👉 Bottom Line:
✅ Healthy Belly | ⚠️ Sunken Belly | |
---|---|---|
🔎 Appearance | Rounded, smooth, slightly full | Hollow, pinched-in, wrinkled look |
🪞 On Glass | May look slightly pressed due to suction (normal illusion) | Still looks hollow even when off the glass |
🍽️ Feeding | Actively forages at night, eats algae wafers & veggies | Ignores food, or eats but still gets thinner |
💩 Poop | Brown/green, solid strands = normal digestion | White, stringy poop = possible parasites |
⚡ Energy | Active at night, explores tank, attaches to surfaces | Lethargic, hides constantly, low movement |
🌊 Water Quality Response | Thrives in clean, oxygen-rich water | Becomes weaker if ammonia/nitrite are present |
🧩 Cause | Well-fed with balanced diet + driftwood | Starvation, parasites, stress, poor water quality |
👉 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.