kaz said:
this guy hasnt come out is there a problem of him not eating for this long?
As long as it's still hiding you're OK. Its when they sit out in the open that you have a problem. That's usually the first sign your pleco is about to die. Gold nuggets are a very difficult pleco to keep. The biggest mistake people make is that Gold Nugget plecos need a protein based diet. They probably won't eat any algae in your tank. Their diet should be based on catfish food. Ironically most algae wafers are fish based and can be used to feed these fish.
There are three different types of gold nugget plecos. The one with the smallest dots is the easiest to keep. The other version can be hit or miss. I've had plecos that couldn't adjust and would die of starvation. If the pleco was wild caught he may have internal parasites that may prevent him from eating or wanting to eat. Look for a tell tale sign of a sunken stomach before you buy. I won't buy any new pleco that arrives at my local fish store until it's been there at least two weeks. I'd say you've got about a 50/50 chance a gold nuggets will survive the first week. If he makes it through the first week the next few months will be the next challenge. If you can keep him alive for a year he'll do great.
I hope I haven't discouraged you from keeping plecos but they really are a labor of love. I used to have 10 in my 60 gallon tank. I only had to get rid of them because I switched to a planted tank and many plecos will destroy plants.
Good luck with your little guy. Do lots of research on your gold nugget and just be a good host, that's all you can do.
