Pleco Behavior

[patichi]

We have a pleco in a 46 gal bow front freshwater aquarium. It is about 7" long. It stays in the same place on the side of the tank all day, everyday and only moves during water changes (gravel vacuuming) then returns to the same place. It used to attach itself for long periods of time in different locations, but has been in this one location for several weeks. Is this normal?? His belly looks like it's fading or getting some sort of fungus growth on it. Could it be too big for the tank now?

Thanks!

[crazyred]

The vast majority of plecos are nocturnal. The have a special 'eyelid' that allows them to block light and sleep during the day, but they are active at night. My guess is that he's sleeping and active at night.

What do you feed him and when?? Plecos need to be fed....it is a myth that they can survive solely on algae in the tank.

[patichi]

I thought the same thing, but when I peak in on the tank from time to time at night he's in the same place! It's possible that he happens to move during the time that I'm not watching, but how weird it that?!

We have several plants in the tank, but I also drop in sinking algae wafer and bottom feeder pellets each night before I turn off the light.

[crazyred]

If his gills are moving and the algae wafer is disappearing then you have nothing to worry about IMO. I have a Queen Arabesque in my 55 that hardly moves, and a Rio Jari in my 29 that stays permanently welded to 'his' shipwreck. Plecs are just nocturnal and timid.

[lloyd berg]

lazy or not i don't think a healthy pleco's belly would be 'fading' or growing 'some sort of fungus'. have you tested nitrates lately? any chance other tankmates(another pleco) have harassed him into playing possum?