pleco sick or not?

Question
i have a 60 g tank, 2 rainbow sharks (i know), an albino tiger barb, and my plecostomus. tank has been running for about 2 years, i do 25% water changes 2x month along with a vacuum clean about once a month or two. my pleco sometimes just lays on the bottom of the tank looking listless. i see him acting "normal" too, but him just lying there worries me. i give him a zucchini wheel once a week.  is his behavior normal or is he sick? thank you....jessica"


Answer
Hi Jessica;

Plecostomus aren't known for being especially active all the time. As he gets older and bigger he may just slow down a bit more. If you start to see other symptoms such as redness, tattered fins, fuzzy patches, etc., he may have an infection you should treat. Look at his belly too. If it looks a bit sunken, try giving him zucchini more often.

He may need more hiding places too. Plecos really like caves made of rocks or a flower pot turned on it's side. He may have lost out on space with the two rainbows staking out their territories. The bigger they all get, the more room they will need. I hope he does okay...

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins