# Shy Rubber Lip



## Elilya2009 (Nov 21, 2009)

I have a ten gallon tank that has been active since November of 2009. Since starting, I have lost many fish, mostly mollies and two catfish. After the death of my last fish, I stopped buying any fish at all. Since then, I've no more deaths, which led me to buy a Rubber Lip Pleco. He is still very small, no bigger than 3" at most. He was very attrative to me at the store because of his size and his activity level. However, when I brought him home, he immediately sought shelter behind the heater, and now rarely moves. When I turn on the light, i see him flitting across the tank bottom or sides, only to shove himself behind the heater again. I have read and found out that these particular Plecos are shy, but I'm worried he isn't eating. Any tips?


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## Dando (Apr 13, 2010)

***

DON'T BE WORRIED! 

Pleco's will find food themselves. He will eat any scraps or suck up any algae he can, he will be fine probably just settling in.

Let me know how it goes.



(great little cleaners)


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

feed a sinking food right before you turn out the lights. A algae wafer or sinking pellet.


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## timmo2009 (Jun 10, 2009)

agree with all the above, and don't worry about him hiding either. All the pleco's i have ever had have found their home right under my heater. But don't worry, they come out at night and clean up any scraps or sinking food u throw in there.


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

I have found that most Plecos that have never been in a aquarium before are rather shy for about several months. I never saw my Brown Spotted Pleco on a daily basis until a couple months ago and I bought him back last summer. Now I see him everyday because he knows if he shows up at around 7 AM he gets shrimp pellets and algae chips.


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## Elilya2009 (Nov 21, 2009)

Thanks for the info everyone. I really appreciate it. He's doing well and I've noticed some algae is gone.


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## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

Yep, our Rubberlip hides under/behind the heater as well, most of the time. 
He does come out and eat the algae off rock structure we have in there, and almost the entire underside is back to the color it was when we bought it, haha.


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## NatBarry (Feb 19, 2008)

To be honest, I have known nearly all pleco's to hide most of the time as nearly everyone i've had has. They mostly come out at night to roam and gather the leftovers around so I wouldn't worry, its just because your not seeing him eat but im sure he is.


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2010)

i cant remember who was the user who had a catfish that he hadnt seen in months and it just popped out one fine day nearly twice the size and health as ever!

think it was stripesandfins.


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