[kevilknc]

Hi everyone. I have a 10 gallon tank with a small pleco inside ( I know, he will soon outgrow it). This pleco has always been quite skittish, I have had him for several months and whenever I walk in the room he swims quickly to his treasure chest hiding place where I can't see him. Lately he's taken to staying there all the time, I haven't seen him for at least a week. I know that he isn't dead or anything, because I can sometimes see his tail shifting around in there. Also, when I drop an algae wafer in at night it is gone in the morning, so I can only assume he comes out when the room is completely dark to feed. Does anyone have any tips on how I can coax him out of hiding? I just don't really know what to do, and this isn't a great situation because if he got sick or something I wouldn't be able to tell. The tank also has two raspboras in it, fyi. Thanks for any help you guys can give me.

 

[Claude]

OK plecos like almost always hide, just how they are.

I look at mine while there is not alot but some light in the room, sorta imitating dusk (aquarium light off), and from across the room. Sometimes I can move slowly, and smoothly towards the tank to get a close view. And sometimes you get down on your hands and knees and crawl to your tank to try and get a peak at him.

Just make sure that the curtains are closed, your neighbors seem to think you are nuts slowly crawling up to a tank (trust me on this). :lol:

 

[kevilknc]

See I used to be able to creep up on him, but I guess now he's decided he hates me completely because he never ever comes out.

 

[fish_4_all]

Mine hides all the time. I really hate it but then again I know he is alive because the loaches go in and play with him and he plays back. Mine will come out and eat sometimes when I drop a wafer but most of the time he eats at night. Maybe try to coax him out with some zucchini or asparagus.

 

[Falina]

im finding this all quite difficult to believe (figure of speech only - not suggesting anyone is lying) the firs 2 days i had my plec he hid ina cave but now is all over the place all the time. more that happy to put on a show for me, or pose for a minute or two (no more though, he likes to swim). there are places where he could hide but chooses not to. i obviously have an exception of a fish but thought id add it anyway. is your plec kinda new? maybe hes just getting used to his tank like mine did to begin with

 

[reverendred]

mine used to hide all the time from me until just before he died.

you could try using some under water lights... the blue kind to simulate moon light

 

[Falina]

sorry, i just noticed that you said youve had him for several monthis - you can ignore my "is he new question?" ill try and read WGOLE posts next time