Clown Pleco Won't Come Out!

[MagicGirl33]

I have a clown pleco that is about a year old and I've seen him about five times. He never comes out, not even for food. I leave it but I come back to check on him (I feed him at 9;30 at night) and he's never out and the other fish pick at his food. What do I do? I'm worried he's not eating enough but when I saw him he was super fat and oddly pale on every other stripe. That could be his colouring or stress from when I accidentally knock over decor or net him. Any ideas to get him out or do something about his weight? I've been feeding him an algae wafer every other night for two months but he's still the same. He's also not very long. I read clown plecos can get up to 3 inches and he is only barley an inch and a bit. I did get him from petsmart so yeah. What should I do?

 

[MagicGirl33]

The tank I have him in is 20 gallons with a ph of 7.2, nitrate of 10, nitrite of 0, and ammonia of 0. It's a bowfront tank with a fluval 206 filter and the temp of the water if normally 24-25 degrees celsius. The tank has live plants and driftwood. Other fish are 5 kuhli loaches, 5 zebra danios, 5 neon tetras, and it used to have 2 platys but they left around 3 months ago.

 

[Avel1896]

Hey
Clown pleco is a nocturnal fish, reason why you seen him once in a blue moon.

 

[Colin_T]

Avel covered the reason you don't see the fish.

Do you have much algae on the glass or ornaments in the tank?
If not, increase the lighting time by an hour or two each day to encourage algae to grow on the glass.

Make sure you have some driftwood in the tank.

Feed the catfish a couple of hours after the tank light shave gone out. Feed a variety of foods too, not just algae wafers every couple of days.

 

[Ichthys]

Firstly, if it’s “super fat” it’s getting more than enough food.
Which ‘Clown Plec’ is it? The name is given to several species. If it’s a Panaquolus it wants wood and algae wafers. If it’s a Peckoltia it wants a more carnivorous diet, without the algae wafers.

 

[MagicGirl33]

I do feed him bloodworms to instead of algae wafers every 3rd time I feed him and occasionally different vegetables or brine shrimp, but I'm worried if I feed him every 3rd day instead of every second day he'll starve. There is more than enough algae in the tank plus plenty of hiding places.

 

[Byron]

This is a fish that some owners literally never see, i.e., it is very shy. It does not like bright light, and generally is out and about more in very dimly lit tanks. Good floating plants may provide this.

The "driftwood" I assume is real wood, as this species does actually eat (digest) wood which is essential; also aufwuchs [algae mats containing rotifers, small crustaceans, insect larvae, protozoans]. It will eat some species of algae. To encourage the aufwuchs some use rounded river rock left in water in the sun, then when covered in algae, place this in the tank. It may be welcomed. Blanched vegetables such as zucchini, yams, squash, cucumber, spinach, romaine, banana. Bloodworms are fine but no more than once a week, they are not all that healthy/nutritious (for any fish, consider them a treat).

The colour of a fish can be influenced by light, and obviously being "looked for" with a net; the latter is something you should never do unless you need to net the fish into another tank for some reason; being chased with a net evokes the highest level of stress, the "escape predator" response, and that can have serious consequences. It will also make the fish even less likely/willing to come out on its own. A dimly lit tank will calm the fish. A net should not be used with this species for another reason, there are spines in and near the dorsal and pectoral fins, so using a net for capture is not recommended.

 

[Gypsum]

My clown pleco (Panaqolus maccus) rarely shows herself. It's what they do. Provide soft driftwood (not hard wood like mopani), preferably more than one type, and throw in the occasional algae wafer, and it will be fine. You can buy algae wafers designed for wood-eating catfish. Mine has never gone for fresh veg. She might forage on the meaty stuff I feed the corys and barbs, but who knows.

If you provide the right kind of wood and don't futz around with the tank more than you absolutely have to for water changes, the pleco might become a bit braver.

 

[itiwhetu]

Reduce the lighting on the tank. This may require changing your plants. Use drift wood rather than caves. These guys will hang upside down on a piece of wood.