Rubbernose Pleco Won't Eat

[Loraxx]

I've had my rubbernose pleco for a few months now, yet I have no clue what he's eating. He's stuck to the side of the tank almost all day, but I never see him eat. I do have a fair amount of algae in my tank (It does get some sunlight during the day), but I really don't think there is enough in the tank for him to live off of, and there is even some algae in the back side of the tank he hasen't touched.

So far I have tried to feed him zuccini, cucumber, algae wafers and spirulina disks. For the wafers and disks I tried two things: putting them in after I had turned my light off and most of the other fish were sleeping, and putting them in during feeding time. Either the other fish eat them, or when I turn the light on in the morning there is little bits of wafer everywhere.

I wouldn't be worried since he's been fine for months, but my friend commented today he was looking a little thin. Is there anything I should watch out for to see if he's getting too thin?

Thank you so much for your help.

P.S. It's a 35 gallon tank if that helps, with these tankmates: 2 Bolivian Ram, 3 Otto's, 6 Neon Tetra's, 3 Lemon Tetra's, 2 Dwarf Gourami's, 2 Swordtail's, 3 Cories.

 

[severina]

hehehe! Thats the way plecs are, dude. You can have one forever and never see it move...yet everyonce in a while you'll notice he's in a different spot. He'll be fine. Just let him chill, that's what he's good at.

 

[Gazoo]

He's stuck to the side of the tank almost all day, but I never see him eat.

When it's on the glass can you tell if its belly looks full?

 

[fishfishfish]

same thing with mine,after a while they just start to be more and more active.they tend to feed at night.

i have mine in with 3 red zebra cichlids,1 yellow lab,and 2 different mbuna in a 40 gallon planted.the plec dug under one of my decor and hides there.i seee him once and a while.just give it time

 

[whip]

I've had mine for about a year now. More than once he has disappeared for more than a week or so! He has lots of places to hide. I assume after a year he is doing ok.

 

[Loraxx]

When it's on the glass can you tell if its belly looks full?

It doesn't. And I can see the shiny bone in his upper body.

I do feel a little weird worrying, seeing as it's been several months and he's still going strong. Do you think I should continue tossing in the algae wafers at night or just leave him be?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Well the least thing you want is lots of rotting food in the tank, food goes off very quickly in tank water and if it stays there for more than 20hrs uneaten, it'll rot and then no fish will touch it, rotting food also causes ammonia problems which will be bad. Have you ever tested your water quality for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates? What is your average tank cleaning regime and how often do you do it?
Many plecs will eat algae, but also many will only eat certain types of algae, do you know what type of algae you have? Usually when tanks have a long term algae problem its because theres an imbalance in the ecosystem i.e too many nutritients, too much light, too many nitrates etc...How long do you leave your tank lights on every day? How much do you feed your fish on average and how often roughly?
We need to find out whats causing your plec to go off food as many fish will refuse to eat if they are unhappy about their enviroment in some way or another or are sick/stressed .

 

[Durbkat]

Yeah its like with my pleco. Before I got him the gravel was suppost to be blue but it had some much brown algae on it that I couldn't see any blue gravel and I had some green algae on the back of the tank so I got a common pleco for my 10g (this was before I came here and found more about there size) and he cleaned the green algae like I knew he would but then he ate all the brown algae to (even when lfs and you guys said they wouldn't) but he ate it now the gravel is blue again but is getting the brown algae back since he isn't in there to control it. Also it took my pleco at least a week to take to the algae disc since he was so full of algae, he was starting to get fat off that algae. So if the pleco starts to get skinnier he might have an interal infection and thats why he isn't eating.

 

[Loraxx]

Have you ever tested your water quality for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates?

I did once about a month ago. I unfortunetly didn't get the actual amounts, the women at the store (I consider it a fairly good store that specializes in fish), told me it was perfect.

What is your average tank cleaning regime and how often do you do it?

About once a week I remove any algae from the glass, vaccum the sand with a gravel cleaner, and rinse the filter media in the fish water. I also add plant fertlizer. I usually take out 10 - 15 gallons of water in the process.

Many plecs will eat algae, but also many will only eat certain types of algae, do you know what type of algae you have?

I have a mixture of algae some of which I think is hair algae, some thicker green stuff and a few patches of brown algae. I actually don't have very much algae that I can see, so little that even without any algae eaters my weekly cleaning is more then sufficent. I should probley menton that I did not get the pleco to control algae, I got him beause I fell in love with him at the pet store.

How long do you leave your tank lights on every day?

I leave the tank lights on between 12-14 hours a day, with extra sunlight hitting the tank for about 1-2 hours a day.

How much do you feed your fish on average and how often roughly?

I feed them once a day, in the morning. I feed them maybe a little less then 1/2 tsp. of fish food, 2 sinking pellets or shrimp pellets for the cories and sometimes a spirulina disk.

We need to find out whats causing your plec to go off food as many fish will refuse to eat if they are unhappy about their enviroment in some way or another or are sick/stressed

Well I am grateful for the help. All of my other fish seem fine and I feel kind of dumb for worrying if he's been fine like this for months, but better safe then sorry.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I would definatly reduce the amount of time your tank lights are on a day, try to keep them on more like 8-10hrs a day or basically whenever you are around your fish and want to see them- the amount of time you are leaving your tank lights on is most likely why you have a persistant algae problem .'
If the plec is not eating algae wafers, i would stop feeding it them for a week or so and try to incourage it out with a king size cooked de-shelled prawn- all algae eating plecs need non-vegetable based protein in their diets, especially as they grow they find it harder and harder to find protein in their diets to allow them to grow; (Cooked) squid, prawns, muscles, cockels and slices of fish will alll be readily accepted by any plec no matter how algae loving it is- once he takes some high protein food, try to feed him some fresh high protein food once or twice a week, also supplying him with some new bogwood will make him happier, bogwood contains tannins that have many antibacterial qualitys for catfish .