Are Gold Nuggets fragile?

mike_the_zealot · Post by **mike_the_zealot** » 27 Oct 2004, 21:54

I've kept a bushy nose and L124 with no problems in the past, so when I saw this Gold Nugget glowing like plutonium at the LFS, I slapped down my $50 with little to no deliberation.

He was only about 3" so I decided to grow him out in my planted 10 gallon. Other inhabitants were an Otocinclus sp., an Apistogramma agassizi, and a couple corydoras. Water parameters were: PH-7.5, Ammonia-0, Nitrates-Near 0, Temperature-78Â°F. Sounds like a great home eh?

He freakin died within 24 hours! I never lose fish!

Are they prone to stress? It took me awhile to get him and the other fish I purchased home, and it was cold out... but they were in a styrofoam box. The other fish are fine, but that may be due to the fact that they were a 5" Green Terror and a 4" H. nicaraguensis.

I dunno, just curious if it was a fluke, or if I need to take extra precautions when I bring another one home.

mike_the_zealot · Post by **mike_the_zealot** » 27 Oct 2004, 21:58

arrrgh! I know what happened! I never spell it pl*co! I always spell it out! Never again!

paul scarborough · Post by **paul scarborough** » 27 Oct 2004, 22:59

I dont know but i hope you just got a lemon, im getting ten or 15 in this weekend for the first time, i would hate to see them be a problem, i will let you know how mine do. I got some LDA33 in last week, they were a little tender at first, i lost two before they got strong, i will have to be a little more carefull with them next time.(also, i learned dont put them in with your honduran red points and feed them a cucumber, the red points like cucumber too, and killed one over who got to eat it, i moved the rest out fast, no more pleco dithers for them! put some adonis in with them, red points are afraid of them, he he he

mike_the_zealot · Post by **mike_the_zealot** » 28 Oct 2004, 00:02

What's funny is, if I remember right, he didn't have them labeled as gold nuggets (gold nuggets don't have the yellow finnage, he explained =P), he had them labeled as "Lemon Pleco" or something... I should've known then....

As it is, upon closer examination at home, I noticed the Green Terror I got there that day has pop-eye.

kwalker · Post by **kwalker** » 28 Oct 2004, 02:33

actually it has been my experience with all baryansictrus sp, that they are indeed fagile when being shipped. they just do not do well traveling. i have brought in several pleco's from south america and nothing has more problems during shipping than baryansictrus sp.

on the flip side once they have established themselves in my tanks they are very hardy in my opinion.

good luck with your next purchase.

ken

WhitePine · Post by **WhitePine** » 28 Oct 2004, 04:23

make sure you have hiding areas for them as well. I made this mistake once and One of my gold nuggets like to hide next to the heater... and got burned. I lost him and have since made sure to get heater guards.

PlecoCrazy · Post by **PlecoCrazy** » 28 Oct 2004, 06:00

I couldn't tell you how many gold nuggets i have lost over the years and its usually within the first week they pass away. As kwalker said they are usually hardy once established. Don't feel bad over losing one, that is just kind of the way that it goes with the species. I also work at a fish store and we lose several that come in. Here are some things to look for and do.

If belly is sunken and/or green do not purchase. If you cannot see the belly in your dealers tank ask to see it in a specimen container.
Many people that come in to the store get and/or have their tanks setup for the perfect ph and etc. That is not always ideal as your lfs may have way different water parameters. Have a quarentine tank setup with dechlorinated tap water (maybe a little ro). You can get your fish to the ph you desire after the fish has settled. Most lfs use what comes out of their tap for freshwater tanks but it doesn't hurt to ask their parameters.
Make sure you have plenty of oxygen getting into the water. They love to munch on cucumber.

Good luck next time. By the way $50 may be a little high. We typically sell them between $25 and $35 but prices may very across the country.

ClayT101 · Post by **ClayT101** » 28 Oct 2004, 15:13

I have had no success with gold nuggets what so ever. I have had success with goldies (L-14). I find these to be even prettier fish, except they do get to be a foot long. I just traded mine into the LFS, as I am in the process of switching over to a planted aquarium, and this fish had a tendency to destroy any plants that I got.

INXS · Post by **INXS** » 29 Oct 2004, 03:55

Gold Nuggets and baryancistrus in general are tought to acclimate IMHO as many people mention. I have lost many gold nuggets and a few mangos too.

I am not sure why or exactly what does it but here are a few things I have done lately to help me and it has been succesful:

- give them a quarantine tank that is as big as possible with lots of water, make sure it is well cycled , if you get them from a local fish store then ask for lots of extra tank water and when you get home acclimate slowly. If shipped I generally acclimate baryancistrus slower then other plecos and for a longer time. Apparantly they are sensative to quick and big changes because I have heard of people acclimating them to their african tanks.
- don't feed for several days - even if they look hungry. Make sure they get adjusted to they new waterconditions first - warm , clean and well airated water. Wood helps.
-IMO baryancistrus are terratorial and mean towards their own kin - often they are held in species tanks with a number of their own and that results in battlescaring. Let them heal and if you get more then one make sure you give them ample space.

They are beautiful fish and eventhough I have had very poor luck with them in the past I haven't given up. I have a group that I got almost a month ago acclimating in a 125g. I lost 1 the first day and 2 came DOA (bloated) , there was plenty of poo in the bag and the fish looked very weak and stressed when I started drip. I didn't think several were going to make it so I had to hurry the acclimation up a bit. I didn't feed them for almost a week and then lightly at first. They are now doing extremly well and there are 6 of them gnawing on a zuccini I dropped in the tank an hour ago in full light.

Good Luck

silvernes · Post by **silvernes** » 29 Oct 2004, 06:16

Just don't name them Elvis....

also introduce them to a well established tank don't let them shuffle around with your other fish, I learned that the hard way... the $95 hard way...

(and yes I've been constantly hitting myself on the head since I did that... perhaps that's the problem...

)

Nes.

polkadot · Post by **polkadot** » 29 Oct 2004, 07:50

Smaller nuggets are harder to keep as compared to the larger ones. I've lost a few in the past due to unknown reasons as well. Now i know take big nuggets!

racoll · Post by **racoll** » 06 Nov 2004, 17:07

well my nugget and my LDA33's are just fine. Plenty of oxygen, a slow acclimation and lots of cover.

Just don't name them Elvis....

this is spooky because i've managed to kill three male kribensis (how can you kill kribensis!!!) all called Elvis!

all my other kribensis that weren't called Elvis were fine...

Weird.

paul scarborough · Post by **paul scarborough** » 06 Nov 2004, 17:26

well shoot, i got in 12 gn, all but two kicked off by the end of the 2nd day, 2 were doa, 1 never made it to the tank(or just barely) the rest died in less than a day. they are gonna reship tho, they were in really nasty water. I got some LDA33 again at the same time, and they all did fine, alive and well, along with the medusa'a that some how got into the mix. wish me better luck on the next gn bunch.

silvernes · Post by **silvernes** » 07 Nov 2004, 07:23

I named one of my Goldfish 'Elvis II' to go with 'Roxie' the fem & he's very healthy

When we were little by brother did go thru about 3 'Spots' (Spot, Spot II, Spot III) until we decided spot was a very bad name & his next fish was called something else (I was like 8 I can't remember

). No fish named 'spot' are every allowed in our house again

Nes.

mike_the_zealot · Post by **mike_the_zealot** » 09 Nov 2004, 22:29

I just got an L128 last night from a Portland store for $50. He's about 3.5" and seems to have some potential for good blues. I acclimated him as suggested and he seems to be doing ok.

The LFS here just got another gold nugget in today, it's like 2" so I'm hesitant. They've also got a Queen Arabesque, 3.5". Would I have any aggression issues housing all 3 together in a 3-foot tank (provided there's sufficiant hiding spots)?

And how important would you guys say current is? I'm considering getting a powerhead for the tank.

racoll · Post by **racoll** » 10 Nov 2004, 12:01

best to reserve the nugget i think. wait a few weeks and let it settle down from its journey at the LFS.

i think they'll be ok in a three foot tank for a few years, but they WILL NEED a larger tank once they've grown a bit.

definately get a powerhead. they can never have too much current or oxygen.