My Pleco keeps me up at night!

[tetrababe13]

I have one fish in my 10 gallon right now. My rubber lip Pleco Francois. I love him but he's noisy. I don't mean like actual sounds like some fish make. But he'll search through the gravel and move my plastic plants and it's really loud! He actually woke me up tonight and that's why I'm writing this. I can't sleep!!! Does anyone else have this problem?

 

[Catfish Lover]

Maybe he would appreciate a bigger tank.

 

[Mebbid]

Maybe he would appreciate a bigger tank.

+1 caves and hiding places would probably help as well.

 

[tnfinfan]

My pleco doesn't dig or move plants or anything like that. He does hang out in the ship ornament a lot, though. If you don't have any hiding places, he's probably trying to make one.

 

[abw0004]

It is probably because he needs driftwood to munch on. Get a small piece of driftwood for him.

 

[Rivercats]

If your not giving him enough food he may also be searching for some. I add zucchini slices every 2 or 3 days to my tanks with plecos and also give algae tablets and New Era Plec Pellets as well.

 

[Khuligirl93]

Try adding some driftwood. Plecos really need wood to munch on. And some fresh veggies before you go to bed should keep him occupied.
Also switching the gravel for sand might help with the noise.
Drs foster and smith has some really nice and cheap DW pieces
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=13985

 

[tetrababe13]

Thanks everyone! I don't think hiding is the problem. It's got a large cave which he loves and lots of plants. I will eventually move him to a bigger tank. But he's only 4 inches and has a ten gallon all to him self. I did not know about the drift wood. I'll have to get him some. I want to feed him veggies but don't know which ones are okay. I never have zucchini in the house so that won't work. Can I feed him lettuce or cucumbers? And also can someone tell me if "he" is a boy or a girl. I really don't know. Here is a picture of"him"

 

[Plantaholic]

+1 on sand! No noise! Also with drift wood be sure and soak it in hot "treated" water until it turns the water to an apple juice color! Then drain it and do it again, and again until the water stays clear. Its a pain, but its better than a brown aquarium! Good luck!

 

[josh7]

It looks a little skinny you really need to feed him more, give it some cucumber what I do is cut about a .5 inch thick piece then put on a fork and drop it in the Pleco should munch on it.

 

[tnfinfan]

Yes, get a piece of driftwood! He will love you for it. Spinach, kale, lettuce, cucumber, the leafy part of the celery, the leafy bottom from cauliflower, broccoli... I boil some water and then drop in whatever I have handy and leave it for a few minutes. That cuts down the time that it's ignored to less than 24 hours. I then attach it to a rock with a rubber band and in it goes. Lots of fish appreciate it, actually, but my pleco is fat and happy. Remember too that they are mostly omnivores and yours would surely like some meaty foods occasionally if you're currently using only algae wafers.

 

[Rivercats]

Actually most pleco's are herbivores or omnivores, there are a few mainly carnivorous plecos that are in the Pseudacanthicus and Scobinancistrus family. Scobinancistrus pleco's are actually closely related to the wood-eating Panaques. If memory serves me I believe the Rubber Lipped Pleco's are omnivores which means they eat both plant and animal matter. I've found a lot of my pleco's enjoy shrimp pellets.

 

[Brookster123]

Actually most pleco's are herbivores or omnivores, there are a few mainly carnivorous plecos that are in the Pseudacanthicus and Scobinancistrus family. Scobinancistrus pleco's are actually closely related to the wood-eating Panaques. If memory serves me I believe the Rubber Lipped Pleco's are omnivores which means they eat both plant and animal matter. I've found a lot of my pleco's enjoy shrimp pellets.

+1 my Pleco's go bonkers for shrimp and krill pellets!

 

[tetrababe13]

Thanks! I will get him driftwood. The picture was taken the day I got him so the pet store could have been under feeding him. His bigger now thanks

 

[tetrababe13]

Ok so I put some cucumber in about half an hour ago. He hadn't touched it. He's trying to stay away from it. Is that bad? I don't know if you can see him. He's in the corner.

 

[josh7]

Do it at night that's the best way to feed the Pleco.

 

[Plantaholic]

My common pleco never eats a new food the first time I introduce it(except zuchini!!). Not sure if this is common as it is my first pleco, but it happened with lettuce, cucumber, canteloupe, shrimp, and bloodworms! I would remove it and feed a wafer instead, then try again the next day. The second time I fed him those same things he was on them as quickly as I turned and walked away from the tank!!

 

[Rivercats]

Most pleco's take time before trying new food items. Just add some every night and usually over time they begin eating it. I've also used the trick of slightly softening zucchini and then pushing a shrimp pellet or two into it before adding it to the tank. That way I'm drawing attention to the zucchini. In my 220g tank with various types of whiptail cats which are a type of pleco, oto's, and a long fish albino bnp I add zucchini usually every other day and leave it for 24 hours. My bnp didn't eat it for a couple of months but now she is there waiting for it. I have veggie clips that I clip strips on the glass. You just have to be patient.