[Andyandsue]

I added a pleco to my tank almost a week ago. He has hid ever since. First it was under some plants, and I saw him occasionally on the tank wall. Now he found a little cave that's in the tank and he's been in there ever since. I know he's still alive because I can see him move when I turn the light on!

Is this normal for a Pleco? I know they like to hide but this seems excessive. How can I tell if he's coming out at night? I put a cucumber in the tank last night and it was still exactly as I left it by tonight so I removed it. My albino corys are eating the algae wafers I put in there for him each night, those little piggies, so how can I tell if he's even getting any food?

Aside from time-lapse filming, what should I do?

 

[Claude]

Yeah that is pretty usual, hiding all the time.

Is he just a common pleco? If so try different fresh veggies, also slice up a garlic clove real thin and add it in, then the next day syphon it out, garlic can like spike his hunger.

But try some different fresh veggies, zuchinni, bell pepper, sweet potatoe, don't put onions in though, baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad for fish.

 

[lioness501]

wen i got a small cave for my tank the largest of my plecos, 7inches, got straight in there and he rarely comes out! if he does come out for dinner he keeps an eye on the cave, if anyone goes near it, he rushes straight back and i have seen him get a bit pushy too! i bet urs comes out for food u prob just dont c it.

 

[daisycutter]

garlic??? :shock: thats an odd one of you want a cory proof pleco snack get a leaf or two of spinach or some salad type leaves and roll a rolling pin over it a few times and crush it add it to the tank and a hungry pleco will strip it bare

 

[xingumike]

garlic???

yes Claude is right, garlic stimulates a fishes appetite and has medicinal properties as well. stinks the water tho, do it before a water change is due

 

[Andyandsue]

I will wait and see about the garlic. I still have flashbacks of vomiting just at the smell of garlic from when I was pregnant. Still makes me gag. LOL

I'm going to try the salad tonight. He/She obviously isn't a cucumber fan.

 

[Falina]

does anyone have a plec that hides in the gravel? i havent seen mine for a few hours (i know thats not long) but hes not in the cave and hes not in amongst plants, and hes definitely not attatched to anything. the only thing i can think of is that hes under the gravel but that seems like a queer thing to do, no?

 

[Amphitrite]

What type of pleco is it?

 

[Falina]

common, but wherever he was, hes back so panic over. hes done this before though, do you think maybe he could be under the gravel sometimes?

 

[Falina]

i have just spotted one of his eyes inside the cave. he must be suspending himself from the cave roof. my guess is that this is where he always goes when i think hes under gravel. ahh well, at least i know now.

 

[Claude]

Probably right mate. See if you can get a look at his belly if you are worried, if it is sunk in, then you might be in trouble, but if it is level, or slightly bulging, you are good.

 

[Andyandsue]

My guy is always upsidedown in the cave like a bat. I'm pretty sure mine is a common but I can't be sure because I can't get a good enough look at him to check him or his belly out!

I keep putting an algae wafer in each night before I go up to bed, and it's gone in the morning, but I have seen my piggy cories eating it.

I'm worried about my Pleco! He's so cool I would hate for him to die...

 

[Falina]

have you tried the salad leaves rolled with a rolling pin? if he doesnt take that maybe its time to pin your nose shut and put some garlic in there

 

[Elahrairah]

My pleco was exactly the same way. For a couple of years now, he would hide all day long in a cave. As soon as the light came on in the morning, he would rush under.....hardly ever see him.

Then one day I added some driftwood. I don't know what's up with that driftwood, but he has done a 180. He is flashing all around the tank non-stop....he loves nibbling on it.

 

[Andyandsue]

My pleco was exactly the same way. For a couple of years now, he would hide all day long in a cave. As soon as the light came on in the morning, he would rush under.....hardly ever see him.

Then one day I added some driftwood. I don't know what's up with that driftwood, but he has done a 180. He is flashing all around the tank non-stop....he loves nibbling on it.

I heard that they LOVE driftwood. Maybe I'll add a small piece in the tank and see what happens. I got a pleco because of the clean-up factor and because they are just so cool, but I never get to see him!

 

[musho3210]

My guy is always upsidedown in the cave like a bat. I'm pretty sure mine is a common but I can't be sure because I can't get a good enough look at him to check him or his belly out!

I keep putting an algae wafer in each night before I go up to bed, and it's gone in the morning, but I have seen my piggy cories eating it.

I'm worried about my Pleco! He's so cool I would hate for him to die...

they dont really count as plecos but my otos doe the same thing, plus they are small so it takes me forever to spot them out....

 

[daisycutter]

small plecos can be a bit jumpy larger plecos rerely even bother trying to hide starved plecos from some stores never really recover i bought 2 commons from a pet chainstore(petsmart,petco whetever :roll: ) a long time back both died while one i purchased from well run aqatic center is now 12 inches long in identical conditions
cories will eat until they balance on there own bellies but will not eat the greens i mentioned earlier

 

[Andyandsue]

I bought him from a quality LFS that I have purchased every one of my fish from, but I'm not sure what the deal is with him. I haven't seen him out since he found that cave. I know he is still alive, but I really hope he doesn't die in there!

 

[daisycutter]

you can try to feed him almost anything aslong as you remember the mecanics of the plecos mouth he can only rasp and suck so anything that can be hovered up or rasped away at might tempt him it could also be worth finding out what the shop fed them