Gn Pleco

[yabadaba]

I've had my Golden Nugget Plec for 3 days now and from what I've read I expected it to spend most of its time on the bottom of my tank, maybe hidden away under the substantial quantity of bogwood I have. Also, I expected it to show at least a little interest in the Daphnia, Artemia and bloodworm that the other inhabitants have been enjoying, given that I'd read they are more carnivorous than other plecs . But, no...he/she has been permanently moving around the top of the tank, cleaning the glass and filter pipes. It's a shame really because I gave the whole tank a good clean the day before I got him/her, else there would have been an even more plentiful supply of algae and diatoms.

I'm not worried either way, but was just wondering if this is indeed normal Golden Nugget behaviour?

 

[kiriyama]

To be honest I don't think there's a right or wrong answer. I think it's all down to the individual fish. I myself have had 2 small (guessing female) BN Juvis in with some shellies, they went where they wanted to go, the shellies gave them a hard time, they just did what they wanted to do, stubborn and active. Just under a week ago I got myself a yellow albino BN, it spends most of the day i the caves I made, as soon as the light goes off it's out to play but if I even so much as look at the tank it scurries away, it's about 5" and a cracker, still havn't been able to get any pics yet... So maybe your one is the exception to the rule, anyone reading this, are all albino plecs. nocturanal?

 

[JenCliBee]

I've had my Golden Nugget Plec for 3 days now and from what I've read I expected it to spend most of its time on the bottom of my tank, maybe hidden away under the substantial quantity of bogwood I have. Also, I expected it to show at least a little interest in the Daphnia, Artemia and bloodworm that the other inhabitants have been enjoying, given that I'd read they are more carnivorous than other plecs . But, no...he/she has been permanently moving around the top of the tank, cleaning the glass and filter pipes. It's a shame really because I gave the whole tank a good clean the day before I got him/her, else there would have been an even more plentiful supply of algae and diatoms.

I'm not worried either way, but was just wondering if this is indeed normal BN behaviour?

Give it time to settle in, the foods should be varied so try cucumber, courgette potato etc, kiriyama has it spot on, all plecs have different characteristics so what one persons does the next person s one could have completely different behaviour. As long as it's eating and looks healthy i wouldn't take much notice, infact be chuffed that you get to see your plec lol, some including me only see certain species by a week by week basis

Edited to just say... what species is it?, the titles says gn (golden nugget) the post says bn (bristlenose).

 

[yabadaba]

I've had my Golden Nugget Plec for 3 days now and from what I've read I expected it to spend most of its time on the bottom of my tank, maybe hidden away under the substantial quantity of bogwood I have. Also, I expected it to show at least a little interest in the Daphnia, Artemia and bloodworm that the other inhabitants have been enjoying, given that I'd read they are more carnivorous than other plecs . But, no...he/she has been permanently moving around the top of the tank, cleaning the glass and filter pipes. It's a shame really because I gave the whole tank a good clean the day before I got him/her, else there would have been an even more plentiful supply of algae and diatoms.

I'm not worried either way, but was just wondering if this is indeed normal BN behaviour?

Give it time to settle in, the foods should be varied so try cucumber, courgette potato etc, kiriyama has it spot on, all plecs have different characteristics so what one persons does the next person s one could have completely different behaviour. As long as it's eating and looks healthy i wouldn't take much notice, infact be chuffed that you get to see your plec lol, some including me only see certain species by a week by week basis

Edited to just say... what species is it?, the titles says gn (golden nugget) the post says bn (bristlenose).

Woops didn't notice that...it's a Golden Nugget, not a Bristlenose. I'll edit the post.

 

[markandhisfish]

golden nuggets are baryancistrus species so algae and plants arent the mainstay of their diet. they are grazers but not in the sense of easting green matter. they graze a film of organic matter on surrfaces in search of higher protein foods, which in the wild would consist of things like small crustaceans, insect larvae or even other animals eggs. these fish should be fed things like bloodworms,blackworms prawns etc. algae and plants are not generally eaten but they will accept cucumber altho not as much as some other species of plec.

hope this helps

 

[yabadaba]

golden nuggets are baryancistrus species so algae and plants arent the mainstay of their diet. they are grazers but not in the sense of easting green matter. they graze a film of organic matter on surrfaces in search of higher protein foods, which in the wild would consist of things like small crustaceans, insect larvae or even other animals eggs. these fish should be fed things like bloodworms,blackworms prawns etc. algae and plants are not generally eaten but they will accept cucumber altho not as much as some other species of plec.

hope this helps

Yes thanks, that info helps. Only concern I have now is that I've fed (frozen) bloodworm 3 or 4 times now since adding the Plec to the tank and he/she has shown no reaction to it at all. In fact I don't even think he/she (how do I tell the sex?) noticed it as he/she never moved from on the glass.

 

[markandhisfish]

quite difficult to sex apparently , all could find when i researched before i got mine was that Males have a flatter, more leveled slope to their foreheads and are slightly wider. Females have a more rounded forehead and are slightly plumper when in spawning condition.

as for the not eating, how long have you had the fish? they take a very long time to settle in. i had mine for months before i started even seeing it

 

[yabadaba]

quite difficult to sex apparently , all could find when i researched before i got mine was that Males have a flatter, more leveled slope to their foreheads and are slightly wider. Females have a more rounded forehead and are slightly plumper when in spawning condition.

as for the not eating, how long have you had the fish? they take a very long time to settle in. i had mine for months before i started even seeing it

1 week tomorrow, so early days yet. I guess I'm just not used to the settling-in period being more than a day or two, as has been the max for all the other fish I've ever bought.

 

[JenCliBee]

golden nuggets are baryancistrus species so algae and plants arent the mainstay of their diet. they are grazers but not in the sense of easting green matter. they graze a film of organic matter on surrfaces in search of higher protein foods, which in the wild would consist of things like small crustaceans, insect larvae or even other animals eggs. these fish should be fed things like bloodworms,blackworms prawns etc. algae and plants are not generally eaten but they will accept cucumber altho not as much as some other species of plec.

hope this helps

quite difficult to sex apparently , all could find when i researched before i got mine was that Males have a flatter, more leveled slope to their foreheads and are slightly wider. Females have a more rounded forehead and are slightly plumper when in spawning condition.

as for the not eating, how long have you had the fish? they take a very long time to settle in. i had mine for months before i started even seeing it

Not at all trying to instigate any sort of argument mate but if your going to literally interpret something word for word with the odd change you might aswell post the full planet catfish info and give them credit for it rather than as it seems... credit yourself for somebody else's hard work and research.

To the OP, sexing is hard unless the plec is at a decent age, the dietary requirements as stated above are quite correct but the fact that this is wild behaviour is quite hard to try and replicate fully within a tank. A good protein diet is essential but balanced with varied vegetation of all sorts.

Give it time to settle in, GN's are renowned for been bad fish to settle down and alot do tend to perish after introduction due to them not been fed correctly at lfs or when shipping causing them to develop gut trouble and then not been able to process food and the nutrients no matter how much they eat.

How does it's belly look?, does it seem sunken?. This is a sure sign of malnutrition and could be why the plec may not be feeding to well.

Anyways good luck and hope he settles for you in time

 

[markandhisfish]

well jake 1stly i havent actually copied anything or tried to take any credit, ive simply tried to help with somebodys question based on a combination of my experience of keeping this fish and what i have read on several sites not just planet catfish. and if you were to read my reply re sexing you would see it clearly states that it is information i found whilst reading up , so climb down off your high horse get over yourself and lets just stick to helping the op with their fish. comments like yours are hardy constructive now are they mate?

 

[JenCliBee]

well jake 1stly i havent actually copied anything or tried to take any credit, ive simply tried to help with somebodys question based on a combination of my experience of keeping this fish and what i have read on several sites not just planet catfish. and if you were to read my reply re sexing you would see it clearly states that it is information i found whilst reading up , so climb down off your high horse get over yourself and lets just stick to helping the op with their fish. comments like yours are hardy constructive now are they mate?

LOL, hang on i merely stated that if your virtually going to post a reply from another website word for word, give the site credit for it instead of changing the odd word and basically implying it was written by you.

I'm all up for helping others with info and research but i also know when to state this info isn't actually mine and have done quite often by giving credit or kudos to the person or site who has written it.

Get off my high horse???, sorry my friend but my post was friendly, seems to me with your post not been i touch a nerve and you didn't realise that people would know where you got the info or that it was even your own words.

Just to state the original 2 pieces of texts from planet catfish to just see how close they match....

Yours.....

golden nuggets are baryancistrus species so algae and plants arent the mainstay of their diet. they are grazers but not in the sense of easting green matter. they graze a film of organic matter on surrfaces in search of higher protein foods, which in the wild would consist of things like small crustaceans, insect larvae or even other animals eggs. these fish should be fed things like bloodworms,blackworms prawns etc. algae and plants are not generally eaten but they will accept cucumber altho not as much as some other species of plec

PC's.....

These fish are grazers, but not in the sense that they eat only vegetation. They actually sift and chew at the film of organic matter on hard surfaces in search of higher protein foods. In the wild this would constitute a variety of foods from small insect larvae and crustaceans to other animals eggs and possibly even recently dead animals. With this in mind, frozen foods such as bloodworm and blackworm should be offered along with frozen prawns. Algae and plants are avoided, but cucumber and courgette appear on the accepted menu. Accepted food morsel size changes with age in all of these fish.

Yours.....

quite difficult to sex apparently , all could find when i researched before i got mine was that Males have a flatter, more leveled slope to their foreheads and are slightly wider. Females have a more rounded forehead and are slightly plumper when in spawning condition.

PC's .....

According to Vires, ''Dimorphism is difficult to notice unless the fish are at full breeding size. Probably the easiest way to sex these fishes is by the shape of their foreheads. Males have a flatter, more leveled slope to their foreheads and are slightly wider. Females have a more rounded forehead and are slightly plumper when in spawning condition. There is no noticeable difference in odontodal growth in either species.''

Courtesy of planet catfish

sorry but if that's not copying then nothing is lol.

I tried to be nice with what i wrote and you made it what it was.

Anyways enough from me lol, to the OP good luck and hope all settles down

 

[yabadaba]

Guys, it's a few weeks after my original post and my Plec has certainly settled into his tank, having now found his preferred haunt, under the edge of a large piece of bogwood....in the shade, but still very much in sight. But, his diet (or lack of it) still worries me. I've added frozen food including brine shrimp, daphnia and bloodworm as well as algae wafers, pleco pellets and other dried food and nothing at all seems to interest him. The only success I have had is with blanched pumpkin, which he really seems to enjoy. You think he'll be okay with a diet of nothing but pumpkin and algae from the glass or do I need to try something else?