My New Bn Plec Male

[CheniseMummy]

Hello after some moths searching the lfs and waiting i finally found what i believe will be a male bn plec. For my female dora (my 3yr old daughter named her) so doras new friend is called doras boyfriend.

2 weeks ago i brought hime home and settled him in our tank. At first i did think he has died as he was stuck on the tank and almost frozen stiff i tried to remove him but he wouldnt budge or swim away and was harldey breathing. He did survive the night and is in hiding. I pulled out all the bogwood yesterday as i never see him i thought he could have died. He is about 3inches long with long britles on its nose and no white tips like my female.

I dont know if its eating dora only kept in hiding for 1week and was eating very soon.

Ive seen it on the cucumber once and rasping on bogwood once since then nothing. How long will he survive without food or do you think its coming out at night.

 

[KittyKat]

It doesn't sound like there is anything wrong with it, although your tank is on the small side for plecos. Some species of bristlenoses can be nocturnal and males will often spend 90-95% of their lives in their log (you should get him at least two logs, if you have not done so yet).

How did you observe its breathing?

And no, you would know if the male was eating Dora

 

[CheniseMummy]

Sorry typo. was ment to add a full stop. I was wondering if it was eating. Dora was feeding after 1 week. dora is very greedy and is always out during the day feeding.

After i netted it and placed into our tank it swam onto the front of the glass and stayed there for couple hours after this i turned on lights and could see its breathing it wasn't, then would have a little jump back into breathing then stop again. I was concerned about this. It also slumped on its side while still stuck on. i tried to net it out but it was stuck firm frozen stiff. i think i startled it back into life as it then slowly regained life and has been hiding ever since.

Yes i have a long piece of bogwood and 1 smaller one to the back that doras hides under. plus a coconut cave with 3 holes covered in moss.

I am on the search for a 4ft tank thats cheap, dora is about 5/6 inches long. I will be upgrading soon.

 

[KittyKat]

I was asking about breathing because the only evidence of that would normally be fine gill movement. It is also not unusual for plecos to not move at all for long periods of time and one would suffocate quickly if it stopped breathing.