pleco in love with heating element
- Thread starter Wat2Go
- Start date
What type themometer are you using? One of those stick on ones or the in tank glass ones or another type?
One of these submersible heaters. It is set on 85 and no, the thermometer is not close to it (it is one of those stick-on strips, so the temp - I guess - isn't very accurate, but it shows a temp between 76/77 (night) and 80 (day).
This silly pleco keeps that little corner of the tank immaculate, but the other side of the tank is green algea paradise (not overgrown, not that bad). The pleco also hangs rather close to the surface (none of the other fish do)
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Could it have anything to do with the malachite green that I had to put in the tank to treat for ich?
The fact that he/she? hangs ON the heater sort of worries me! When we just added it to the tank, it hid itself in a rock all the time, it took weeks for it to show its face and we figured he/she was nocturnal. Then he/she swam around happily and did a good job eating algea. She started loving the heater about 4 days ago... I don't want it to die, as I am cycling a 29 gallon tank right now: it's future home!
L.
This silly pleco keeps that little corner of the tank immaculate, but the other side of the tank is green algea paradise (not overgrown, not that bad). The pleco also hangs rather close to the surface (none of the other fish do)
.
Could it have anything to do with the malachite green that I had to put in the tank to treat for ich?
The fact that he/she? hangs ON the heater sort of worries me! When we just added it to the tank, it hid itself in a rock all the time, it took weeks for it to show its face and we figured he/she was nocturnal. Then he/she swam around happily and did a good job eating algea. She started loving the heater about 4 days ago... I don't want it to die, as I am cycling a 29 gallon tank right now: it's future home!
L.
So long as your pleco is'nt getting burned, it's not really a problem. By the sound of it, you've not had your plec very long, so you might want to give him more time to adjust to your tank. Most plecos do pick out a favorite spot, and spend a great deal of the day just hanging out.
Have you been feeding him? Plec's don't live by algae alone, and you may be able to entice him into other parts of the tank with blanched zuchini, algae wafer, or shrimp pellets. Go take a look at the bottom feeder's section on dietary requirements for the different types of plecs.
Have you been feeding him? Plec's don't live by algae alone, and you may be able to entice him into other parts of the tank with blanched zuchini, algae wafer, or shrimp pellets. Go take a look at the bottom feeder's section on dietary requirements for the different types of plecs.
He/she will be in this tank for at least three more weeks, while the bigger tank is cycling.
It moved away from the heater a little bit, and I checked a couple of times at night, when all the lights were off and it seems to explore the whole tank at night.
I have given it algae wafers and it ignores those absolutely completely. But, because there currently is guppy fry in the tank as well, we feed very small crumbled flakes twice a day, so I am guessing it eats some of those too while hovering the gravel??
Someone said I could feed it a piece of cucumber without the seeds, but I will have to buy a clip first (PetSmart only sold these hideous Nemo shaped clips...)
It seems happy enough, and it is very peaceful, it even leaves the plants alone...
It moved away from the heater a little bit, and I checked a couple of times at night, when all the lights were off and it seems to explore the whole tank at night.
I have given it algae wafers and it ignores those absolutely completely. But, because there currently is guppy fry in the tank as well, we feed very small crumbled flakes twice a day, so I am guessing it eats some of those too while hovering the gravel??
Someone said I could feed it a piece of cucumber without the seeds, but I will have to buy a clip first (PetSmart only sold these hideous Nemo shaped clips...)
It seems happy enough, and it is very peaceful, it even leaves the plants alone...