Pleco hungry

[Markp2483]

I have a bristlenose pleco and lately he’s become crazy hungry.  Normally I would feed him a whole Persian cucumber once or twice a week. Offset with an algae wafer and some sinking pellets. He is in a heavily planted tank. Now he comes to the front of the tank twice a day and begs for food. (Morning and evening). He’ll crush a cucumber at night and then want a few algae wafers, flake food, blood worms, brine shrimp or whatever I feed the rest of the community fish. This happens everyday. Is he ok, could he have parasites. He no longer hides during day ( day walker?) and in the presence of food he bullies all the other fish.  Crushing a whole cucumber every day is having a negative effect on my water quality (lots of poop). Is this ok, should I limit food, should I treat for parasites? He seems very healthy but O so hungry. 

[Andy's Fish Den]

He's a growing boy! As long as the belly doesn't look sunken in it is probably good. Fish are just like dogs and cats, in that when they are little they eat a little, and as they grow you have to up the amount of food you are giving them.

[SpiritLiefe]

I have given my rabbit snails (2 adults, 3+ babies) and otocinclus (3 adults) a whole baby carrot on a fork. My tank ate the whole thing in 4 days and it wasn't getting funky or anything so I just left it in until it was gone. The carrot shouldn't decay as fast in the water so it might be a nice bit of variety for him? 

[Marnol D]

My common pleco enjoys pineapple cores. Ive used carrots and he will eat them and zucchini and cucumbers (usually the snails finish these off) but for some reason he will sit on the pineapple chunk until its gone.