/ Articles, Plecos / By Bryan Dinkel
There is such a large variety of vegetables that your pleco can eat. One great type of vegetable that most plecos can eat that people overlook are leafy vegetables
Obviously, some plecos are carnivorous so it isn’t a good idea but all other plecos love fresh vegetables.
Is it worth feeding Leafy vegetables to your plecos?
One type of vegetable that is often overlooked are leafy vegetables.
They are often overlooked for several reasons, one being that they tend to wilt in a short period of time and making them unusable.
This I actually feel is a plus because when you have any leafy greens in your fridge and you are afraid they are going bad but you aren’t in the mood for them you can just feed it to your plecos. They will gladly eat your scraps.
Some people don’t like feeding leafy vegetables to their plecos because they consume them very quickly.
Which can make you feel like you are wasting good food. I definitely don’t suggest using leafy foods if you are trying to bulk up your plecos. High protein foods are best for that.
But I think this is quite fun to watch your plecos
make a leafy vegetable disappear before your eyes in just a few minutes.
Unlike when you feed denser foods zucchini where it may take a few hours for a noticeable difference in how it looks.
I also love leafy food for plecos because there is no prep time for them. Just take off a piece or two and add right to your tank.
Most fish keepers like to prep vegetables by blanching them so they are softer and easier to eat.
I will never claim not to be a lazy fishkeeper. I take care of my fish very well but I never add extra steps to get the same result and blanching your vegetables seem just that an extra step.
Can plecos eat lettuce?
What I love about feeding lettuce to my plecos is I always have it around. My wife loves making sandwiches so it’s always in my fridge.
I also love that lettuce has a big surface area so it’s great if you have multiple plecos or raising a batch of pleco babies. They can all eat at once and not feel threatened.
Can plecos eat cabbage?
While I don’t often have extra cabbage sitting around not something I enjoy eating but when we do we have tons of extra.
For example every year for Saint Patrick’s day. We make corn beef and cabbage. Since we never use anywhere near a whole head of cabbage which means that there is plenty for my plecos.
One of the things that cabbage has over lettuce is that it is a lot more robust so it lasts longer and can provide more food.
Can plecos eat spinach?
Feeding spinach is nice for your plecos because you can put a lot of leaves in the tank and due to their size and you can easily make multiple feeding locations.
This is important because even though plecos are peaceful fish they can be territorial when it comes to food.
Spinach stems are fairly soft so your plecos will usually consume the entire leaf. Whereas most leafy plants have thicker stocks or veins that your fish will leave behind.
Definitely, a huge benefit is that there is no cleanup. I don’t know about you but I’m not a huge fan of putting my hands in my tank.
I don’t like getting fish on me and if my hands don’t go in the tank I have less of a possibility of introducing something into my tank.
Can plecos eat kale?
While I am not a huge fan of kale it is a very popular leafy vegetable for salads and green smoothies.
This is great because it gives you another reason for you to be healthy and give your plecos a treat. And even if you don’t end up eating it you aren’t wasting food because your plecos will eat it.
Plecos love a variety of foods and it is healthier for them to not eat the same things every day. Feeding your plecos kale is a great veggie to add to your mix.
Can plecos eat chard?
While chard is a less common of a vegetable it is widely popular for many dishes so it is relatively easily obtained in most grocery stores.
Obviously, there are a wide variety of vegetables you can feed your plecos.
These are some of the most popular leafy vegetables and also some of my favorites to give my plecos.
Leafy vegetables are great options for fresh food and they will help keep your plecos healthy. Have fun experimenting and finding out what your plecos love most.
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