Golden Nugget - Baryancistrus

[Big C]

Hi folks,

I have a beautiful GN that doesn't want to grow.

He seems just fine, he eats cucumber and zuchini to no end, he does a little glass cleaning every day (I read that this is to meet some protein needs), and he goes about doing his GN thing oblivious of the rest of the fishy community.

He is been with us for over a year, and he refuses to grow. To me he is always the same size, approx. 2 inches.

I'm not too worried because he looks healthy, but I'd like to know why he doesn't develop.

All my other fish are doing really well, they all grow more or less according to the type. I feed them 6-7 different kinds of dry food (from spirulina to mixed flakes and F/D worms and shrimp) once a day, I give them frozen blood worms once a week, veggies every other day...

What's going on with this guy? Doesn't he like my cooking?

 

[Ky'smommy]

im just wondering if it could be the tank size?
if hes only in a thrity gallon that might be why?
has he even grown the slightest.
i had a regular pleco and i kept him in the 10g cause i was not told. well instead of growing long he was short and fat.
he was about six inches long in 3 years. but he was very heavy and wide.
im not sure how big these guys get but he should grow.

 

[Big C]

My baby is in the 75 g tank. I don't think he has grown, at least not one full inch.
I read in Planet Catfish that they should grow to be 7-14 inches depending on the type.

 

[Ky'smommy]

thats really odd. i must have miss read ur tank info.
i wish i could help more. i just dont understand why he would not be growing.
if your feeding him regulary and good water and lots of room then he should be good to go.
sorry i couldnt have been more help. maybe just give him time.
And try mesauring him. and then again in a few months. see sometimes i look at my fish and then i think pff they arent growing and then i get out the tape measure and they grew a 1inch or so in a month and i didnt even really notice cause im looking at them all the time.

 

[JustOneMore20]

Do you think he'd eat some bottom feeder wafers that have some protein in them? Maybe he isn't getting enough protein from the algae. I'd try some shrimp pellets or bottom feeder wafers (make sure they aren't all algae) and see it he will grow some. Those, along with the veggies and the algae would give him a varied diet.

Another thing, are you certain he is a GN? I think there are several types of plecs that look like a GN, but maybe don't grow as big. (I could be wrong though). You think by chance he is a different type?

 

[Big C]

I bought it as a Golden Nugget and he looks just like the pictures in Planet Catfish... I don't know....

 

[Ky'smommy]

well either way did you buy a baby?
probably he should have still grown some. unless u bought him as an adult?

 

[JustOneMore20]

I bought it as a Golden Nugget and he looks just like the pictures in Planet Catfish... I don't know....

Well if he looks like the pictures on PC, then he probably is one. I was just trying to offer a reason that he's not growing....i'm just throwing stuff out there...

I'd try the bottom feeder wafers or shrimp pellets to give him some protein. Some plecos that aren't strictly herbivores need some protein in their diets.

 

[bosk1]

Well, there are a few varieties commonly sold as "gold nugget" plecos, and they are a variety of sizes, but you should still see some growth. I've had mine for about 4 months, and he hasn't grown much. Maybe they are just slow growers.

 

[Jchillin]

It could also be a gold spotted bristlenose. I've seen these before, I happen to have one in my tank right now. Does he look similar to this:

 

[Big C]

Nice looking fellow, J.
Mine is more black, the spots are bright yellow and more defined, and the tips of the fins are yellow like the spots. And his nose is more rounded.

I have a few pix of him, but unfortunatelly I don't know how to post them in this forum.

 

[Ky'smommy]

go to reply...
then too add an attachment then click browse.
you have to be in the actually message, not quick note.
if u need anymore help let me know

 

[Big C]

Mi pix are all too big and are not accepted. I tried shrinkig them but didn't work.

 

[Ky'smommy]

go to your picture click on it click edit. it should go to paint program originaly on ur puter.
then look at the top go to Image - Strech -skew.
then change it from 100 to 50 on both in the strech part and leave the rest then try it and if it doesnt work. it should work the first time or second time. let me know. i will be here to help

 

[jibboo]

there are actually a few different GNs ... I've seen at least 3 L numbers for them (can't remember where). But my guess is there are some different types of GNs. I had one for a year or so and he never got bigger than 2-2.5" either. Personally, I was happy, cuz that's what I wanted. My understanding is that GNs are dwarf plecos that stay under 4" ... never seen the 7-14" numbers.

http://www.malawicichlidhomepage.com/zezza/golden_nugget2.html

article says: L018, L085, and L177

 

[jibboo]

here's a pic of the one I had:

 

[Big C]

Let's see if this works. The quality is not too good after all i did to the poor pix, but it will give you an idea of what my GN looks like.
I estimate that he is 2.5 inches long.

Thanks for the help!!!

 

[Ky'smommy]

yah hes lovely.

 

[joannde]

Gosh he's GORGEOUS. I'm generally not fond of plecos but I honestly don't understand all the "strains" (or whatever the proper term is for those L numbers). But I do love that GN .... wow.

 

[jibboo]

yeah ... My LFS has them for sale for like $40 ... but you can typically get them from www.thatfishplace.com for $16.99. The L numbers are because there are so many strains of them found in the wild and they are constantly finding new ones and can't get "official" names for them (much less common names like GN). Unfortunately, the prettier and smaller plecos tend to cost a bundle (so if anyone wants to donate a L046 Zebra pleco to me ... let me know !!!).