# Butterfly Plec keeps hiding!



## s_hosgood (Jun 22, 2007)

I have a 30Gal coldwater planted tank, been setup for about 3 weeks, have 3 hardy goldfish that were bought as a sort of guinea pig to make sure my tank was ok.

I bought a butterfly plec the other day and all he seems to do i sit on the back of my filter which is obviously right up against the glass, theres about a 15mm gap and he just hides up in there.

I have put a new bit of bogwood in today which had been soaking for 5 days and boiled for hours earlier and is looking good. I hoped this would draw him out so that he could graze on the bogwood instead of hiding away.

Has anyone got any ideas of drawing him out? I paid good money to see him not for him to hide away majority of the day.


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## NeverEndingNinja (Jan 4, 2008)

Plecos are shy. He may come out every once in a while, but my BN pleco, which I've had for 6+ months, hides all the time. I see him every once in a while, as he's less shy and doesn't hide when I come around, but he still doesn't come out much.

Not much you can do to lure them out, sorry.


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## s_hosgood (Jun 22, 2007)

NeverEndingNinja said:


> Plecos are shy. He may come out every once in a while, but my BN pleco, which I've had for 6+ months, hides all the time. I see him every once in a while, as he's less shy and doesn't hide when I come around, but he still doesn't come out much.
> 
> Not much you can do to lure them out, sorry.


Its a shame because when i bought him he wasreally active and didnt seem shy. Ohwell nevermind. Is it because its nice, warm and dark behind there??


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

s_hosgood said:


> Is it because its nice, warm and dark behind there??


No, it's just instinctual protection. It's hard to be eaten when you can't be seen.

My Flash pleco hides quite a bit, as well. I have found that if I get a little bit away from the tank (5' or so) and am very still, he will not realize I'm there and come out. Of course, if I make a move, he zooms back into his hiding place.

You can try to entice him out with a nice fresh slice of zucchini or cucumber (weight it down) or even the algae wafers are irresistible to plecos. Then move back and be very still to see if he goes for it.

Also, consider adding moonlights to your setup. It may still be hard to see him, but it's worth a shot and it's enjoyable to watch the tank at night anyway.

I've recently moved my pleco to my new 75g tank, and while I moved his "home" driftwood with him, I also have a large jungle-gym piece of driftwood in there, as well. He took to the new one immediately. The nice thing about the new one is while he may think he's safer because it's bigger, I can actually see him better because the larger network of branches also means a larger network of holes with which to see him.


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## Madfish (Sep 9, 2007)

Alot of the time they can be very shy. Every fish is different you might just have to give him some time to get use to the tank and the movement around it. Im sure after awile he will get use to it and start to come out more.


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## s_hosgood (Jun 22, 2007)

Thank you for your help, i will check how he is doing today. Yesturday was his 1stday with the bogwood, so hopefully he would of noticed it in the evening and then become familiar with it.


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## Raul-7 (Oct 17, 2003)

You mention this is a coldwater tank, plecos do not thrive in cooler waters and as you heard they prefer to hide during the day.


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

Oh, yes, he will. Plecos and bogwood are like magnets. They somehow become bonded to each other without even trying.

Some plecos actually need to eat the wood for their digestion. But not all plecos. So if you see yours gnawing on the wood, don't worry. You're not underfeeding him. He's doing what he's supposed to be doing.

Something you do need to watch for is your water changes. I'm not sure if your tank has cycled yet, but most tanks don't fully cycle in 3 weeks. Goldfish and plecos are very well known for being pooping machines. They will require more vacuuming and water changes than your average tropical fish. The most critical time is during the cycling phase.

At first, your worries will be the ammonia. Ammonia is very toxic to fish. Eventually, nitrifying bacteria will make its way into your tank, and start converting the ammonia into nitrites (notice the "i"). Nitrites are also very toxic to fish, and they can spike up very quickly when the tank is cycling. So you need to watch very carefully for when that happens so you can do water changes to keep the nitrites at a safe level.

Finally, the nitrites will be converted into nitrates (this time an "a"). Nitrates aren't as harmful to your fish, but they do need to be removed with regular water changes. They become harmful when they get to high levels of concentration (when people do not do water changes).

You may already know all this, and if so, I apologize in advance. But just in case, I wanted to be sure you were aware most especially because of the specific fish you have being such high poopers (which means very high ammonia amounts). I can see you really care about your pleco and want the very best for him.


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## crazy loaches (Sep 29, 2006)

Hold on a sec! Are we really talking about a pleco?

Butterfly pleco is the common [unfortunate] name for various hillstream loaches and not a pleco at all. Unfortunately these guys often dont get the conditions they need and deserve, partly from folks not even realizing what they are and just throwing them in a regular tropical tank (at least you know they are coldwater). You might want to read these articles about hillstream loaches to see if this is what you have (and the proper care, etc.):
http://www.loaches.com/articles/hillstream-loaches-the-specialists-at-life-in-the-fast-lane

Just checking incase it isnt a pleco like everyone is dispensing advice about. :wink:


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## Me813 (Sep 29, 2007)

My 'Butterfly Pleco' looks like the one below, but on other websites they classify it as 'L134 Leopard Pleco':


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## crazy loaches (Sep 29, 2006)

Then it is a pleco and not a loach. I am not a pleco expert but I do believe that is a tropical not coldwater fish (the loach would have been coldwater but not this guy). Any pleco experts out there please correct if I am wrong.

And just to verify, yours looks more like that L134 and does not look like this (which is a loach):







?


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## newshound (May 9, 2005)

crazy loaches said:


> Then it is a pleco and not a loach. I am not a pleco expert but I do believe that is a tropical not coldwater fish (the loach would have been coldwater but not this guy). Any pleco experts out there please correct if I am wrong.
> 
> And just to verify, yours looks more like that L134 and does not look like this (which is a loach):
> 
> ...


thanks crazy
you are right we need correct I'd on this pleco or loach
folks do some research before you buy fish
and a fish will hide after being introduced to a new tank (who wouldn't)


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