I bought a gold nugget pleco?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Well, I no longer have a gold nugget pleco. Friday I decided to move the driftwood into my 125g tank since the tannins had all leached out, and that is where I had originally wanted it. The pleco seemed lost with out it in the 29. He would dart all over the place, even with the lights off. So I decided to put him in the 125 with the driftwood thinking he would be ok. I was wrong. Sunday I woke up and he was dead. I don't know who killed him, but there was a small chunk of his underside missing when I netted him out. I am devistated. I don't know how this happened? I figure it was one of the oscars, since none of the other fish are large enough to really do much damage to him (other than torn fins). But even the O's have ignored much smaller plecos and cats that I've introduced to the tank. I just don't know what to think. :(
 
Thats unfortunate. A young gold nugget would only feel secure if it had places to hide, which is probably why it stressed out so much.
Fish may have only been picked at once dead? A lot of people have young ones die on them for one reason or another, they dont seem that hardy a pleco
 
Well, I suppose they could have picked at him once he died, but he was doing real well in the 29g. I moved him into the 125 on saturday, and then sunday morn. he was dead. Think he could have died that quickly from stress alone? My hunch is that one of the o's chewed him up, and spit him out, but I'm not sure. Either way, I am getting another, fantastic plecos. Really awesome looking.
 
Dunno, could be a lot of stress, little fish with bigger tankmates, being acclimatised from shop, then take hiding places away, then move into another tank, might have been stressful. If you get another one, make sure it doesn't have a sunken stomach, a lot of GNs that have it dont last too long. A lot of people treat them in a quarentine first for internal parasites.
 
Yea, I will definitely keep an eye out. He won't be put into the 125 either, maybe the 55, but then I'd have to buy some more driftwood. Oh well, its worth it. Do you think I could put one in the 125 at all? Maybe once its larger, say 6-8? I really like the way my 125 is stocked now, and the GN would be the cherry on the cake. I guess I just jumped the gun.
 
This was him. RIP. :cry:

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well the only issues with the big tanks for the small fish housed with big fish...
it easier to feed them in a smaller tank because it is easier for them to find the food, and they wouldnt be outcompeted by bigger fish
if any of them are capable of eating it, it will be touch and go whether it will survive. To be honest, i'd put him in the 55 for a growout, with some bogwood. Youd probably see it more often too. Shame about your old one, looked nice, if a little light coloured, considering the dark background.
 
Thanks davo, I'll take your advice and use the 55 as a g/o. I'll let you guys know when I get another. I stopped by the lfs where I got him, and they didn't have any left, so I guess it might be a while. There was a... ****, I can't think of the name right now, but a panaque, emperor? or something like that? The one with greenish stripes, one of those at the pet store, but I don't like it quite as much, and its a little more spendy... we'll see I guess.
 
panaques will need the wood. If you really wanted it and didnt want to wait, if you speak to the manager there, they would be sure to order one in for you. Check out L14, Scobinancistrus aureatus, they are another similar patterned/colour plec too.
 
My LFS told me the typical price for a GN is around 80 dollars.. this can't be right, can it? I'm very interested in getting a young one to house in my 37.
 
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