i have 3 plecos in my tank, a starlight bristlenose, a royal pleco and a gold nugget.
i put cucumber in for them, but it doesnt get eaten. can they survive just sucking on the side of the tank? i have 2 good pieces of bogwood in the tank, but they hide by the filter and dont touch the bogwood.
im not sure if this is normal. the starlight has been in there about a month and the 2 others i got just over a week ago.
plecos dont appear to be eating?
-
racoll
- Posts: 5258
- Joined: 26 Jan 2004, 12:18
- My articles: 6
- My images: 181
- My catfish: 2
- My cats species list: 2 (i:2, k:0)
- My aquaria list: 1 (i:0)
- Spotted: 238
- Location 1: London
- Location 2: UK
Hi Indie.
By answering all the questions in this sticky we stand a better chance of getting to the cause of the problem.
By answering all the questions in this sticky we stand a better chance of getting to the cause of the problem.
ok here goes
Temperature range - 25 - 26 degrees centigrade
pH - about 7.5
Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - 10
Nitrite - 0
Water change frequency 20% twice weekly with gravel vac
Tank set up - freshwater community
a) Size - 125 litres / 30 uk gallons
b) Substrate - gravel
c) Filtration - standard jewel filter
d) Furnishings - 2 pieces of bogwood, a fake tree root, heavily planted
e) Other tank mates - 2 angel fish, 2 rams, 2 dwarf gouramis, 1 clown loach, 1 pictus catfish, 2 x 1" figure eight puffers, gold nugget pleco, royal pleco, starlight pleco.
f) How long has it been set-up - 3 months
g) When was the last new fish added - 2 plecos recent addition a week and a half ago. (royal and gold nugget). clown loach added 3 days ago.
h) Foods used and frequency - feed once a day. add cucumber and pleco wafers for bottom feeders. use flake food, bloodworm, brine shrimp, daphnia etc alternating.
3. Symptoms / Problem description - all 3 plecos dont appear to be eating. all 3 are huddled by filter.
4. Action taken - putting in fresh cucumber every day. made additional hiding spots out of bogwood which arent being used.
Temperature range - 25 - 26 degrees centigrade
pH - about 7.5
Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - 10
Nitrite - 0
Water change frequency 20% twice weekly with gravel vac
Tank set up - freshwater community
a) Size - 125 litres / 30 uk gallons
b) Substrate - gravel
c) Filtration - standard jewel filter
d) Furnishings - 2 pieces of bogwood, a fake tree root, heavily planted
e) Other tank mates - 2 angel fish, 2 rams, 2 dwarf gouramis, 1 clown loach, 1 pictus catfish, 2 x 1" figure eight puffers, gold nugget pleco, royal pleco, starlight pleco.
f) How long has it been set-up - 3 months
g) When was the last new fish added - 2 plecos recent addition a week and a half ago. (royal and gold nugget). clown loach added 3 days ago.
h) Foods used and frequency - feed once a day. add cucumber and pleco wafers for bottom feeders. use flake food, bloodworm, brine shrimp, daphnia etc alternating.
3. Symptoms / Problem description - all 3 plecos dont appear to be eating. all 3 are huddled by filter.
4. Action taken - putting in fresh cucumber every day. made additional hiding spots out of bogwood which arent being used.
-
MatsP
- Posts: 21038
- Joined: 06 Oct 2004, 13:58
- My articles: 4
- My images: 28
- My cats species list: 117 (i:33, k:0)
- My aquaria list: 10 (i:8)
- My BLogs: 4 (i:0, p:164)
- Spotted: 187
- Location 1: North of Cambridge
- Location 2: England.
Generally, Ancistrus species are quite good at eating. I've had more problems getting my Gold nugget to eat - they are quite shy. I haven't kept any .
I would start by increasing the temperature about two degrees C. That will increase the activity of the fish, and make them more likely to eat. prefers softer water than what you normally get in Surrey tap-water, but I would expect it to "get used to" the water, so it may be just a waiting period.
I find my fish prefers courgette to cucumber (they WILL eat cucumber, but given a choice, they will finish all of the courgette before even touching the cucumber...)
Gold nuggets will need a bit more meaty food than the ancistrus, but algae wafers are OK. It took mine about five-six weeks of whatching from another room before I ever saw it eat, tho'.
I'm a little bit concerned that they sit next to the filter - is that a dark place in the tank, or are they sitting next to the outlet from the filter? If the latter, it may be an indication that the oxygen levels are low, in which case you'll need to do something to increase that. Are you using CO2 in the tank for the plants? If so, I would suggest you should stop it, because it reduces the capacity of oxygen held in the water as well as reduces the ability of the fish to dispell it's CO2 from it's bloodstream, both of which will make the fish "feel out of breath".
--
Mats
I would start by increasing the temperature about two degrees C. That will increase the activity of the fish, and make them more likely to eat. prefers softer water than what you normally get in Surrey tap-water, but I would expect it to "get used to" the water, so it may be just a waiting period.
I find my fish prefers courgette to cucumber (they WILL eat cucumber, but given a choice, they will finish all of the courgette before even touching the cucumber...)
Gold nuggets will need a bit more meaty food than the ancistrus, but algae wafers are OK. It took mine about five-six weeks of whatching from another room before I ever saw it eat, tho'.
I'm a little bit concerned that they sit next to the filter - is that a dark place in the tank, or are they sitting next to the outlet from the filter? If the latter, it may be an indication that the oxygen levels are low, in which case you'll need to do something to increase that. Are you using CO2 in the tank for the plants? If so, I would suggest you should stop it, because it reduces the capacity of oxygen held in the water as well as reduces the ability of the fish to dispell it's CO2 from it's bloodstream, both of which will make the fish "feel out of breath".
--
Mats
hi thanks for the advice.
the area of the tank that the filter in is probably the most sheltered i guess.
the oxygen levels are fine, i also have an airstone in there and im not adding co2. i had a trouble a while ago with oxygen levels, all the fish were gasping at the surface, but this has completley stopped after adding the airstone.
heres a pic of my tank. the filter is in the far right corner. i guess its more sheltered, but i have made caves out of the bog wood. they tried it once, but soon swam back to the filter side. two are sitting on the side of the filter, right at the bottom rather than near air outlets, and one is sitting on the inside of the plastic root tree. perhaps worth putting a small piece of bogwood in that corner for them just incase?
i will get some courgette as u suggested. i moved the cucumber right next to them last night and noticed the gold nugget have a bit of a graze for a few minutes and moved back. so i think thats good news. perhaps they didnt want to move too far for it. i will deffo try courgette and see if that helps. u say gold nuggets need more meaty food, i tried putting some of the frozen bloodworm to drop as close to them as poss, so dont know if they will even eat it or if another fish will find it first.
the area of the tank that the filter in is probably the most sheltered i guess.
the oxygen levels are fine, i also have an airstone in there and im not adding co2. i had a trouble a while ago with oxygen levels, all the fish were gasping at the surface, but this has completley stopped after adding the airstone.
heres a pic of my tank. the filter is in the far right corner. i guess its more sheltered, but i have made caves out of the bog wood. they tried it once, but soon swam back to the filter side. two are sitting on the side of the filter, right at the bottom rather than near air outlets, and one is sitting on the inside of the plastic root tree. perhaps worth putting a small piece of bogwood in that corner for them just incase?
i will get some courgette as u suggested. i moved the cucumber right next to them last night and noticed the gold nugget have a bit of a graze for a few minutes and moved back. so i think thats good news. perhaps they didnt want to move too far for it. i will deffo try courgette and see if that helps. u say gold nuggets need more meaty food, i tried putting some of the frozen bloodworm to drop as close to them as poss, so dont know if they will even eat it or if another fish will find it first.