Gold Nugget

nashnut · Post by **nashnut** » 24 Jul 2006, 19:02

Are they extremely shy? I've had mine for a few months now and he spends about 75% of the time in his cave. He comes out in the late afternoon or early evening to hang on the wood area but is easily scared off by movement in the room. The tank has numerous cave areas as well as plantings.

Post by **Barbie** » 24 Jul 2006, 21:52

That's totally normal behavior for him.

Please fill in your location in your profile, even if it's just for the country you're in. It's one of our rules to keep this international forum up to date with information that will actually help you for the country you're in. Thanks.

Barbie

FuglyDragon · Post by **FuglyDragon** » 25 Jul 2006, 05:38

They like oxygenated moving water, once I moved mine from my discus tank to a 'river' style tank they were like different fish. They now sit out in the river flow most of the time and are much more active both day and night (yes Im crazy enough that I watch them with infra red mode on my vid cam after dark).

Try adding a powerhead or if you allready have one in the tank directing the current towards a cave.

nashnut · Post by **nashnut** » 27 Jul 2006, 17:50

There's plenty of current in the tank as the cave is directly under the outflow of an AquaClear filter and across from the outflow of a fluval filter. He does sit out on both the cave top and the log but spends 75% of his time - if not more - inside the cave with the polka dot loaches who adopted him months ago. They seem to love being with him. I laugh at the loaches as they will sit on the cave top and fall asleep and suddenly keel right over from the current only to wake up and right themselves.

He seems to be happy when he is out as the dorsal is up and out fully as is his tail. I wish I could sex him but you can't get close enough.

racoll · Post by **racoll** » 27 Jul 2006, 18:35

What temp is your tank?

Too cold, and they may reduce their activity and feeding.

nashnut · Post by **nashnut** » 27 Jul 2006, 20:46

About 78 to 80 most of the time. I'm wondering if it might be a male.

This was taken a couple months ago...

ginosanti · Post by **ginosanti** » 28 Jul 2006, 11:13

Dont know about the gender of the pleco, but is that a botia rostrata in the back?

nashnut · Post by **nashnut** » 28 Jul 2006, 12:42

Polka dot loach - Botia Kubotai. There are four of them that live with the Gold Nugget.

racoll · Post by **racoll** » 28 Jul 2006, 12:45

About 78 to 80 most of the time

These fish live in very warm water in the wild (88F+).

To raise the metabolism, and make the fish more active, I would consider raising your tank temp (and O2) to 82-84F providing your other fish are OK with that.

I'm wondering if it might be a male.

Baryancistrus are very difficult to sex, and it's only possible when they are sexually mature. I'm not sure of the exact size, but I think it might be 10"+.

Your fish looks far too small to sex.

ginosanti · Post by **ginosanti** » 28 Jul 2006, 12:56

I checked them out here http://www.loaches.com/species_pages/bo ... anmar.html

cool fish, have'nt seen them here in holland yet.
Most places that have botia's don't offer many species. This a shame, they are very interesting and playful fish,appart from the aggressive ones, and the imho boring clown loach.