Missing Pleco

**Spartan845** · 04-10-2012, 02:20 PM

Hello all,

I purchased a gold zebra pleco a week and a half ago and was pretty excited about him. I’d seen him for the first couple of days hiding under a piece of driftwood and he then vanished. I’ve nearly pulled the tank apart, looking for him but I can’t seem to find him in any of the possible hiding places. Do these types of fish tend to dig into the substrate? I don’t have any fish that might have eaten him (they’re all peaceful fish), he hasn’t jumped, and he’s not in my filter. Thanks for your help!

**ScottishFish** · 04-10-2012, 02:31 PM

Sounds like he is doing what plecos do best, hiding. They are nocturnal creatures so he will be hiding in the darkest area of the tank.

**Spartan845** · 04-10-2012, 02:37 PM

That's the thing. I've nearly turned the tank upside down looking for it. I figured he would be sleeping somewhere because he's nocturnal but unless he's dug into the gravel, he's doing a great David Copperfield impression.

**ScottishFish** · 04-10-2012, 02:42 PM

Sometimes the thing you are looking for can be staring you square in the face and you can still miss it. You can't see the forrest for the trees, one of my mums favourite sayings

**Lady Hobbs** · 04-10-2012, 04:11 PM

Any "decorations" he could have gotten into? These wonderful fake decorations some put in their tanks are notorious for trapping and killing fish that get stuck in them. Been there/Done that with both a fake castle and a fake tree stump when I first got into this hobby.

**Spartan845** · 04-10-2012, 04:32 PM

That had been my initial thought. We have a fake ruins in the tank (a basis of disagreement between my wife and I on the decor) and I thought he'd been in there. I picked it up but didn't see him hiding in the darker crevasses. I figure I'll keep leaving food for him and know he's still alive from whether his food has been eaten.

**Lady Hobbs** · 04-10-2012, 04:37 PM

If they can find a dark place for hiding, they will go in there without regard for getting back out. Some of this fake stuff has a nice place to get in but then the openings get narrow inside the thing and the fish becomes stuck and can not back out.

I paid $60 for the fake tree stump and that lovely big castle I had and took a hammer to both of them to free up fish that were stuck. Loaches, in my case.

PVC is the cheapest and the safest.

**bignellm** · 04-10-2012, 07:02 PM

Originally Posted by Spartan845

Hello all,...
...he hasn’t jumped, and he’s not in my filter. Thanks for your help!

Regarding the line in red, how well did you confirm this? Is it a size-able fish or one that could fall into a nook or cranny and not be immediately seen?

I've personally seen BN Plecos get into the tubes of under gravel filtration systems. They seem to go, where they want.
Are you sure the fish is still in the tank?

**Spartan845** · 04-14-2012, 04:24 PM

I found him this morning, hanging out under a piece of driftwood. I couldn't believe it, I'd pulled the tank apart several days ago in search of him. But, in any case, he's alive. Thanks again for all your help.