Bushynose Pleco Newbie

[givemean_a]

Hi All,

About a month ago I purchased a small bushynose pleco, he's about an 1.5 to 2 inches long. He immediately made short work of any algae that was growing in the tank, but we've also been feeding sinking algae wafers and sinking hikari wafers. The sinking wafers end up disappearing but we have 3 other cory cats and the platys really love a good algae wafer too, so I can't be sure it's the pleco. We've tried putting cucumber slices in the tank, Sweet potato etc, but nothing happens to them. He seems ok but I worry he's not getting enough to eat. We have a piece of driftwood in the tank because I heard that was good for their digestion. Any suggestions on the veggies on how to get him to see them as food or whatever?

Thanks!

[KingFisher]

With mine, if they are getting enough food from the algae wafers wood and algae in the tank, they tend to leave the veggies alone, or at least take a long time before they will eat them. Sounds like yours is getting plenty to eat. If you look at his belly when he is stuck to the glass, it should have a plump round appearance. If it looks sunken in, he is not getting enough to eat.

[givemean_a]

I feel like I read, on this forum, that if you can see the V in their belly that they aren't eating enough. I think I was able to post a picture of his belly from a few days ago. It looks a little sunken in to me. :-(

Any ideas on how to get him to eat a little more?

Thanks.

[Brhino]

how long are you leaving the veggies in? Both my plecos had to be "trained" that the veggies are food... at first they'd ignore them for a while.

[givemean_a]

I've been leaving the veggies for 24 hours overnight. The cuke started to disintegrate. Did you have any luck with a "starter veggie" to train your plecos?

[Brhino]

cucumber's pretty good... you might try a zuccini - that seems to be favorite.

[butterbean]

Hi I'm also new to my BN Pleco but this is what I have seen mine do. I was always trying to drop the shrimp pellets and wafers right where he would run into them until I noticed no matter where they drop if I watch soon the corys cats and BN will swim to them and if the BN wants it he gets it the only one that takes food away from him is my angel if she/he is in a snit and picking on every one that day she makes them work for it but in the end they still get the food. Someone on here posted something that made sense in a way is your BN pooping quite a bit if so he is eating simple but they do kind of go together

[talldutchie]

Bristlenose don't eat wood, that's panaque and even that's debatable if they actually eat it or if it's a byproduct of their grazing on aufwuchs. Bristlenose also do like to graze on whatever's growing on wood. What they also like is something to shelter in. A cave, half a terracotta flowerpot or a piece of pipe.

Young bristlenose can be weird when it comes to food. Cucumber is often the easiest to start on. Soften it up in boiling water for a minute or two. Stick on the end of a stainless steel fork and place in the tank. Remove after 24 hours.

what helps is to place it in the same spot every day, if possible on an open area near it's favorite hangout. If the fish doesn't show interest then split a clove of garlic and rub it over the veg.

[Dennis Bissett]

They need to learn the veggies are food, patience and perseverance is the key. I've found it only takes a day or so for my Brisltenose fry to develop a liking for zucchini (slice about 1/2" thick on a fork, raw.) As soon as you see any sign of whatever you put in breaking up (usually 24 hours or so) remove it and put in a fresh bit

[SueD]

I've had the same experience as others. It took a few times before the BN realized the veggies were mmm good. I don't soften them at all, especially cucumbers, as they are a mess to remove if they start to deteriorate. I also found that he took to the cucumbers more easily at first but now will destroy a zucchini slice.