Amanda

As some of you know, yesterday I bought a clown pleco. He's about 2 in. long. Since he's been in the tank, he hasn't really moved or come out at all. He just hides in a cave in the tank. He doesn't even come out at night. And he also hasn't eaten. I just did a 25% water change just to try to rustle him up & he barely moved. He's in a well established 10 gal. tank. What could be wrong? Should I be worried?

COBettaCouple

He may just be taking in his new surroundings. I'd put a wafer in his cave and clip a slice of cucumber close to it.

Amanda

Ok. I feel horrible because within the week he will be moving to my 55 gal! I may just leave him in the 10 gal. until he gets a little bigger. I just don't want the poor little thing to die on me.

Allie

Clown plecos like to hide, do you have some wood in there...they love wood. My 2yr old adult female always hangs out on the driftwood.

Amanda

No, I don't have any driftwood in there yet. I'm in the process of boiling a piece now. I don't mind that he hides, I'm worried about the fact that he's not eating.

Amanda

I just read on a pleco website that clown plecos don't come out very often & hide most of the time. They're not sociable like common plecs.

Allie

Feed him at night when you aren't around. Oh they get spooked very easily. My girl wiggs out when I have to mess with the tank. She goes from her nice coloring to a weird yellow blotchy brown color. She has anxiety issues I think, lol.

Amanda

lol, alright thanks. I was just worried that this plec isn't as outgoing as the common plec I used to have. He/She just came out of the cave ans is now stuck to the back of the taank - and is currently having a "personal space" issue with my apple snail.

Allie

She and my Blue panaque pleco have an occasional squabble over a certain part of the wood. She kicks up a gravel storm.

dking271

My Clown has been in my tank for about a month, and is only now starting to become really social. You do need to get driftwood in the tank asap, as Clown's require wood in their diet. Also, try putting a veggie in there overnight. Mine really likes Zuccini and Yams.

Amanda

There is now wood in the 10 gal. with the pleco. He/she'll be moving to the 55 gal. within the week. I currently have it inside the cave that the plec hangs out it - to make sure it eats & because it needs to be weighed down. If it still leaks some tannins, it won't hurt the fish right?

dking271

Tannins will not hurt the fish, and he may even prefer the tannin stained water. If you want to remove the tannins in the water because you don't like the look, I have had great success using Seachem's Purigen.

Tom

For my clowns, they took a few days to get used to the new home. They need wood, lots of hiding places and it is just normal behavior that you are experiencing. So just another week and then if the behavior is still the same, then you should worry, but not a whole lot.
Tom

Amanda

I can see him sneaking out at night and suck on the back of the tank. Soooo, I hope he is doing well.

Tom

Oh, if you see him sucking on the back, he is finding some bits and pieces of algae, so no worries.
Tom