My Pleco will not eat

[PeachCream]

Hello, this is my first time posting in a forum so I am unsure if I am in the correct threat (please forgive me if I am not in the right thread)

I am a beginner so far with my aquarium as I started it about 4 weeks ago and everything in my tank seemed fine, tested, healthy, and happy. I have a freshwater pleco that I bought from petco on Saturday (03/04/2020), he is about 3 inches. I have a baby betta, some tetras, and shrimp also in the same tank if that matters. The tank seems to be healthy (tested), and all the fish seem happy too swimming around and hiding in little plants and such. Also don't worry! My baby betta is not attacking anybody nor caring for other species in the tank.

My pleco seems ok for the most part, but I'm not sure because he isn't eating at all! I've researched some illnesses plecos could have but my pleco doesnt seem to fit any of those descriptions. He either stays on the tank walls sucking it, or on the rocks sucking it. I am concerned for him to do this because I do not think there is any algae yet in my tank. I tried to feed him algae wafers, but he ignored them. So I read that sometimes they eat things like cucumber, and other sorts of veggies and fruits. I skewered (cut and tiny) cucumbers, a tiny broccoli, and a cantaloupe on wooden chopsticks and set them in the rocks since the fruit/veggies would not float up. The pleco seems to ignore all of them, yet interestingly enough the other fish take some nibbles of them (I witnessed the baby betta munch some pieces of tiny floating broccoli top at the surface).

I want to feed him asap because I am afraid he will starve! What should I do? I dont think algae could grow in the tank in time before he starves to death

 

[dcutl002]

I would put a slice of cucumber or zucchini in the tank at night and look at it in the morning to see if the Pleco has chewed on the slice. If your Pleco is anything like mine it is nocturnal and hides in the daytime.

 

[Autumnsky]

An additional note about Plecos is that they like to chew on driftwood. Pretty much any aquarium safe driftwood should do. They rasp the wood and need it for digestion, I guess. Something they can hide behind, rest in or on.

My Plecos love Hikari onmivore sinking wafers, orange trimmed bag with a Clown Loach, I will add the link for you to see it. The idea of feeding at bedtime/lights out is a good one!

https://www.hikariusa.com/tropical_folder/sinking_wafers.html

Also since you are pretty new to keeping aquariums, check out the Aquarium Advice article in my signature for some really useful information!!!

 

[Skai]

All but one pleco I've had has loved cucumber. I would slice it and stick it onto a fork to leave overnight. They tend (for mine at least) to eat out the center of the slice so maybe you cutting it up is putting him/her off? Also, try another brand wafer perhaps? The omnivore ones get demolished every time I drop on in (and if the pleco doesn't the fish go for them too in my experience).