# My Plecostomus Has Quit Eating



## ali448 (Jun 30, 2014)

Hello,

My 12" plecostomus (sp?) has stopped eating his algae discs. He's about 3 years old and I had another one that lived for over five years so I don't think it's old age. His appearance hasn't changed and he's still active once the lights are off. 

He hasn't eaten for over 2 weeks. I finally got some zucchini and he did eat that, thank goodness. I don't like putting zucchini in the tank all the time because it makes a mess. I usually give it to him once in awhile as a treat.

I'm just wondering why he would suddenly stop eating the algae discs. They are the same brand I've always used, aren't old or defective in any way that I can see. He had been eating discs from the same package without any problems until recently. 

I cleaned the tank and did a 50% water change. The ammonia, nitrate and other chem levels are all okay. He still won't eat the discs.

Any ideas on what the problem could be and how to fix it?

Thanks in advance for sharing your wisdom.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Do you have driftwood for him to rasp on? If not I suggest you get him some, it aids in digestion. Also you can feed him green beans as well and spinach leaves too. Really you should vary his diet by offering him different veggies as well as the wafers, plus wood.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

As with all fish they need variety. If he is a common he also needs some protein.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Has anything changed in the tank lately?Have you added anything or new fish?
Are there any other fish in tank with him,if so,for how long and how big are they?
What size tank is he in?(is he in your 55g?)
The 50% water change is a good thing,but how often do you change water and how much?


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## ali448 (Jun 30, 2014)

Thank youfor your replies & advice. Where can I find driftwood - I'm in landlocked Oklahoma!. Is there a certain type of driftwood to use> Would pet smart have it?

I've never heard of green beans or spinach for plecostomus. Do I just drop a few green beans in? With the spinach, should I attach it to a clip? I have given him romaine lettuce. What kind of protein does he need? On occasion I've bought ghost shrimp just because I think they are cool to look at, but they disappear after a week or so. I figured Scribble (plecostomus' name) ate them/ Is that sufficient or should I be using some other type of protein?

Yes, he's in the 55 gallon tank with 2 Angel fish, 5 cherry barbs and 4 Rasboras. They have all been together for over a year and no new fish have been introduced to the tank within that time. I do want to get a few clown loaches, but have to be careful about getting too many fish in there. 

Thanks again everyone for your help. If you could give me further advice based on the questions aboue, I would greatly appreciate it.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Independence Day.
Alison


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Driftwood can be easy to find even in Oklahoma. If you have a creek, stream, river or lake near by that may have some fallen trees or limbs around that can be used. Look for hardwoods like Oak, hickory and such. Don't use cedar or pine. Make sure no insecticides has been used.

What part of Ok are you in? I'm in Tulsa and maybe able to tell you where to go.

As for foods, use canned unsalted green beans, just one or 2, spinach use a clip. There is also sweet potato, zuchinni - you can remove the seeds before putting a slice in. Don't rely on ghost shrimp, even the angels will eat those and not enough nutrition to be considered a good source of protein. Thy frozen blood worms allowed to thaw in a little tank water before dropping into tank and it will sink.

Just remember it may take a few tries as he has to learn its food.

If you want loaches look into the smaller species like yoyo's that only get to 4 to five inches, but there needs to be at least 3.


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