# Other Aquarium Forums > Freshwater Fauna > Catfishes >  Ways to make your plecos to come out to eat under lights?

## lighter

Saw my friend's pleco tank which is very amazing. The moment he dropped those sinking wafers into his pleco tank, within seconds all his plecos would come out from their hiding spots and caves and hit straight for the food. Really look like a gathering time for them!!! And best thing is there is lights ON!

Mine leh the opposite, only can dropped the food and it'll be eaten only if I switch off the lights, even small lights from far they die die dont eat in front of me!

Any ways to make them eat in front of me? 
Here's what i think so far, please comment or tell me if they've work for you!

1. Putting dither fishes like tetras to diffuse the fear? *or to eat their food so they goes hungry?!*

2. Starve them? But how long can they go without food?

3. Buy MORE PLECOS???!! *excuse to buy another pleco*

4. ?????????

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## lighter

Saw my friend's pleco tank which is very amazing. The moment he dropped those sinking wafers into his pleco tank, within seconds all his plecos would come out from their hiding spots and caves and hit straight for the food. Really look like a gathering time for them!!! And best thing is there is lights ON!

Mine leh the opposite, only can dropped the food and it'll be eaten only if I switch off the lights, even small lights from far they die die dont eat in front of me!

Any ways to make them eat in front of me? 
Here's what i think so far, please comment or tell me if they've work for you!

1. Putting dither fishes like tetras to diffuse the fear? *or to eat their food so they goes hungry?!*

2. Starve them? But how long can they go without food?

3. Buy MORE PLECOS???!! *excuse to buy another pleco*

4. ?????????

----------


## lighter

Saw my friend's pleco tank which is very amazing. The moment he dropped those sinking wafers into his pleco tank, within seconds all his plecos would come out from their hiding spots and caves and hit straight for the food. Really look like a gathering time for them!!! And best thing is there is lights ON!

Mine leh the opposite, only can dropped the food and it'll be eaten only if I switch off the lights, even small lights from far they die die dont eat in front of me!

Any ways to make them eat in front of me? 
Here's what i think so far, please comment or tell me if they've work for you!

1. Putting dither fishes like tetras to diffuse the fear? *or to eat their food so they goes hungry?!*

2. Starve them? But how long can they go without food?

3. Buy MORE PLECOS???!! *excuse to buy another pleco*

4. ?????????

----------


## lighter

Saw my friend's pleco tank which is very amazing. The moment he dropped those sinking wafers into his pleco tank, within seconds all his plecos would come out from their hiding spots and caves and hit straight for the food. Really look like a gathering time for them!!! And best thing is there is lights ON!

Mine leh the opposite, only can dropped the food and it'll be eaten only if I switch off the lights, even small lights from far they die die dont eat in front of me!

Any ways to make them eat in front of me? 
Here's what i think so far, please comment or tell me if they've work for you!

1. Putting dither fishes like tetras to diffuse the fear? *or to eat their food so they goes hungry?!*

2. Starve them? But how long can they go without food?

3. Buy MORE PLECOS???!! *excuse to buy another pleco*

4. ?????????

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## benetay

That doesn't only apply to plecos, even apisto and other fishes are similar, they are still very scare to come out to open areas as they're not familiar to the surrounding i'm sure once they known yr presence they will eat infront of u IMO.

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## ZeRoC00l

Er.. my golden nuget been with me for almosta yr and still like &amp;quot;no balls&amp;quot; like tt.. alwasy hiding...

But then my spotted brissle nose [excuse my spelling], like superman, come out and swim ard like he owns the tank... [:0] 

How?? I cannot afford to get another pelco... no $$$

feeding algae wafers also not much diff.. or no diff at all [ :Embarassed: ] 

anyone has other ideas?? 

Thanks  :Smile:

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## coryfav

maybe it's the diff types of plecos? my L015, L204 &amp;amp; L191 appear in front &amp;amp; sides quite often, while the rest especially my L248 and L014a only comes out at lights out.

but i've left a wide space in the back for them to move around in &amp;quot;private&amp;quot; and for me to drop their tablets. but still can view from the sides and through the reflection on the back of the tank though...

i've been doing some modifications to my pleco tank lately, quite easy to spot them now. will post photos later.  :Smile:

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## lighter

zerocool, mine nugget is the opposite. It's one of those which at least dont hide all the time! Mine L253 and L264 hides all day long behind the driftwood, any attempts to remove the wood will make them get started very easily!

coryfav, looking forwards to all your plecos pics!!! pls post them soon!

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## coryfav

hi, got photos of my pleco tank setup here:

http://arofanatics.com/members/coryfav/my3ftplecotank/

the last few photos are the latest, and any comments are most welcome. i need feedback so that i can improve the layout.  :Wink:  i'm still waiting for pics of other members' pleco tanks leh! [:0] cos i don't know whether my pleco tank looks like a tank should be! [ :Grin: ] 

cheers!

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## ZeRoC00l

No wonder you can see yr pleco... Yr tank is very open and little hiding places. and even the hiding places can be seen from the sides.. [:0] 

I'm afraid, my tank is more towards plants. Very densly planted, little gravel showing, all covered by HG, and Glosso..  :Cool:  

I'll keep trying to train my golden nuget to come out.... for now, I just have to settle just looking at his tail...... [ :Embarassed: ]

O.. nice tank! very neat. Like the HDB flats, must pay rent??? [ :Grin: ]

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## loupgarou

L46, still hiding behind co2 reactor (same spot for the last 2 weeks), don't know what it eats.

pondering to come up with a new designer line of L46 plastic toys for aquarium. lol. no difference.. heh

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## coryfav

hdb flats got vacancy now cos some plecos &amp;quot;moved&amp;quot; to landed properties. [ :Grin: ] 

views from the sides are not so easy, cos there's a &amp;quot;wall of java moss&amp;quot; on the left, and a big bridge and smaller &amp;quot;wall of xmas moss&amp;quot; on the right. right of this tank is a 2ft tank's cabinet followed by my cory tank. so they can only be seen in their houses, if you really try to.  :Smug:  

chris, my L046 (3) are in my cory tank. i've a clay(?) tortoise with nanas on its left and right. back door of tortoise leads thru a tunnel to the back, created with 2 pcs of java ferns on driftwoods. my first zebra lives in the tortoise, second and third on its sides. this structure is near the front, where the flow of water current from the filter outlet comes down from the back. they can all be spotted 98% of the time.  :Wink:  i think the shelters of nanas give them a sense of security...  :Cool: 

as for eating, they eat with my corys. [ :Grin: ] 

cheers!

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## lighter

wahlao coryfav, ur pleco tank looks very cool man! Mine is still with gravel now, dont know whether to remove or not! Other than low maintainance, what are the other advantages of having a bare tank? Does the plecos come out more often?

Unfortunately, I dont have any pics of my pleco tank! Basically, its just woods and more woods, but small ones lah so they cant hide that much! Mine is with dark gravel, read from cant rem where that if put dark gravel then their colour more vibrant?! true??? But white gravel very nice, can see the contrast of the pleco's colours easily!

I've got several pleco tank setup pics, but here cant attached pics!?! Anyone wants i can email u!

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## coryfav

lighter, thanks for the &amp;quot;cool&amp;quot; but i really want to see other pics of pleco tanks then will know whether my tank looks like a tank... [ :Grin: ] yup, email me your pics at [email protected]? tks!

actually, i've tried a very long time to keep a graveled-bottom tank (despite advices from akoh &amp;amp; the gang).  :Evil:  then i noticed lately that i've to siphon part of the gravel (and later put back) in order to remove most of the &amp;quot;dirt&amp;quot;. so off with the gravel and now vacuuming is easy.  :Wink:  

yeah, darker-coloured gravel looks good for the fishes, but for planted, me think lighter is nicer too. [: :Smile: ]

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## coryfav

lighter, have you got a L015? try this, cos i find myself &amp;quot;chasing&amp;quot; it from the front of the tank lately, after i put my hillstream loach in the tank.

you see, i feed my plecos by putting food into the back of the tank. as this loach (fortunately) comes to the front during feeding time, i put some bw there for it. then comes L015 (without fail  :Mad:  ) who's out to steal! my other &amp;quot;brave&amp;quot; plecos are L191 followed by L204.

cheers!

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## lighter

Hi coryfav,

I've sent u those pics, but I think yours still look better! I gapok them from jap websites!

Ok, I think L015 is on my shopping list next![ :Grin: ]

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## coryfav

lighter, thanks for the pics.  :Smile:  

hey, how about a pic of your own tank leh? i was trying to guess which is yours, until i came back to read this thread again. [: :Smile: ] 

anyway, are all of those pleco tanks? most of them quite bare for plecos to hide. but i think those with solid slates/rocks not right environment for plecos leh. think wood makes more sense, and best are those long pieces of wood with plants tied to them.

sorry i also can't post those pics i chose, here. those plecofanatics who want to see, guess we've to go thru email too. [: :Smile: ]

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## lighter

Too bad I dont have a digicam, so no pics of my tanks yet!

Correct me if i'm wrong but isnt the pleco's natural habitat full of rocks and sand?! Or was it the L046 only?

Went to GAN today, no new findings leh...

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## coryfav

eh? thought plecos &amp;quot;live in the woods&amp;quot; like robin hood? according to my aqualog special, &amp;quot;furnishing the tank with a carefully constructed pile of tangled roots and driftwood isn't just a natural and beautiful way to set up an environmental aquarium, it also provides the 'shade' your catfishes long for.&amp;quot;

anyway, i've just changed the background paper of my tank to a plain 2-tone blue one. now i guess it looks neater.  :Smile:  still thinking of ways to improve!  :Wink:

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## lighter

I dont know leh, lets wait for experts to enlighten us. What i read is that mostly the habitat consist of many rocks with sand, there will be some wood because some species need to gnaw on them, and not much plants around.

I saw your new pic, your tank looks brighter now. Mine is like your old setup with black background. BTW, I SAW MY PLECO EATING IN FRONT OF ME LAST NIGHT! sorry for the caps! It was my LDA33, the L046 tried very hard to come out but still didnt have the courage the move all the way out. [ :Grin: ]

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## akoh

> ----------------
> Mine L253 and L264 hides all day long behind the driftwood, any attempts to remove the wood will make them get started very easily!
> ----------------


lighter ! u got the L253 ! how big ? lose mine during the recent disaster  :Sad:  , been wanting to find a replacement ! u want to sell ?.  :Razz:  [ :Grin: ] 

Safe Diving !
akoh

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## akoh

> ----------------
> eh? thought plecos &amp;amp;quot;live in the woods&amp;amp;quot; like robin hood? according to my aqualog special, &amp;amp;quot;furnishing the tank with a carefully constructed pile of tangled roots and driftwood isn't just a natural and beautiful way to set up an environmental aquarium, it also provides the 'shade' your catfishes long for.&amp;amp;quot;
> ----------------


Based on my years of keeping Plecos I discovered that different species have different &amp;quot; tank set-up &amp;quot; requirement eg. the Panaque species prefer &amp;quot; woody ( alot of drift woods )&amp;quot; environment, the twig species like fast flowing water that why they developed streamline body and other species prefer to hide in holes of neutral rocks instead of woods. Hence ( IMO ) an ideal &amp;quot; multi plecos &amp;quot; tank set-up should consist of plenty of drift woods, neutral rocks, a dark gravel and fast water flow. As pointed out by Flor a dark gravel bottom does bring out the plecos' colour BUT BUT clearing those poops is really a big hassle that's why I would advise a &amp;quot; bare bottom tank &amp;quot;.
Most plecos are nocturnal feeder eg L046, L024, L025 etc, that's why I only feed my plecos when night falls !, another important thing you may want to take note is - some plecos are Omni., Vege. and Carni. So a mixtrure of foods like prawns, Algae wafer and Vegetable are required. 
So the best time to see ur plecos makan is during the night and when lights are off !. Install a &amp;quot; small buld lighting &amp;quot; to see the makan session  :Razz: , well ! hope this help ! cheers ! [ :Grin: ] 

Safe Diving !
akoh

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## lighter

Hi akoh,

Sorry but still no intention to sell as yet, maybe in the near future when my tank is too congested? Mine is only around 5&amp;quot;. Seen those adult pics on the net and they look so beautiful, the smaller ones are not so colourful and the colouring is always like stressed out?! How big was yours previously and how big can they reach?

Are they similar L-series they look alike to L253? Just want to know if they're other Ls that look like L253 in case I make an identity mistake!





> lighter ! u got the L253 ! how big ? lose mine during the recent disaster  , been wanting to find a replacement ! u want to sell ?.

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## akoh

> ----------------
> Hi akoh,
> 
> Sorry but still no intention to sell as yet, maybe in the near future when my tank is too congested? Mine is only around 5&amp;amp;amp;quot;. Seen those adult pics on the net and they look so beautiful, the smaller ones are not so colourful and the colouring is always like stressed out?! How big was yours previously and how big can they reach?
> 
> Are they similar L-series they look alike to L253? Just want to know if they're other Ls that look like L253 in case I make an identity mistake!
> 
> ----------------


Hi lighter !, mine was abt 6&amp;quot;, max.size L253 can grow is &amp;gt; 12&amp;quot; ![:0]. Remember coming across a 12&amp;quot; fellow at Qian Hu two yrs ago !. L253 is quite a rare and beautiful pleco so pay extra attention to ur L253 hor !.
The other L series than look similar to L253 is L14 and L14a Goldy or sunshine pleco. Check it out ! Cheers ! 
[ :Grin: ]

Safe Diving !
akoh

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## lighter

OK, i will give it lots of TLC! But dont know wait how many donkey years then become 12inch! [ :Grin: ] [ :Grin: ]

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## ikan

You can try a small red bulb. I have done so with some success.
It's something to do with the colour spectrum that plecos are not sensitive to. I saw an article about it first at planetcatfish I think.
I have 25 watts bulb that I wrapped with red plastic wrapping paper. I think 15 watts red bulb will be better.

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