help with rainbow shark and pleco

[djay35]

i have a 30 gal with a rainbow shark and pleco. both of them seem not to be interested in the waffers so i stoped putting them in the tank. first of all i had a starvation accident with my first pleco and now i'm worried because it seems i only see him racing across the tank looking for algae. he won't feed on the bottom where i see algae building up and i think it's because of the smaller rocks. i look at it this way though he has lasted longer than my first one so he is getting his food from somewhere.
the rainbow i do understand they eat off the bottom but will only come out when the lights are off and been then i really don't see him because i'm in bed. i see other tanks with the shark out with lights on. why won't my shark do that?
oh i do know there night owls but still i see other tanks with the shark out with lights on the pleco will stay out with the lights on for a bit but then he and the shark will go into the cave the shark quicker than the pleco. do i need to make this more of a lively tank?

 

[Fishninja]

I can help u with the shark he will die because your tank is to small 55 gallon minimum so he won't come because of that

 

[Fishninja]

Your starvation on the shark can be fixed with flake food

 

[aquandrew]

try feeding the pleco some cucumber to get him use to eating. as for the rainbow shark algae wafers is not what they eat. they need to be fed freeze dried foods, frozen foods, and shrimp pellets. and Fishninja is correct the shark is in too small of a tank. what kind of pleco is it?

 

[djay35]

i was told a 30 gal tank to start for the shark was fine but is gonna need a 50 gal, he comes out but only at night. i have a triniadad pleco. i just want to see the shark out in the day like i do with other tanks. i will try shrimp pellets for the shark. thank you guys oh and my last pleco came out in the daytime

 

[Fishninja]

No problem just try to get a bigger tank

 

[djay35]

and i was wondering instead of rocks on the bottom can i put sand

 

[aquandrew]

and i was wondering instead of rocks on the bottom can i put sand

yes that would work fine, it might cause a mini cycle so you will have to check your water daily for about a week after you change the substrate

 

[djay35]

i had a idea to arrange things in the tank and added a few things and now the shark comes out more often and i notice him eating now. very happy