feeding or health issue?

zeebo

Member
Jun 11, 2010
1,986
1
36
ct ,usa
as stated above,not sure what is up. The last 3 nights i have put veggies of various kinds in the tank. Three clipped veggies for the 2 L128 sub-adults and one for the farlowella. I put their veggies half way under the slate where they live, each phantom has his own territory. Feed every night and alternate the veggie. Past 3 nights the larger L128 has kicked the untouched veggie out of his home ,toward the front of the tank.

I thought cold be a tummy prob so i plucked him out and got a good look , tummy is normal in color ,shape and size, not bloated or sunken in.

Ohter phantom and farlo are eating fine. Anyone got a guess why he is not eating ? he looks very healthy, got a real good look when i took him out . Could there be an internal problem which i cant see and how would i know what to do about it?

He sits on his rock perch under the slate as usual,no strange behavor.

Should i hold back a night of feeding ? any ideas what could be wrong would be appreciated.

Georgie
 

bigbird

Pleco Profiles Moderator - RIP FRIEND
Sep 9, 2010
6,306
1
36
Sydney, AUSTRALIA
maybe he just needs something else . I would not feed for a night and see the next day. Observe his belly and poo. Some people only feed every couple of days as well. cheers and keep us informed jk :thumbup:
 

Brengun

Global Moderators
Staff member
Apr 22, 2009
5,041
4
38
62
Burrum Heads, Queensland, Australia
The joys of L128, can be funny eaters but guaranteed they will never starve to death, even if they do get huffy sometimes and only eat twice a week.
Maybe he's maturing and just wants his own cave?
 

zeebo

Member
Jun 11, 2010
1,986
1
36
ct ,usa
Thanks BB, will do . (as i bite my nails) he has never turned down his favs, zucchini, green and red bell pepper and spinach.

water:
amonia 0
nitrites 0
nitrates - under 10
ph- was 6.8
10% wc's daily
gravel vacuum weekly

fish: 9 harlequin raspbora
3 rainbow
3 pencil fish
1 farlowella
2 L128's
54g tank
2 HOB's
2 hydra-sponge filters
1 8'' airstone

thanks ,
Georgie
 

zeebo

Member
Jun 11, 2010
1,986
1
36
ct ,usa
Hi Bren, thanks, hope youre right about him maturing, but he has his own area in the tank, he has the larger area, with 2 different types of caves , and semi-walls made from the granite caves in the tank to block off his view of the other phantom.

I will not feed tonight , watch his poo if i can ,not sure he has any as not eating, and only way to see the poo is to pluck him out again,as neither phantom is a ''glass hanger''. Prob not a good idea to stress him again so soon .

appreciate your responses as i cant help being concerned.
Georgie
 

zeebo

Member
Jun 11, 2010
1,986
1
36
ct ,usa
hi guys, ok no food last night . Tonight gave them zucchini skin, big-time fav, the small L128 has finished his , but the larger one has only made a few nicks on his. The farlowella is happily munching on his .

Kinda freaking out here, I know Bren said they sometimes only eat twice a week, but this guy is used to eating every night. Not that i doubt you, only that it is so off base for him, i cant help but worry. Bren, do you still feel this is ok and expected from an L128?

Any ideas what could be up ? really need to know if this normal for a maturing male, or could there be a medical prob i should be looking into?

advice appreciated please
thanks
Georgie
 

zeebo

Member
Jun 11, 2010
1,986
1
36
ct ,usa
ok, got a look at his tummy and has a small amount of black poo (i hope its poo), although i never feed anyone black food , the wood is brown.

He has not eaten again tonight .

any ideas what this could be ?

Georgie
 

Brengun

Global Moderators
Staff member
Apr 22, 2009
5,041
4
38
62
Burrum Heads, Queensland, Australia
Pretty much all my plecos have black poo. Must be just the way their bodies process stuff.
Something thats always made me wonder. Do plecos teeth ever change. Like maybe he's growing in more adult teeth or something?
 

zeebo

Member
Jun 11, 2010
1,986
1
36
ct ,usa
thanks, Jackson, my plecs usually poo the color of the food i give um, so the black kinda concerned me. I am having trouble pulling up the site you forwareded but will keep trying . Thanks for your concern.

Georgie
 

Jackson

Member
Jan 14, 2011
787
0
16
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
thanks, Jackson, my plecs usually poo the color of the food i give um, so the black kinda concerned me. I am having trouble pulling up the site you forwareded but will keep trying . Thanks for your concern.

Georgie
Hi Georgie

The link is on the subject of teeth :)

As for the colour of it's poo. I think a lot has to do with diet. Just like people, dogs...

I think it's perfectly normal :)