Should I Worry?

[m00ms]

hi all,
 
brought a green phantom pleco the other day and he is little small.i have noticed he is trying to eat but my panda garras keep pushing him away.
 
i have tried to keep garras away by dropping them jbl noyo away from plecos spot and dropping him a noyo close to him.when left alone he is eating but when garras return he trys to stand his ground but is just to small (for now!!)
 
should i be worried or any tips to ensure he doesnt go hungry

 

[haleem8777]

I think you should worry if he is not eating he will starve.i have kept catfish and similar to your situation one was being pushed away or way to late to the food so i moved him into another tank. if you dont have another tank a breeding trap works well.
 
What you should not do is put extra food in for the pleco because you will be overfeeding.
 
Just wait for other replys as they may be better

 

[coolie]

I don't know these particular breeds, but some times you can try little tricks that work, especially as fish aren't the brightest animal.
 
I keep my larger Rosy Barbs occupied with large chewy dried blood worm which they go mad for, but put it in at the same time as
 
crushed flake food for the Tetras.
 
If I just put flaked food in alone, the Tetras would get none.

 

[m00ms]

being careful not to over feed and just dropping food at opposite end of tank away from plecos spot then once panda garras are away i drop food right under pleco nose.
 
keeping close eye on his feeding and each time food is present the little green dude is out of hiding so hopefully he is getting his share.

 

[haleem8777]

Yeah just watch his size , as soon as u see he is getting thinner something more drastic has to be done

 

[m00ms]

just watched him eat and he stood his ground with one of the garras.he returned to the noyo tablet many times and only got pushed away twice.
 
he has now swam off to a nearby rock and is not intrested in the noyo so hopefully he has a belly full.saturday the tank gets blood worms so see how he likes those.hopefully nice big fat green phantom coming soon.
 
hope i am just being over cautious as i want a healthy pleco and he is easily most expensive fish i have brought especially with his lack of size!!