I have one--an L177. I've been told by the people I ordered it from that they won't really eat during the day. They're nocturnal. After 3 weeks in the tank, I THINK it's eating, but I"ve never seen it. Belly's not sunken. It moves around the tank, from one resting spot to another, throughout the day, lays on top of logs under full light. But it just will not eat anything during the day, won't move toward pellets or veggies during the day, nothing like that. It also just doesn't notice other fish at all. I"ve seen cichlids get right up next to it to look at it, and the Pleco doesn't move unless it's actually touched--if then. I've read they have an "omega iris", they don't even look for food til lights out when they open up the Omega Iris and start looking around. Does that agree with others' experiences with Pleco's? Are some Pleco's more nocturnal than others? Does anybody have a Pleco that eats pellets during the daytime just like any other catfish does?
So these fish are pretty much blind when the lights are on? How low does the light need to be for them to "think" it's dark out? If I turned out all the lights and put on a moonbeam, that's when they get active? Is that what other people do? Think I read about a red light that's invisible to saltwater nocturnals (like octopus). That work on Pleco's? Is it even worth the trouble? I'd hate to spend $100 on "night light" only to find out that a Pleco in the dark is about as lazy as a Pleco during the daytime.
About Pleco feeding--I have only one scum sucking fish in a 125 Gallon tank, and I've had A LOT of scum and dusy algae type stuff in the water from surface plants. So I took all those plants out, and cut back on the lighting a good bit, and the tank's a lot cleaner now. Is my Pleco gonna starve now? If there's less scum, and he's just been living on that and not eating food I put out at night (lettuce, pellets, zucchini every night an hour after lights out), will he act different letting me know that he's not eating enough? If I wait til I notice his belly's sunken, it's too late isn't it?
What DO they eat exactly--some say scum and film, some say pellets and veggies, others say "bloodworms". But, they're catfish. Are they just pretty much bottom scavengers, like any other catfish?
Finally, how many can I put in my 125 Gallon? I have a 4 inch L-177 now, and 3 Pictus cats. Could I add another 2-3 Pleco's? Or do I need to consider myself lucky that a L177 is living in my tank (so far) and not push my good luck with Pleco's?
Thanks
So these fish are pretty much blind when the lights are on? How low does the light need to be for them to "think" it's dark out? If I turned out all the lights and put on a moonbeam, that's when they get active? Is that what other people do? Think I read about a red light that's invisible to saltwater nocturnals (like octopus). That work on Pleco's? Is it even worth the trouble? I'd hate to spend $100 on "night light" only to find out that a Pleco in the dark is about as lazy as a Pleco during the daytime.
About Pleco feeding--I have only one scum sucking fish in a 125 Gallon tank, and I've had A LOT of scum and dusy algae type stuff in the water from surface plants. So I took all those plants out, and cut back on the lighting a good bit, and the tank's a lot cleaner now. Is my Pleco gonna starve now? If there's less scum, and he's just been living on that and not eating food I put out at night (lettuce, pellets, zucchini every night an hour after lights out), will he act different letting me know that he's not eating enough? If I wait til I notice his belly's sunken, it's too late isn't it?
What DO they eat exactly--some say scum and film, some say pellets and veggies, others say "bloodworms". But, they're catfish. Are they just pretty much bottom scavengers, like any other catfish?
Finally, how many can I put in my 125 Gallon? I have a 4 inch L-177 now, and 3 Pictus cats. Could I add another 2-3 Pleco's? Or do I need to consider myself lucky that a L177 is living in my tank (so far) and not push my good luck with Pleco's?
Thanks
