🐟 Why Does My Pleco Have a Sunken Stomach?

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1️⃣ Starvation / Malnutrition 🍽️

• ❌ Not enough food – Plecos cannot survive on poop or scraps.
• 🟢 What they need instead:
  • 🍃 Algae wafers (staple diet)
  • 🥒 Vegetables – zucchini, cucumber, spinach, peas (blanched)
  • 🪵 Driftwood – essential for digestion in many species
  • 🍤 Protein treats – shrimp pellets, bloodworms (occasionally, depending on species)
• 🔎 Signs of malnutrition:
  • Belly looks hollow, wrinkled, or pinched in
  • Pleco becomes less active and hides more
  • Fins may look clamped

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2️⃣ Internal Parasites 🪱

• 🐟 Wild-caught plecos are more likely to carry them.
• 🔎 Symptoms:
  • Sunken belly even if pleco is eating regularly
  • 💩 White, stringy poop
  • 😴 Lethargy – pleco hides constantly, avoids food
• 🛠️ Solution:
  • Medicated foods with praziquantel, levamisole, or metronidazole (depends on parasite type)
  • Keep water extra clean during treatment

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3️⃣ Stress or Poor Water Quality 🌊

• 💨 Low oxygen, 🌡️ wrong temperature, or 💀 high ammonia/nitrite can cause stress.
• 🔎 Signs:
  • Gasping at surface
  • Not eating
  • Belly looks thin because pleco won’t forage
• ✅ Fix:
  • Strong filtration + good aeration (air pump + sponge filter)
  • 🧪 Test water weekly (Ammonia: 0, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate < 40ppm)
  • 🌊 Regular gravel vacuuming + water changes

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4️⃣ Optical Illusion (Normal Behavior) 👀

• 🪞 Sometimes when a pleco is stuck to the glass/acrylic, its stomach looks sunken in.
• 🌀 This happens because the suction pressure of its mouth pulls its body tight against the surface.
• ✅ If the belly looks round and normal when on the bottom, driftwood, or decorations, this is not a health issue.

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✅ What To Do If Your Pleco’s Belly Looks Sunken

• 🍃 Feed algae wafers daily (nighttime is best since plecos are nocturnal).
• 🥒 Supplement with blanched veggies 2–3x a week.
• 🪵 Always keep driftwood in the tank (especially for bristlenose, common, royal plecos).
• 💧 Maintain clean water & strong oxygen levels.
• 🧪 If belly stays hollow → treat for parasites.

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👉 Bottom Line:

• If your pleco only looks “sunken” when on the glass → 🟢 Normal illusion.
• If your pleco always looks sunken, hides, or is weak → ⚠️ Underfed, stressed, or sick.

🐟 Pleco Belly Check – Healthy vs. Sunken

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✅ What To Do

• 🍃 Feed algae wafers daily
• 🥒 Add blanched veggies 2–3x weekly
• 🪵 Provide driftwood for rasping & digestion
• 💧 Keep water parameters stable
• 🧪 If belly remains sunken → treat for internal parasites

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👉 Quick Tip: If your pleco looks thin only when stuck on the glass → 🟢 that’s just suction pressure. If it looks thin all the time → ⚠️ that’s a real problem.