Morph

my sailfin pleco baffles me. I was all worried about giving him the best housing a.k.a cave to rest in. long story short i put in a piece of pvc around 2.5 inchs in circumfrence. He can get into it, but he can't turn in it or do anything besides go in it and go out. I knew this cave was to small once i put it in. So i went out and bought a piece of pvc that was like 6 inchs in circumfrence, enough for him to get in it, turn around, flip upside down or do whatever.

Why is this fish going to the small tiny pvc pipe that he can't get compfy in? is he just returning to the small cave cause it was there first and more familiar? Seems odd he wouldn't go to the better hidden larger cave that actually fits him. Should i take out the smal cave and assume he'll migrate?

susitna-flower

I would take the small one out. I lost a BN pleco a few days ago because he got wedged into a hole in a piece of drift wood, and couldn't get out.

You won't be there when he gets stuck, and it will end badly I'm afraid.

COBettaCouple

I'd take out the small one - he's probably gotten to think of that as a safe spot so he ignores the bigger one while he's got the old safe spot to swim to.

Narcicius

It might be that when hes in the smaller one the walls are closer and he can see less of the outside world, this makes him feel safer, nad more secure, kinda like a blanket to a small child. the bigger one is just to open for him right now. He'll get used to it.

Morph

confilcting advice is no good lol, he's big enough to get in the old cave, he's not big enough to get stuck in it, he fits almost snuggley into it.

HatchetHaven

Narcicius

Hope your fish settles in eventually.

Morph

so i took the small cave out and he doesn't know what to do, 2 days now he's just clinging to the back wall or resting inside omething he doesn't fit in :|

i'm hoping just leaving him be he'll figure it all out on his own, seems sorta sad that he's all lost though.

Butterfly

I personally would leave both of them in the tank, If he can scoot out the other end he should be fine, not having a way out the other end would be a problem. Most fish that use caves will use one a little snug that way nothing else can get in to bother them. He isn't going to go to sleep in the cave and wake up too big for it. when he needs it he will use the bigger one.
Carol

Morph

i thought the point of the cave was for security. It would seem odd to me that he would go in head first leaving his tail exposed and no other move aside from a reverse charge to defend himself. seems weird the 8 months i've had him he's always slept head point out of cave upside down, now all of a sudden he prefers right side up head in.