New (Invisible) Gold Nugget Pleco

[toddwcpa]

A long time ago I had a common pleco in my aquarium with a couple of jaguar cichlids. It grew fairly large and I really liked the look of it. So I decided to get a pleco for my new aquarium and I wanted something colorful so I bought a gold nugget pleco (wow... too expensive!). Little did I know that I would never see the thing. We have a large statue in the aquarium and the pleco hides inside of it all day.

How do I even know if it's eating? So I did some reading and decided to start feeding it slices of blanched cucumber. Last night, I put the cucumber directly inside of the statue and turned off the lights. After about twenty minutes, I looked into the aquarium and sure enough, it was eating. As soon as it realized that it was being watched, it darted back up inside the statue. So, in the last week, I've seen my expensive new fish exactly once, in the dark, for about three seconds.

I'm hoping that it will outgrow the statue at some point. We do have a large chunk of driftwood in the aquarium which I thought the pleco would like. Don't really want to remove the statue since it is sort of the centerpiece of the aquarium décor.

Any long-term experiences with gold nugget plecos?

 

[KingKoopa512]

Make sure the pleco does not get stuck in the statue had a adult bn pleco got stuck in something like ur statue an got stuck an died

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[Nils]

If you've just had him week anyway, he's going to be shy. Most plecos are night active too, so that's when he's coming out. I'd leave everything in. Best not to mess with him. I think gold nuggets only get 2-3". What's your tank size/filtration? Plecos have a pretty big bioload. His diet sounds good, throw in veggies like that every couple days.

 

[toddwcpa]

My tank is a 46 gallow bowfront with a Fluval 406 canister filter.

I think the pleco should be getting everything he needs. I just hope to see it sometimes. Right now I have six fish: a blood parrot, four boesemani rainbows, and the pleco - all small. Doesn't seem like a full aquarium, but I know the fish will be bigger - especially the parrot.

 

[Nils]

Tank size and filtration sounds good. Only other thing I'd look for is the parrot, he may be bullying him into hiding. Probably not but just a possibility.

 

[toddwcpa]

I suppose that could be possible, but I think it's just a really, really shy fish. In time, I'll grow tired of cooking vegetables for a fish I can't see.

 

[Eagle Eyes]

I have a Sunshine pleco Cost me about $100 put him in my 337 gall tank with a few other plecos in my experience they will be really shy and will not let you see them for a month or so as the pleco gets used to his environment he will begin to let you see him. Also can you show a picture of your tank? the more plants in the tank for him to hide in the more comfortable he will be.

 

[toddwcpa]

So, as a follow-up to my original post...

It's been about a month now since I bought the gold nugget pleco and I have now seen it exactly twice. I was concerned that it might be dead, but last night I got woken up at 2:30 in the morning and so decided to take a look at the aquarium. Sure enough, that pleco was swimming all over the place. And it must love zucchini because the pieces that I put in the aquarium are always gone in the morning.

So it appears all is well and that what I have an expensive nocturnal fish.