Young pleco won't eat. Help?

[Lee A.]

I have three young albino longfin bristlenose plecos. Two eat like hogs and are growing rapidly. One little guy won't eat at all and is getting very weak. Any ideas that might help?

[bsmith]

Try crushing up some flake food you have and sprinkle it in the tank. I have never seen a cat tha wouldn't gobble it up with the lights out.

But sometimes there are fish that just won't make it. It's nature unfortunately.

[myjohnson]

Did it ever eat for you at all?

[Lee A.]

He has never been seen eating, unlike the other two that I bought with him. We even took him out and put him in a holding tank of his own tank water and tried to feed him. He would sit right on top of the food and not eat. He's breaking my heart.

[MatsP]

I don't think I've ever seen an Ancistrus that won't eat. Some of the other species can be more tricky to feed (or at least observe when feeding).

I'm afraid I have no solution, but something seems to be wrong with this particular fish.

--
Mats

[Lee A.]

Unfortunately, my little pleco that refused to eat died today. It just simply never ate a thing, though it was offered algae wafers, zucchini, Hakari Micro Wafers, and Spirulina 20. The curious thing is that the other two young plecos, purchased with the sickly one, are thriving. Does anyone know if this could just be a genetic fault, or simply a poor fish that had no chance from the beginning? Have any of you experienced such an event? I hate thinking that there was something I could have done for it and didn't do it. I don't believe the water parameters are at fault, as the rest of the inhabitants of the tank are doing great--they're all active, eat like pigs, and are having lots of babies. My water routinely tests at ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 2, pH 7.3 to 7.6, KH 8, and GH 21 to 23. Thanks to all who have responded.

[bsmith]

There was absolutely nothing you could have done. Just poor luck on your part. Like I said earlier. It's nature, in real nature animals die everyday fur myriad reasons.

[plecomanpat]

You also don't know the conditions it lived in and through prior to your purchase...also could have been injured during capture from the store to you...many factors and as explained b4 it was out of your hands and always sad when you lose a life....my condolences...been there myself

[Lee A.]

Thank you to all who have taken the time to respond to a newbie. I will take your words to heart. I do know that this trio was very difficult for the lady at my local fish store to catch. Perhaps that experience injured my little plec to the point he could not recover, for he never did well. I suppose the thing to do now is to just go on with the healthy crew I have, continue to take good care of them, and enjoy my boxes of water. God's blessings to you all.

[Richard B]

Different species of fish can require different netting techniques - several years working in a LFS taught me that much. Sadly not all LFS employees are skilled in this department.

When i have had tricky feeders/wasted/starved fish, there are some things that may help. Tetra delica daphnia (the jelly food) has been proven to be easily digested, desireable by the fish in question and able to bulk-up fish - this has been borne out on an amblyceps that was as thin as a piece of paper - i kid you not.

Secondly, extra high aeration coupled with a raise in temperature may help, particularly if the food offered is a wet paste (homemade with quality ingredients) which includes fresh garlic.

These things might not work all the time but are worth a shout.

The only thing to bear in mind is not not "kill with kindness" - ie offer loads of food in the hope a fish eats but have the reverse effect of polluting te water with uneaten foodstuffs

[Taratron]

Unfortunately some animals seem to be born as 'culls.' I've had a few baby ball pythons and sand boas refuse any and all foods and die despite treatmet (force feeding is often worse than not). Also have had a few tortoises die after hatching for no clear reason. Sometimes there is really nothing you can do.