Small BN pleco help

So about two weeks ago I picked up a very small (1.5") BN pleco from petco. I'm a little worried about her.
First of all she's VERY hard to find in the tank, is it normal for them to hide so much? I have plenty of decorations in there I'm just worried she'll get stuck.
Secondly, I honestly don't know what she eats, I have driftwood in there as well as putting in small prices of algae wafers and I've been putting in fresh veggies every couple of days, but I haven't seen her actually eat any of it. But when I do see her she's always healthy looking and growing bigger.
Should I be trying anything else to make her come out more? And what can I do to make sure she's eating? aliray I know you love plecos any advice?

 

She will eat cucumber or zucchini, and yes, hiding is normal....plecos are somewhat nocturnal

 

Yeah I've put in cucumber and zucchinI before and it never gets touched. It just sits in there until I have to pull it out. I tried attaching the photos that I do have of her but they've mysteriously disappeared from my phone lol

 

They are awesome hiders. I always have trouble finding mine and it's 5''! Having driftwood in your tank is awesome for it as the driftwood contains fiber that helps it digest. Are your algae wafers being eaten? You might have enough algae in your tank for the time being to satisfy its hunger.

 

Blanch the zucchinI (par boil) until it starts to get slightly soft to the touch. Put a bamboo or plastic skewer thru the zucchinI and stick it in the gravel. Feed just before lights out, and leave overnight. inspect the zucchinI in the morning to see if it's been chewed on. you'll see it mostly on the skin of the zucchini. BN plecos are shy, and you might not see much of it for 4 to 8 weeks to come out. If it is eating, it will be OK.

 

Thanks! The wafers are being eaten but I'm sure it's the other fish that pick them up. I have goldfish in there temporarily while their filter seeds and I've had one almost choke on a full wafer lol so I know they're trying to eat them. Also why I break them into small pieces when I do feed.

 

Yeah, just like fissh said, I would feed at lights out. Less of a chance of other fish swooping on their food and they tend to be more active at night.

 

I forgot to say, cut the seeds out of the zucchini. I use a melon scoop. Your goldfish and other fish might also like the zucchini, so put a big enough slice so everybody can have some.

 

I will try all of this out! Just get the middle part with the seeds? Or just put in the outside rind?

 

Just get the middle part where the seeds are. Leave the meat and the rind.

 

Okay thanks!

 

My fish usually eat the seeds...
I have 5 BN catfish at the moment and love them 9cm, 7cm, 7cm and 2 and 1inch (babies). When I first got Oscar (9cm) he hid all the time and the only reason I saw him was because there was not enough hiding places in the tank. I was new and had little idea but my LFS helped me and the problem is now solved.

That was a year ago and now I have moved him to a 2 foot tank (upgrading to a 120L soon). He still hides and runs away when I walk but now eats zucchinI and squash with gusto. If you BN pleco is not eating it then maybe another fish is scaring him away? That's what happened to one of my other BN catfish. Also they are mainly nocturnal creatures so he might be coming out all the time at night and you could be sleeping.

My recommendation is to give him time to adjust and moving from the LFS to your house was probably very stressful, even if you gave the best of care which I am sure you did, as moving from a tank, to a bag, to (usually) a bucket then to another tank is a long process.

Good luck with it!

 

Thanks everyone! I'll keep you all updated. I'll try to get pics of her when I can as well. Don't know that it's actually a girl but we've been calling her Sally Sparrow anyways lol

 

Nice name
I called mine all boys names

 

Lol I have that tendency too which I why I chose a girl name for this one lol I wanted to mix it up.

 

Yeah same!

 

I get smaller veggies like thin zuchhinI and the seedless cukes called English that come in their own plastic wrapper. I leave the seeds in for those two veggies and the plecos love them and eat them. You don't always see big junks out of it especially from a small pleco. more like a groove in it or a hollowed out section where the seeds were. Leave a fresh veggie in their 24/7. try a sweet red pepper wedge with the seeds removed. That is another favorite. Keep trying different veggies and some fruit like a piece of seedless watermelon or a chunk of cantelope They all have likes and dislikes but the more different ones the try then the more kinds you will find that they like. Brussle sprouts and broccolI florets are some they like as well. Alison

 

Wait you can feed then watermelon?
Is that okay for other fish aswell (not for them to eat but to have in their tank)?

 

Yes you can .Any type of melon is fine. Melon I put in a chuck held down with a stainless steel fork. I get the seedless ones. Ususally the local supermarkets have a container of peeled and cut up pieces of water melon, cantaloupe or honey dew melon. I give them a chunck and leave over night and replace the next day with a new piece. They all love it including the snails. Alison

 

Caught a glimpse of Sally last night, but she was in the back corner so I didn't get a good picture but here's an idea lol

 

Awwww
Adorable

 

Exciting! I got a good shot of Sally tonight sitting on the TARDIS, which is how she got her name lol.
Is she supposed to have that white spot on her tail?
Also I just started working at a new store that has lots of veggies and frozen organically and stuff so I'll be able to pick up lots of stuff for them! I just picked up some frozen organic sweet pepper strips for them that I haven't put in yet.

 

mine all have that white thing
Also don't worry about white spot on your BN catfishies
As they have armour plating instead of scales they can't get white spot (I've had 2 cases of white spot that decimated my tank but my BN were all good and cheery)

 

Yeah I have ich in this tank right now (the problems are never-ending) I just thought the white spot was odd but as long as you say it's normal lol. I'm hoping she will start to come out more as she gets bigger.

 

same with the ICH thing
I treated it once just like my aquarium told me "Now it won't come back" they said. 3 months later all dead fish. My LFS has been getting worse lately I hope it gets better because I like to deal with one of the people there.

 

I got it in my 30G and then transferred all fish to a bigger tank and I was hit with it. I caught it early so I only lost a few fish but it's still annoying I had to go buy a whole new heater for the bigger tank lol.

 

LOL
My LFS said I might have to redo my whole tank and bin it. I have a $130 filter and some other expensive things so nah. My favourite fish are safe and I heard that one your fish gets ICH it won't get it again. I agree with this. The first time I had two survivors and they did not get ICH the second time when everyone else caught it they were fine.

 

That might be possible actually! All of my original platies are perfectly fine but any news ones are feeling it, in fact those are the fish that died.

 

hope it helps

 

I have over 20 1.5"+ common BN pleco juvies that need a new home. $1 for 3, PM for larger quantities, plus shipping from Topeka, KS. I also have a few assassin snails ¼-½" $1.50ea or $5 for 5. No guarantees on anything less than 2day.

 

How much do you think shipping will be to 21111

 

It looks to be $10 and 2 days

 

Adorable! Can they live with loaches?

 

I am unsure of that, but I think they might. I would check before you get one.

 

Why not ?

 

Did you breed them yourself? I'm thinking of getting Albino juveniles. I may want one.

 

Please remember the B/s/t forum is not a discussion forum, if you have questions other than about purchasing from the Op then ask in the main forum.

 

Yes I breed them to find out some of the genetics in the parents. They are from a common male and Albino female.

 

Yes I breed them to find out some of the genetics in the parents. They are from a common male and Albino female.

I'll consider it. I'll let you know for sure when I go to my LPS in a few days. I'd rather buy from an actual breeder than a pet store.

 

Depending on your timeline the next batch with be from a long fin albino male and Albino female. Depending on how soon these move I'll breed them.