pleco eating clown loach food please help

[cider]

hi, I am new to this site and also new to clowns, although I've tried to educate myslef as much as possible before purchasing them. Of course, there is always the unforseen probs that pop up so here goes--I pruchased two clowns from same fish only store ,first one bought a week ago and second one bought tue. They came from same shipment and were together in store tank for 2 1/2 weeks before I bought the first one.
I have read that they need time to get used to new enviornment and will not show themselves for a few weeks, but I do catch one scooting around from the many hiding places in tank. I have kept the lights low since they joined the gang, mates are common plec (7'') which is a bit smaller than the one plec they shared tank in store, 8 platys , and two guppies. Problem is when I feed the plec his vege or vege disc, he ignores it and goes for the shrimp pellets I put in the clowns hidey place. I don't want the plec to eat the meaty food as he skims the flakes off bottom anyway and the meaty food is not good for him but the clowns need it, from what I've learned (mix their food, varying veggies and meat based food).
I do not want to put worms or any live food in tank, however, they chow the snails that hitch-hike in on the plants and that is fine. So any suggestions on how I can make sure the clowns are getting their nutrition before the plec grabs it?

I don't plan to get more fish in this tank as I will have it for a while till need to upgrade to larger in future.

tank-54g corner
amonia-0
nitrites-0
nitrates-10
ph-7.1
water changes 15% twice week , sometimes three times week
establ tank - little less than 1 yr
temp-78 degrees
food-
fish flakes for guppies and platys
assorted veggies ,blanched for plec- zucchini, red pepper, mushroom, and a vege tab
clowns, hiraki vege tabs(has meat), shrimp pellets, tried blanched peas and that was a no-go for anyone in tank.

[Diana]

how I can make sure the clowns are getting their nutrition before the plec grabs it

Remove the Plec. (Is it a Common Plec?)

Get a Bristlenose. They tend to be more vegie oriented, but it is not a problem for them to eat meaty foods too, they need some protein. Common Plecs seem to need a lot more protein, and will even eat the slime coat off some fish to get it.

Realize that ALL the fish in the tank will eat whatever is edible. They do not understand "his food/ my food".

[cider]

Yep, seems to make alot of sense, they all want eachother's intended chow so I'll need to be crafty.

The task will be up to my husband for a week as I gotta head south for a week(family thing ) and I have given him explicit instructions about the low lighting and other particulars due to the new guys in tank.

As I mentioned in my other reply, the plec gotta stay , and the clowns are adjusting slowly , they do come out more and I drop food in for them when they show themselves. ---Patience,-umhum!

Thanks again,

[mickthefish]

the same answer as Diana, get rid of the plec, one of the tanks at bolton museum had a 25 inch plec that used to eat the cichlids food even of the surface, get a smaller L number or a BN.

mick