Rubberlip not eating

[rommel39]

Hi,

I got a rubberlip pleco about mid-Feb in my 75 gallon tank and I have yet to see him eat. I have put in slices of cukes and he has not touched them, and I am kind of concerned because every pleco I have ever had usually loves cuke slices.

Water para. are normal and all within range. Any suggestions or thoughts?

Thanks

 

[James From Cali]

Is there algae in the tanks? Maybe he is full off of algae or eating at night.

 

[rommel39]

I don't think there is much algae in the tank. I've only had the tank set up since the beginning of Feb (although I used my old filter and gravel for the good bac.).

The nitrate levels are only around 20ppm.

 

[MrBungle]

could try some blanched squash/zucchini or algae wafers.

 

[James From Cali]

Try algae wafers like stated or other veggies. Mabey he is a picky eater.

 

[Fuzz16]

cucumbers are suppodely not the best thing for them-dont quote me on that though
and perhaps theres no algae cause hes eating it?
ive never seen my pleco...and actually rarely see him. but hes chubby and fat when i do see him.
i wouldnt worry that much, plecos are like cats. just...not fuzzy

 

[rommel39]

I've also tried zucchi without much success. I'll keep throwing in a wafer at night and hope that he is at least eating that.

 

[FroggyFox]

When you see him, check his tummy area. If its pooched out a little then he's a happy camper. If its sunken in, then you should probably try something else...maybe call the store where you got him and ask what they feed their rubbernoses (might help, might not, couldn't hurt to ask).

Most of them are cool with algae wafers...so you can't go wrong with dropping a couple of those in every other night or so.

Edit: btw cucumber is fine, zucchini is fine, algae is fine...they all have good nutritional value. Algae wafers are usually combined with other nutrients so its always good to use those as a staple and supplement with the other things.

 

[Lotus]

I rarely see ours come out to eat when the lights are on. I generally see them at night on the glass. So, feed him after lights out, and as Froggy says, check that his stomach isn't sunken in.

 

[rommel39]

Thanks for the advice.

Have had rough luck with rubberlip and bristlenose plecos (after sucessfully raising my very first pleco (a common) to over 12 inches). So when I got this rubberlip at PetSmart, I got the largest rubberlip in the tank, hoping that would translate into a hardier pleco--he's probably about 2 inches long.

I'll keep feeding him the tablets, cuz like I mentioned before zucchini and cukes are just not working with this little guy (or girl).

If his/her stomach is sunken in, anything that I should do in particular??

 

[FroggyFox]

well...if its sunken in then its definitely not getting enough food and/or it could have some type of health issue, so you want to try something else. If its not sunken in then you don't need to worry because whatever you're doing is giving it enough sustenance.

 

[rommel39]

Thanks for the advice everybody, I enjoy the help I get from myfishtank