- 1). Provide the gold nugget pleco with at least a 50-gallon, freshwater tank. A strong current provided by an aerator is also a must for the gold nugget pleco, which loves well-oxygenated water.
- 2). Include two or three pieces of driftwood in the tank setup along with a few plants and a layer of stones. The driftwood, plants and stone substrate will give the pleco plenty of places to hide.
- 3). Maintain an overall water temperature between 73 and 79 degrees F. A fish tank heater can help with water temperature control. The pH of the water should also stay within a range of 6.5 to 7.0 in order for the pleco to remain healthy. A water pH testing kit can help keep the tank water in check.
- 4). Vacuum the stone substrate regularly with an aquarium vacuum. A buildup of food and debris at the bottom of the tank can cause the gold nugget pleco to acquire fungal and bacterial infections.
- 5). Feed the gold nugget pleco a supplemental diet of freeze-dried bloodworms, high quality flakes or sinkable carnivore pellets. Although the gold nugget pleco will naturally gravitate to algae, he will eat the supplemental diet when algae are scarce.
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