Pleco not eating?

[Gingimaru]

Hello everyone,

I got a pleco on monday and we are keeping it in a 19gl tank heated to around abouts 80f. as far as i can tell it hasnt eaten at all. i keep a good watch on the algae wafers i put in and they are still there in the morning and look like they havent been touched. Also i have put some cucumber in (weighted down by some nails as i cant think of anything else) and it hasnt touched that either. I know the place we bought it from they did have cucumber in the tank so i would assume it should be used to eating cucumber but yet nothing. should i be worrying?

 

[Ray_Dockrey]

Mine won't eat the algae wafers nor cucumber. But they love zucchini and will perch on it as long as it is in the water. My lfs had veggie clips that either suction cup to the tank or they will sink. I just let them sink and the Pleco's find them pretty quickly. I cut up the zucchini in 1/4 inch slices, blanch them and then freeze them.

 

[Gingimaru]

hmmm its odd because now its the 3rd day and it still hasnt eaten at all from what i can tell. it seems happy enough sticking to the side of the tank n what not and swimming around every now n then just doesnt look like its eaten. could still be getting used to the tank i guess but i just hope its ok. and hope it eats. i'll try get a courgette for it but for now all i have is wafers and cucumber as i dont get paid for a while. surely if it gets hungry enough it will eat the cucumber and/or wafer
hmmm its odd because now its the 3rd day and it still hasnt eaten at all from what i can tell. it seems happy enough sticking to the side of the tank n what not and swimming around every now n then just doesnt look like its eaten. could still be getting used to the tank i guess but i just hope its ok. and hope it eats. i'll try get a courgette for it but for now all i have is wafers and cucumber as i dont get paid for a while. surely if it gets hungry enough it will eat the cucumber and/or wafer
hmmm its odd because now its the 3rd day and it still hasnt eaten at all from what i can tell. it seems happy enough sticking to the side of the tank n what not and swimming around every now n then just doesnt look like its eaten. could still be getting used to the tank i guess but i just hope its ok. and hope it eats. i'll try get a courgette for it but for now all i have is wafers and cucumber as i dont get paid for a while. surely if it gets hungry enough it will eat the cucumber and/or wafer

 

[Shetland James]

Just look for big poo's lying around your tank. Even when mine is eating peas he poos for miles. Honestly, sometimes it looks about the length of the [4ft] tank.

I've had pleco before and never specifically fed them. They're very happy. And hey, the hungrier they are, the most algae they'll need! If your tank is in direct sunlight it can help!

 

[LyndaB]

Some fish need longer than others to acclimate to their new environment. As long as he doesn't have a concave belly, don't worry.

We use a clip with a suction cup on it to hang the cucumber slices from. Push it about half way down the glass on the side of the tank near some plants so he feels safe and my husband's pleco will come right out and eat it. I have an african featherfin who's very shy, but he will also come right out and eat if I use the clip in this fashion.

Are you just putting a slice (peeled) of cucumber?

 

[Ausfish]

I don't want to be the one to say this bit is your tank cycled? Sick fish stop eating!
On the bright side, I have 2 common plecos in my cichlid tank and never really feed them, they just pick up left over pellets and algae when available! Maybe try some sinking pellets?

 

[LyndaB]

Also, what species of pleco is it? Most will outgrow a 19 gallon tank very quickly.