Shy Pleco

[Solarris]

I just started stocking my 55 gallon. Friday night I added my first fish, 6 congo tetras, 2 dojo loaches, and 1 rubber lipped pleco. Since he's been added my pleco has spent almost the entire time in hiding. He likes to stay under the driftwood or his favorite spot is inside a small fake hollow log I have in there. Is this normal? Will it just take him a while to get settled before he starts coming out more? My water parameters seem good. Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates <20. I'm not really worried about his health, just hoping that I can expect him to come out of hiding more often in the near future.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Mine stays under his piece of driftwood all day long. perfectly normal. if you take a flashlight and go look at night, you'll see him/her sucking on the glass

 

[mgamer20o0]

the more you pay for a pleco the less you will see it.

dont get your hopes up.

 

[Solarris]

Funny you should say that, mgamer20o0. I paid $1 for him at petsmart (found him on sale) and last night he started coming out a little bit and today has been stuck to the front of the tank all day.

 

[Sonomakid]

how true, my $50 gold nugget was non existant

 

[dan44]

Plecos are mainly nocturnal, that is they will come out at night and do their thing most of the time. Mine is sometimes up and about during the day, but not often. He sleeps under his driftwood in a dug-out hole beneath the wood most of the time, but when the algae wafers go in, he's pretty active until they're gone. Don't worry, plecos are naturally like this, it's not caused by your PH or Nitrates, etc...

Edit: I was thinking if you put in a piece of zucchini or cucumber (tie it with elastic to a rock or piece of wood) he'll be out there in two seconds!

 

[mgamer20o0]

I was thinking if you put in a piece of zucchini or cucumber (tie it with elastic to a rock or piece of wood) he'll be out there in two seconds!

might take some time before it figures out its food though. though right on about the plecos being nocturnal.