recently showed signs that they’re coming back into season. Good luck mate 👍

[@sushisamurai9415]

Thanks mate good luck to you also, I ended up 23, 5 day old fry to date. Female looks full again aswell super stoked ! Looking forward to more vids 👌 all the best

[@highwateraquatics2476]

I have a combo of things I use. I have 15 tanks with Super Reds in all. I have 2 seaweed clips I bought early on. Two pleco feeders my daughter won in a raffle. Two forks I bought for the plecos. And lastly many forks borrowed from the kitchen drawer.😚 I don't like blanching because it makes mush and similarly I don't like the mess from canned beans. I also over feed flake food, brine shrimp and blood worms. The plecos go nuts for it all.🤤. 😂

[@quentonlewis6151]

Thanks for the great tip.

[@juliuswicked4587]

Do you also give them bitter gourd? Do you boil it first?

[@m1964c]

Well I feel stupid since on another platform I asked the question u answered. 😋. One question tho. Will it cloud the tank?

[@quentonlewis6151]

All the way from South Africa

[@CandaceHagar-nw9tl]

This is awesome 😊

[@spartacus9311]

Thanks. What is that shelf looking thing in your tank?

[@MacHamish]

Interesting idea but methinks it's more complicated than just having a dedicated fish spoon that never sees the cutlery drawer for human food.

[@reckedhail176]

I’m new to the channel and this looks amazing

[@TMAquatics]

Thanks

[@MyVispi]

I boil my vegetables like zucchini , pumpkin, carrot , spinach and then put them in the tank. They sink by themselves without using any device. Is it nutritionally correct ?

[@nathancatt3193]

fantastic Idea cheers

[@justingripp4793]

Great idea. Will be getting some.

[@edspicknupcichlids7506]

Great tip Tom! Have you used French Style Green beans? My albino ancistrus love it. Plus you don’t need anything to weigh it down as it immediately sinks to the bottom! Plus I bought 2 cans for a dollar the other day. I will definitely buy the remote control rods you suggested because I do feed mine cucumbers and zucchini. The fishwife did see a fork in there the other day and complained however, I have had it for over 20 years from an older set I had before I married her. I would never reuse it. Keep them tips coming!

[@TMAquatics]

Yes, I do feed canned green beans from time to time. I just prefer to feed fresh veggies more.

[@missedtheeggmcintyre417]

They also eat watermelon and tomatoes, sweet potatoes carrots

[@emberaquatics2534]

Awesome idea thanks!

[@jessicacarrasco4892]

Cool tips..I found something better to feed my pelcos better I use a stainless steel screw. You can get them in all sizes. Just make sure its 100%stainless steel. It holds the zucchini really good.

[@jeanetteels3618]

Like raw vegetables?

[@richardmason3751]

I just use galvanized deck screws, which I had on hand.

[@ACAquatics]

All I have to say is...BRILLIANT...👍👍 Thanks for sharing and as always...Do what you do if it works for you.

[@TMAquatics]

Thanks AC 👍

[@brownspot9]

Thank you

[@danwilcox4183]

Great tip, thanks.

[@seekingthetruth9896]

Are they stainless steel?

[@TMAquatics]

Yes. Perfectly safe.

[@seekingthetruth9896]

TM Aquatics Nice!

[@notkerrystolcenberg]

rubber band and a rock, for my fellow lazies

[@N00dl3G0d]

Thank you😂

[@ValentinoFishing]

Great tip. Thank you for the idea. How long time You leave the zucchini in the aquariums?

[@Useruytrw]

Bless my stars when I came across this Blissful channel

[@lmreni7641]

Do any of the veggies dirty your water and how long do you leave them in the tanks?

[@gerhardhildebrand3850]

will your danios and tetras also eat the vegetables you drop in?And if they do do you still have to feed them the same amount of fish flakes you do everyday?

[@annashobbies4350]

Excellent idea. Thanks for sharing.💖🐡💖

[@bolezy9070]

I bought some stainless steel skewers from the dollar store.

[@madisonstrader1643]

I can’t find the axel rods

[@AquaApprentice]

Nice tip, thanks

[@wrichter2311]

simple but a great idea

[@catfishcave379]

Who eats more veggies, you or your fish? I’ve used metal bbq skewers before, same idea-workshop great!

[@TMAquatics]

Definitely the plecos. I need to start eating more veggies and less pie.

[@adityakale6064]

Doesn't they accidentally chew the rod and get hurt?

[@faizalarief3418]

this is what ive been looking for,,,

[@jeffedwards823]

Why did you get rid of Discus? Not because of seal

[@TMAquatics]

I did t replace the tank for about 5 months. Didn’t have a tank large enough to keep them in long term. I did lose a couple as a result, and found new homes for the rest.

[@FatherFH]

I am wondering if it is a good idea to feed live blackworms to small zebra plecos. are you able to make a video on that?

[@TMAquatics]

Do not feed black worms or blood worms to small or juvenile plecos. It can cause intestinal blockage.

[@richardmatthys7133]

How long do you leave it in the tank?

[@TMAquatics]

Overnight

[@gregjonesonline]

good tip, if you want something that is already food grade, we sell inexpensive stainless steel pleco skewers over at MAB, send me an email if you'd like to try one for free

[@TMAquatics]

Thanks for the offer Greg. I’ll consider it.

[@madisonstrader1643]

Greg Jones how do I get the skewers?

[@susanesposito5815]

My plecos love their veggies but cucumber especially seems to cloud the water. Does anyone else have this problem and how to you fix it?

[@brownspot9]

QUESTION 🐠 How long do I keep the food in?

[@TMAquatics]

Overnight. Zucchini will start to break down after 10-12 hours and make a mess in the tank.

[@heatherleelovejoy9690]

Awesome thanks for the info! Do you have a link? I can’t seem to find them

[@aquaman269]

Thanks for the tips 💪

[@voz5585]

Just the kind of vid I needed! 🍴🤢 & cheap alternative. Thanks! 🙏

[@peterock1313]

Deck screws seem to work for me, and I believe they may be even cheaper. Thoughts?

[@TMAquatics]

I’m sure that works too. Curious how sharp the tips are 🤷‍♂️ The nice thing with these rods is I can literally make a veggie kabob and it all fits on the one skewer. 👍

[@peterock1313]

Sharp tip was a worry but hasn’t affected anything so far. Skewer does hold more.....gonna have to give it a try

[@PunchiePaints]

some guy in china is going to think that there is a bunch of people that broke their remote control airplane axles !!!

[@brianyoung1075]

Do I need to cook the fresh vegetables first before feeding them to plecos? It looks you don’t do that.

[@jamesrutherford374]

Would like to see a video on the difference in the three types of pleco's. Not seeing anything like this on KZbin

[@TMAquatics]

Help me better understand what this means. Which three types?

[@jamesrutherford374]

My mistake I miss read something on the internet... sorry to bother you

[@jprp999]

I just use pegs (clothes pins to the yanks) Plastic with metal spring work best. All plastic float and wood rot quickly.

[@wolfhound8675309]

Forking great idea

[@the_void5801]

I’m having trouble with my pleco my first pleco never ate and he died i was very sad boi😭😭😭😭😭😭but now I have a bigger pleco about 3.5 in the first one was 2 in the bigger pleco always hide which is normal but I hope it will it it’s food. Can u give me some tips as when the best time to feed them and what I should feed them on daily basis

[@laneyhavens3624]

You commented a while ago but if you still need help, give your pleco an algae wafer every day and leave it for 2 hours and take out what he/she doesn't eat (my gourami loves to overeat and snatch up the wafers so I'd encourage taking the leftovers out haha) And make sure you're feeding plecos at night since they're nocturnal!

[@missedtheeggmcintyre417]

I drop in 3 of those expensive wafer alge they have a dark green in middle of the biege colour they none left next morning

[@Oh_My_Gens]

When do you pull out the left overs? or is it ok to just stay it there until they all consumed it? Also is it ok if other fishes can eat it as well? (i.e. Hammerhead, Angel Fish, Pacu etc?)

[@missedtheeggmcintyre417]

Put the vegetables in at night, take out next morning even if not eaten, otherwise the vegetables if left will start to soften and go mushy

[@CaylorsReptilesAquatics]

Pro tip.

[@FishEZ]

Thanks Tim! This has been a question I've had for a very long time. I'm glad you found these. They are precisely what I need. I have tried the fork method, but it just looks wrong. (Someone seeing it will wonder if that's what they're getting when they eat from my kitchen.) Thanks again! < Fishez

[@TheAquariumLibrary]

Do you feed your plecos lettuce at all? I hear people doing zucchini and squash and all that but do you ever feed lettuce. If you don’t feed it, why not (price, nutrition, etc.) Love your videos by the way.

[@TMAquatics]

I thought I read somewhere that regular lettuce was a “no go” for plecos, however romaine lettuce was fine. I don’t feed lettuce, but I do feed bok Choy occasionally.

[@TheAquariumLibrary]

TM Aquatics do you not feed lettuce because of what you read or have you also had bad experience with plecos eating lettuce. I ask because I have a lot of lettuce and am trying to find if other people feed that to their plecos.

[@TMAquatics]

I have no need to experiment with lettuce if others, with much more experience than I, advise against it. I’m out going to risk it when other veggies are proven safe.😉👍

[@fatgzyezziirr8188]

So funny about leaving your silverware in the kitchen because I just finished watching a video right before this and I was asking myself why does he have a fork in all of his tanks😁🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@daelposadas8229]

I use a fish hook cut off the point and tied a bullet. Weight on it

[@Laserloungemaker]

Do you sell plecos?

[@TMAquatics]

Normally yes. Currently suspended all pleco sales until my fish room expansion is completed.

[@fishkeepingfreak]

I use a fork. My tank is in my bedroom so I just make sure my roomate doesnt know i use one to feed my pleco. He is a total germaphobe and would freak out, so obviously i only do it at night

[@martinzeidel8371]

My wife never knew the fork was in the tank 🍴Made her dinner last night 😂

[@UrbanHomesteadMomma]

Seriously thought I can get some forks from a thrift store for like 5c each so 🤷‍♀️

[@rickmay4261]

or go to home depot and buy stainless steel screws.

[@drockingfish]

You don't take off the skin?

[@TMAquatics]

Nope. Some species actually prefer the skin over the “meat” of the veggies. Peeling just adds more work. I like to keep it simple.

[@tburn1723]

Nice!

[@m72e592863]

Just subscribed. Jimmy brought me here.

[@TMAquatics]

Thanks 👍

[@LuisRodriguez-9491]

Hi! nice tip but... I think there is something so much better than those. I use stainless steel skewers for grilling, you find them in every length and shape, you can hang them or let them drop to the bottom, and as they are shaped at one end, you can tie them to a piece of nylon or fishing line and you retrieve them without getting your hands wet.

[@lonivogler6449]

And I actually have those already in the kitchen

[@missedtheeggmcintyre417]

What about the sharp point at one end

[@jameshouston4592]

I like your channel. Nice setup. New sub

[@low-phas]

Or get a fork specifically for the purpose of pleco feeding. Keep it out of the kitchen. Vegetables full of chemicals and pesticides can be very detrimental in the long run. Buy organic if possible. Like your videos. Keep it up.

[@missedtheeggmcintyre417]

Blanch the vegetables 1st

[@kinnikuzero]

You could also make a loop with needlenose pliers and tie fishing line to it, so you can pull it out without reaching to the bottom of the tank with your hand

[@missedtheeggmcintyre417]

What if they get caught tho in the fishing line

[@kinnikuzero]

@@missedtheeggmcintyre417 technically that could happen, I no longer use fishing line I've switched to nylon or polyester string and I've never had any issues with it. The trick is to have some slack in the rope so it's not taught, also unlike fishing line its visible so fish generally don't run into it.

[@marymiller8984]

Or you just use a "designated" fork from kitchen . Often ppl have too many . Your idea is bomb tho ! Party of plecos....your table is ready!

[@incominghitdadirt9587]

A pack of stainless steel forks from the dollar store is... $1 just keep it for plecy and not the kitchen. No big deal

[@kidtuber3407]

Don't you scrape all the seeds off of the courgette? The seeds will be a mess in the tank because they will not eat it

[@missedtheeggmcintyre417]

Yes they will, my bristlenoses eat the whole lot seeds too

[@KGcichlids]

Jimmy harassed me and threatened that if I didn’t subscribe he’d use his martial arts 🥋 skills to hurt me.

[@TMAquatics]

Wouldn’t want him to hurt you, so yes, subscribing does seem like the best option. LoL ✌️

[@mikepetrilli4686]

A zero cost option is to get a simple rock and an elastic band. Just wrap the band around the veggie and rock and it sinks to the bottom. Total cost is 0!

[@missedtheeggmcintyre417]

I have a small baby's fork turn it around other way so prongs are facing down in substrate

[@shawnjohnson8838]

Great vid not good, great

[@viking3054]

Op bro

[@mjohnson5030]

Orrr... just use a thick 3 inch screw or nail for FREE from your garage!

[@ONEFUNFONE]

I prefer supporting american and american products, debate of the century is never to use any kind of metal in your aquariums, period and we all know stainless steel will eventually rust contaminating the water. For over twenty years now to feed my plecos I use something even cheaper and don't have to wait a month for it to arrive on a container ship.... I use pieces of flat slate and a rubber band to hold the veggies down with- no the plecos have zero interest in chewing on the bands, and never had one injure a fish if and when it does break in a tank- but change them out every couple months or when they start looking like crap. Simple solution and keeps metal out of your tanks.