# L471 (dwarf snowball pleco)



## cbachmann (Aug 6, 2013)

Hello All,

I'm going to be getting some dwarf snowball plecos tomorrow. I've never kept plecos, having mostly kept cichlids, cories, and tetra-type fish in the past, so I'm wondering what to feed these guys. I understand that they're largely nocturnal, so feeding at night is probably a good idea, and that they need some meaty foods in their diet. I have some nano pellets that I feed my cichlids and cories as well as some frozen bloodworms, but I'm wondering if there's a dry food that might entice these guys/specific tricks people use to get them feeding in the aquraium, especially in the presence of an aggressive eater like an apisto. 

Thanks in advance for all your help!


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## Wantsome99 (Nov 27, 2016)

Don't feed your plecos at night or you'll never see them. You have to train them to come out when the lights are on. Put the food in and either they come out to eat or they don't eat at all. Eventually they'll come out. Hikari Algae waffers are one of the best foods. Also you could try small chunks of cooked shrimp. I'm not real familiar with that type of pleco but some plecos like more meat some like more veggies some eat both. It's just a matter of figuring out what they like. Most prefer driftwood in their diet except the meat eaters. Another good food to try is Wardleys shrimp pellets. They can smell the food you put in there. Eventually they'll come out to feed as long as nothing is picking on them. Most plecos like to graze on driftwood. They scrape it with their sucker mouths. The fibers helps with digestion and is essential for most plecos. It can take a week or two before they feel comfortable enough to come out in a new setting.


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

cbachmann said:


> Hello All,
> 
> I'm going to be getting some dwarf snowball plecos tomorrow. I've never kept plecos, having mostly kept cichlids, cories, and tetra-type fish in the past, so I'm wondering what to feed these guys. I understand that they're largely nocturnal, so feeding at night is probably a good idea, and that they need some meaty foods in their diet. I have some nano pellets that I feed my cichlids and cories as well as some frozen bloodworms, but I'm wondering if there's a dry food that might entice these guys/specific tricks people use to get them feeding in the aquraium, especially in the presence of an aggressive eater like an apisto.
> 
> Thanks in advance for all your help!


According to Planet Catfish, they are primarily a carnivore, they most likely will nibble on wood, and offer occasional algae pellets/flakes. You are correct that night time feedings will be more effective for them. Like any other pleco, I would offer caves and driftwood to make them feel comfortable. https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=5743

Keep us posted on how they do! They seem very interesting and, given their tiny size and carnivorous nature, may not be destroyers in a planted tank.


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## cbachmann (Aug 6, 2013)

varanidguy said:


> According to Planet Catfish, they are primarily a carnivore, they most likely will nibble on wood, and offer occasional algae pellets/flakes. You are correct that night time feedings will be more effective for them. Like any other pleco, I would offer caves and driftwood to make them feel comfortable. https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=5743
> 
> Keep us posted on how they do! They seem very interesting and, given their tiny size and carnivorous nature, may not be destroyers in a planted tank.


Yeah I'm really excited to get them in. I dont have any wood in the tank right now, but Honestly it seems I have little to lose by throwing some in. I'll post some pictures when I get them in tomorrow!



Wantsome99 said:


> Don't feed your plecos at night or you'll never see them. You have to train them to come out when the lights are on. Put the food in and either they come out to eat or they don't eat at all. Eventually they'll come out. Hikari Algae waffers are one of the best foods. Also you could try small chunks of cooked shrimp. I'm not real familiar with that type of pleco but some plecos like more meat some like more veggies some eat both. It's just a matter of figuring out what they like. Most prefer driftwood in their diet except the meat eaters. Another good food to try is Wardleys shrimp pellets. They can smell the food you put in there. Eventually they'll come out to feed as long as nothing is picking on them. Most plecos like to graze on driftwood. They scrape it with their sucker mouths. The fibers helps with digestion and is essential for most plecos. It can take a week or two before they feel comfortable enough to come out in a new setting.


 I just dont want them to starve to death, or alternatively to try nibbling on my dwarf cories... Cooked shrimp is something I hadn't really considered.


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

You could also try the Repashy stuff. Prepare the mix and before it solidifies, spread it onto a piece of tank furniture, stick that in the fridge, and once it solidifies, place it in the tank for grazing!


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## Wantsome99 (Nov 27, 2016)

The pleco isn't going to chew on your cories and no it won't starve to death. I've been keeping plecos for 20 years. I've also breed a few of them. I would say go ahead and feed them at night if they have a sunk in belly because it could have spent a long time transit from being shipped. If you insist on feeding them at night go ahead and do it. Just keep in mind you can train them to come out during the day. In order to get them to come out during the day you'll have to only feed with lights on and it can take a couple weeks for them to come out and eat. Take any uneaten food out before lights out. That way they have nothing to eat at night. I've bread bristlenose plecos L134 leapord frog L201 Hypancistrus and L183 white seam. They're beautiful fish but if you don't train them to come out during the day you'll never see it. After looking to see what it is it's a Hypancistrus which means primarily a carnivor. Some hypans won't touch vegetable matter. You best bet for food would be to find something shirmp related.


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## cbachmann (Aug 6, 2013)

Wantsome99 said:


> The pleco isn't going to chew on your cories and no it won't starve to death. I've been keeping plecos for 20 years. I've also breed a few of them. I would say go ahead and feed them at night if they have a sunk in belly because it could have spent a long time transit from being shipped. If you insist on feeding them at night go ahead and do it. Just keep in mind you can train them to come out during the day. In order to get them to come out during the day you'll have to only feed with lights on and it can take a couple weeks for them to come out and eat. Take any uneaten food out before lights out. That way they have nothing to eat at night. I've bread bristlenose plecos L134 leapord frog L201 Hypancistrus and L183 white seam. They're beautiful fish but if you don't train them to come out during the day you'll never see it. After looking to see what it is it's a Hypancistrus which means primarily a carnivor. Some hypans won't touch vegetable matter. You best bet for food would be to find something shirmp related.


Thanks for the input! I'm going to try some frozen bloodworms first, then shrimp. They are ostensibly tank bred, so getting them to eat shouldnt be a problem. I'll follow up with some pictures when they arrive tomorrow. 

I'm just curious why you suggested cooked shrimp verus raw shrimp. Is it a sanitation thing or a pleco preference thing? I'd assume that raw is more "natural" to the extent that there's anything natural about a fishtank at all lol.


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## Riekk (Apr 3, 2017)

Found this thread because I'm in the same boat. Couldn't pass up the good deal, but now I'm slightly worried about feeding it as I've just got rasboras, otos, and amanos right now. Getting mine tomorrow as well.

This is good info about training them to feed during the day. Never seeing it was one of my reservations about getting it to begin with. I've got a least 3 dedicated caves and plenty of driftwood so it should feel comfortable.

One question in addition to feeding - my tank is currently set to 75 degrees F. Should I bump that up to around 77 or will they do ok at 75?


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

I have L 142 which is the larger size ( non-dwarf) Snowball Pleco species-both have the scientific name _hypancistrus inspector_.

It is definitely omnivorous and needs a varied diet. I feed mine what I feed my other fish: bloodworms, brineshrimp, freeze-dried blackworms w/ spirulina, New Life Spectrum Algaemax, and Sera Viforma Veggie tabs, and New Life Spectrum freshwater flake. Of course, not all of this is fed daily. The Flake Food is a daily staple and I add 1 protein based food and 1 plant based food daily. 

This Pleco is very shy and nocturnal, however as they mature are said to become much more inclined to come out in daytime. Mine does not yet, it is about 6 months old. It is in a 180 gallon with lots of driftwood ,. rock, and plants. It never frequents here, but prefers to hang out at back of tank in areas highest in oxygen behind my intake tubes from my filters. I have heard that it must have high oxygen saturation in tank to remain healthy. I have 2-FX6 filters plus 3 air-stones in tank.


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## Wantsome99 (Nov 27, 2016)

cbachmann said:


> Thanks for the input! I'm going to try some frozen bloodworms first, then shrimp. They are ostensibly tank bred, so getting them to eat shouldnt be a problem. I'll follow up with some pictures when they arrive tomorrow.
> 
> I'm just curious why you suggested cooked shrimp verus raw shrimp. Is it a sanitation thing or a pleco preference thing? I'd assume that raw is more "natural" to the extent that there's anything natural about a fishtank at all lol.


I just feed cooked shrimp because it's easier to get. I just buy the pre cooked stuff in the bag at the grocery store.

Bump:


Riekk said:


> Found this thread because I'm in the same boat. Couldn't pass up the good deal, but now I'm slightly worried about feeding it as I've just got rasboras, otos, and amanos right now. Getting mine tomorrow as well.
> 
> This is good info about training them to feed during the day. Never seeing it was one of my reservations about getting it to begin with. I've got a least 3 dedicated caves and plenty of driftwood so it should feel comfortable.
> 
> One question in addition to feeding - my tank is currently set to 75 degrees F. Should I bump that up to around 77 or will they do ok at 75?


It depends some plecos come from cooler waters like in Peru. Other plecos like the Zebra come from warmer waters. Zebra plecos come from waters as warm as 90 degrees. Unless I'm breeding something I generally keep everything at 80 degrees.

Another thing I'd like to add about plecos is there are a lot of types and they can all come from different environments. They are primarily a river fish that come from highly oxygenated waters. Zebra plecos come from fast moving rivers with very little vegetation. The waters are very warm and stay at about 90 degrees. Some plecos like the flash pleco L204 come from cooler waters with a high ph in Peru. The L183 comes from extremely acidic water. South America is a big place with a lot of different habitat. There are hundreds if not thousands of different plecos. Some are just now being discovered. Back in the 90's they were being sold to aquarium stores so fast that some were pushed to the edge of extinction. Brazil cut off exporting to save species and so they could start documenting the different types. I remember Zebra plecos selling for $40.


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