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Post by friedegg45 on Oct 19, 2008 15:41:03 GMT -5
when i feed my fish the plec doesn't seem to bother with it. is it just a case of it sucks up food when the lights are out as this is what i said to my daughter when she said suckyfish wasn't eating i feed pellets at night to the fish before lights out. cheers folks
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Post by murdock6701 on Oct 19, 2008 16:10:17 GMT -5
that's the way to do it! the platys will eat it as well as it is compressed algae and vegetable matter - as soon as it breaks down the platys wil eat it if the lights are on - the pleco will also scavenge for leftover flake as well, but not when the lights are on that I have ever observed....keep up the good work!
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Post by bikeguy33 on Oct 19, 2008 22:30:24 GMT -5
plecos are nocternal by nature. they become alot more active after lights out. most plecos have no trouble growing so that says that they get enough food whether suplimented or not. be aware tho...they are vegetarians but they will eat animal matter such as brine shrimp or bloodworms, but they do have a tough time digesting this food. also they have been known to eat slime coat off of other fish which can cause alot of problems to the host fish...
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Post by sammiesam on Oct 19, 2008 22:36:49 GMT -5
My pleco comes out during the day, or when the lights are on, but more so at night. If you aren't sure if he's eating just check the poop and see if the fish is pooping, then you will know your answer. I'm sure he is eating, plecos eat alot of food, they're little piggies  |
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Post by 8 in the Corner on Oct 20, 2008 12:30:07 GMT -5
I have approximately 80-90 plecos (all bushy nose types) and none of them have any problem eating during the lights on period.
These are a longfin variety of the standard L-144. This was taken about 3 months ago right after I bought them. They are over 4" now.
These are the albino variety of the L-144, L-144a. As long as they have places to hide if they choose, they will be out and about most of the time.
I have found that the standard pleco (the ones that grow to over 2 feet long) get quite lazy when they realize that they will be fed every day. Mostly they just lay around and wait for the food to drop in.
If you didn't feed them at night, I bet they would be out trying to scarf up food when the other fish are fed during the day. They might even clean off some algae for you. However, if you have live plants in the tank, they might cause you some problems by chewing on the leaves.
I keep Java fern and some anubias with a few of my plecos, the leaves are nice and tough. The plecos do not bother them at all.
The bushy nose (bristle nose, BN's) are very industrious little guys and gals, they are busy on the glass and the bottom most of the time. I love them and will never own another standard plec again (too big, too messy).
John
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Post by jonv on Oct 20, 2008 12:47:22 GMT -5
Extremely nice looking tank you got going there John!! I really enjoy looking at how you have that set up.
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Post by 8 in the Corner on Oct 20, 2008 13:12:31 GMT -5
Extremely nice looking tank you got going there John!! I really enjoy looking at how you have that set up.
I use flower pots (cheap) for most of my cave spawners, plecos like those and the PVC pipes with a cap on one end. I am afraid, though, that I do not clean the front glass as often as I should (as evidenced in the first photo, there). Most are breeding tanks and not show tanks as many of you have.
John |
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Post by jonv on Oct 20, 2008 14:50:51 GMT -5
Ahh John no worries on that, heck I NEVER can seem to beat brown algae out of my tanks to the point I just don't even try anymore ha ha. I really like your set up though, because of the really nice natural look you have to it. That's also sand too right? It sure looks like sand. If I didn't know this was a tank and just looking at the pictures, to me, it looks like a very natural set up you have going. I really do enjoy looking at your pictures my friend.
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Post by goldenpuon on Oct 20, 2008 15:18:36 GMT -5
I like your tank 8! Oh big is it? I know that species of pleco grows 2 feet long. You must have a very large tank to have that many!
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Post by bikeguy33 on Oct 20, 2008 18:22:10 GMT -5
renee ...the bristle nose stay pretty small. most i have seen are less than 6". the ones that grow 2 plus feet are the common plecos.
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Post by goldenpuon on Oct 20, 2008 19:21:55 GMT -5
Thanks for correcting me Bikeguy. They sure look like the common plecos. The tank must be much smaller than I thought, My first guess was it was a couple thousand gallons! lol
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Post by 8 in the Corner on Oct 20, 2008 20:46:32 GMT -5
I like your tank 8! Oh big is it? I know that species of pleco grows 2 feet long. You must have a very large tank to have that many!
Bill is right, the bristle nose plecs do not get much bigger than 5-6". Most of my males are not larger than 6", in fact, most of them are under that. I only have a couple monsters that are over 6", they take over whatever cave they want by just moving in. Even the cichlids in the 55g tank do not challenge them for a choice flower pot.
This guy is a little over 6", that is a 4" pot he is sitting on. He is almost 2 years old. He has a good crop of bristles, eh? Some have a lot more, some have less. They start developing on the males at around 4-6 months (females do not have them on the nose). The reddish patch on his head is common to the albino males. It is typically lighter on the females but you can darken it up by adding some paprika to their food. The paprika trick works with all fish that have some natural red or orange in them. It is a trick that people use in fish shows. Illegal, but used, nevertheless.
John |
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Post by bikeguy33 on Oct 20, 2008 20:49:32 GMT -5
beautifull specimen john
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Post by Carl on Oct 20, 2008 21:14:43 GMT -5
I second that! How big is this guy now, is the same as the others in the first pic. (4")? Carl |
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Post by goldenpuon on Oct 21, 2008 14:54:58 GMT -5
Wow, those fish must have just been babies. I honestly thought the tank in your first pci was over 100 gallons. lol Nice fish 8. Is he the 6 incher?
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Post by 8 in the Corner on Oct 21, 2008 16:38:42 GMT -5
How big is this guy now, is the same as the others in the first pic. (4")? Carl
JohnThank you very much! He is one of my favorites. |
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Post by goldenpuon on Oct 21, 2008 16:39:38 GMT -5
You're welcome. Very nice fish!
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Post by 8 in the Corner on Oct 21, 2008 16:44:47 GMT -5
You're welcome. Very nice fish!
John |
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Post by murdock6701 on Oct 21, 2008 17:20:32 GMT -5
wish I could drive to Ohio and give you mine.....he's my baby but he is going to a 125 gallon so he'll be really happy! his sail is sooo big and beautiful and he is very peaceful - I love plecos and admire the care you give yours - they are truly beautiful fish!
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Post by 8 in the Corner on Oct 22, 2008 0:01:50 GMT -5
wish I could drive to Ohio and give you mine.....he's my baby but he is going to a 125 gallon so he'll be really happy! his sail is sooo big and beautiful and he is very peaceful - I love plecos and admire the care you give yours - they are truly beautiful fish!
You are right, he will be very happy in a 125 (I wish I had room, and the money, for a tank that big). My biggest is a 55g (going to set up 2 more in the next couple months).
There was a big auction... or show, up there in Michigan, did you make it to the event? I wanted to go, but we had an auction here in my area that weekend too.
This is the big guy's tail about 6 months ago while he was guarding a batch of eggs in his "cave." This is a classic behavior for male plecos when they have a clutch of eggs (the tail hanging out of the cave). It is a barnacle cluster that he liked a lot (he is upside down in there, btw). That is my horse faced loach (Mr. Ed), he keeps the sand stirred up in that tank (they are burrowers, in sand).
John |
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