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Hey guys, I have a Gold nugget pleco (I got it yesterday) the plecos didnt seem to hide that much in the store (although there wernt that much places to hide)

When i took mine home, he seemed pretty active (hanging on the glass, hanging on the rocks, etc) but now, he has been hiding all day.

I fed him, and he just sat in front of the food, and it is still sitting there. Do you think he is still scared about his surroundings, and he will come out more once he is confident and everything?

I mean, i can take the decorations out, and i will see him all of the time, but it isn't really right to the fish.

Any help is appriciated.

This is natural plec behavior. It should be possible to coax the plec out with good food like bloodworms or blackworms. But outside of feeding there are few reasons for your plec to come out. The only reason I can see my Royal Plec is that it's 6" long and can't hide too easily. Most plecs don't hang around much in view; they tend to hide a whole lot.

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

yea, but my pleco in my 55 gallon is always out.

do you think this is because a mini cycle from adding him?

Also, are there special lights that light up the tank, but the fish don't really react to them?

Also, does anyone know how long it takes a Gold Nugget pleco to grow to full size? (6" as i have heard they are very slow growers.

I have tried feeding tubifex worms, but they just sunk to the bottom.

Just because your other plec stays out unfortunately doesn't mean this one is going to.

I haven't seen a full-grown Gold Nugget except at a public aquarium. Presumably it takes a very long time.

I hardly doubt a single small plec would create a large enough mini-cycle to be an effect.

It is said that fish do not see red light. It may be worth a try.

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

i figured it would be something with water quality with my above comment (my other tank has been cycled for 14 years)

I will see what i can do with a red light (all i have is an incandescent though.

that happen to me as well... when i got my
candy strip pleco, he use to hide all the time.
but after two months of him hiding and
only coming out when the lights off, now
he got use to seeing me looking at him.
just give your pleco some times. he/she will
get use to it and come out more often.

thanks, my pleco is out right now (although all of the lights are off ecept for my tv)

I guess i have to give him some time, i have always wanted one, and i have one now..

Anyways, i think fish can see red, because i just shined my mouse at the fish tank, and the fish went crazy, and started darting around the tank,

Hehe, that was a factoid I was passing along but generally don't really believe. After all, I've had my Bala chase after a laser pointer...:%)

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

My rasboras chase laser pointers too.

my plec took about 2 weeks to become accustomed to his new home, and now, the driftwood in the tank is HIS. He'll chase of the pandas as they come scuttling over it.


Grumpy Tiny! (he was barely an 3/4 inch long when I got him)

Ive had a gold nugget for two weeks and hes been hiding under a large piece of swahlla wood. I rearanged the tank tonight and have seen him out twice in the past hour chewing on the wood with the tank lights on and all of the lights on in the house, give it some time.

I don't think anybody told my Clown Pleco to be shy because he is nothing close to it! I have had him for less than a week and he is out all the time. We have two caves and all kinds of hiding spots that are real dark! I think he is extremely curious. Of course I expect him to start hiding in his cave more once he figures out everything in the tank. Sometimes it just takes time for them to come out and for some it doesn't!

My albino anistrucus is out ALL the time, sucking on everything, while my gold nugg and normal bristlenose pair hide all the time. I guess it depends on your plec. You can't expect something so recently introduced into a tank to be seen much. Besides, in the wild, most plecs are found underneath large rocks and leaf litter.

[span class="edited"][Edited by Klee 2004-08-26 22:46][/span]

Dnt know if this is coincidence, but my bristlenose who always used to hide seems to come out alot more now that ive added some shoaling fish... still hides... just not as much...

Gold nuggets are fairly territorial and do not come out much anyways. The fact that he's staying out of sight but is still alive means he's set up home base somewhere where he feels nice and comfy.

Could be the individual plec, could be that it just needs time.

I've only kept BNs but one thing that gets them out in the open is a piece of broccoli

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