# Gold Nugget Death



## turtles404 (Jun 1, 2008)

Well I thought I finally had all the kinks worked out of my 65 gallon tank. Last Saturday I purchased a gold nugget pleco at the LFS and yesterday he was dead when I returned home from work :noidea: All of my other fish in the tank have been doing great...All of my parameters have been stable and running good along with weekly water changes. The temp sits around 80-82F. The pleco was about an inch in length (if quite that long). I would really like to have another one, but with the price on these guys I dont want them to keep dying. Any clue on what might have happened?


----------



## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Don't blame yourself. I can't keep them alive for anything. I have 7 other plecos, one that's over 8 yrs. old. I think the gold nuggets are hard. I don't get them anymore.

I found this on one site:
I work in an exotic pet store which specializes in all cold/tropical, fresh/salt fish keeping. Within the time my co-workers and I have begun bringing in the "newly discovered Gold Nugget Pleco", we have come to the same conclusions as most everybody else; the Gold Nugget is a much less hardy fish in comparison to it's cousins and is much happier with a shelter and some wood to knaw on (like most other plecos). But, the Gold Nugget is more carnivorous then most other plecos and seems to enjoy worms and brine as much, if not, more, than vegetation/algae. Eats algae from rocks, plants, substrate, wood, and tank sides.

Here is Planet catfish page on this guy:
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=153


----------



## Natalia (Sep 15, 2008)

I have red that plecos, at least some types, live in fast moving oxygen-rich waters. So, my theory is that in a high-tech CO2-rich tank they may suffocate because of the lack of O2. May be the Golden Nugget is one of those that should not be kept in the tank, unless you are willing to turn off CO2 and put powerheads. Of course, this is only a theory.... Besides, it grows quite large and 65G is a rather small tank.


----------



## rich815 (Jun 27, 2007)

Does you LFS quarantine their fish? how long had they had him before you bought him? Or was he FOTB?


----------



## ddavila06 (Jan 31, 2009)

im no expert but isn't 80's too hot for the plecos, specially fancy ones?? i keep mine in temperatures around 78 and haven't had any issues, i have clowns, marble sail fin, bushy nose, and wiphtail...


----------



## turtles404 (Jun 1, 2008)

He was by himself in the tank and they had had him there for 2days with no signs of illness. The LFS that I purchase from has always been real good at letting me know when they can get in special things I'm looking for  Anyway...I did do a "no-no" my self and after letting his water adjust to the tank at the house I put him straight in my main tank. I figured 2 days alone with no signs...should be ok...guess I was wrong. At least no one in my main tank got sick and he didn't look sick.

on the temp question. I had read somewhere that they could withstand the temp in my tank, but I have also noticed that temp recommendations can vary from website to website.

and on the tank size...we are in the process of prepping a 150 gal tank that we hope to keep discus in. This tank is going to be my show tank and I was really hoping to have a "special" pleco in there. I might try again once the tank is up and running, but I figured I'd ask out there to all of you before I spent even more money trying get one to live.

Thanks again!


----------



## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

There are at least 3 species available called Gold Nugget. Look into all three and make sure the conditions are right. (Planet Catfish seems a good place to research them)
Here is another. Note the comments that even this L-number is thought to represent any of 3 possible species. So there very well may be even more Gold Nuggets!
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=154

I also cannot keep them alive. About 2 months is the max. They have wood, I feed a rotation of all sorts of food, as far as I can tell the tanks ought to be right. But they die. :-(


----------



## erock (May 19, 2008)

If you want to try again, try to find one that is a bit bigger, say 2" already and has been living at the pet store at least a week. Smaller plecs can be more problematic. Tank temps in the 80's is totally fine and even preferred, and make sure there is plenty of driftwood for the fish to hang out on and you should be fine. Also, do a bit more work during acclimation just to be safe.

I feed my tank bloodworms, beefheart and brine and everything, including my gold nugget, seem to enjoy this mix.


----------

