i gat a rubbernose pleco maybe 4 days ago and it always hides behind the filter i have yet to see it actually eating anything(algea wafers get eaten by gf grrrr) and besides the time i couldnt find him in the tank he is always by the filter is this normal for them i am afraid he isnt getting enough food (or any for that matter) how can i tell? (i know driftwood is good for them even though i doubt he would use it b/c he is always behind the filter anyway the only peices they had at the lfs were huge and they costed(not a word i know) like 30-40 dollers(which is not in my budget). any suggestions?

thanks for any help

Driftwood and lots of hiding places well help him feel better about coming out. You can try to get your own or try ebay. I just got myself a nice size piece for 10$ and that includes the shipping. Any hardwood can be prepared and put in the tank just takes some time.

PS More BN's might help too.

i dont think i have room for any more i have a 29 g tank and in it are 2 little orandas and an apple sanil and then the pleco if another one could be added i would put another one in there but i dont think i can. can i?

In that size tank,you are best at leaving it at only one Bristlenose. They tend to get territorial and there'd be a chance that you'd end up having problems.What size is your filter /what type?
Do you have lots of plants(fake or real,and any places that the Rubberlip could hide in or under?They feel much safer when there's places to hide,that may be one reason why he's hanging out where he is.
Have you tried throwing food near him at night after the tank lights go out?

he is a rubbernose not a bristlenose. and it is a whisper in tank filter that does 150g an hour i am also thinking about getting a smaller one too so i have extra filtration.

right now the plants are growing(i got thise bulbs at w.m.) so they are just starting to grow but i was thinking of getting a few other plants this week(like anarcis(sp?) or java fern or something) i made a little cave for himout of a flower pot and sometimes i think he goes in this little coral looking bubble thing but he is just usually behind the filter. and i put food near him under the filter at night after my gf have had a big meal and they still gobble it up like crazy.grrr

Okay,Rubbernose/Bristlenose-whatever.They're both Pleco's that get around the same size,and males still get territorial. As I said,it can be done and has been,but most times if you end up with two males-you chance problems.With that said,it is on you.
For a 29 gal,it's recommended when housing Goldie's to go at least 10x's filtration for the size of tank you have,so you'd need at least 290gph,and actually would be better off even going higher than that,because of the waste that Goldies and Pleco's are known for producing.
You'll have to make sure that the things for him to hide in are big enough so he's able to get in and out without getting stuck.You'll also have to make sure that somehow you figure a way for him to eat so he doesn't starve.Do you feed your goldfish pellet's?If so ,it sometimes takes a minute or two for them to chew-have you tried feeding the Pleco something at the same time while they're busy chewing?

well iwas thinking about getting the same filter that i already have so that would be 300gph so that would be enough right? (i dont think they make a bigger one than that that is internal and i like that one b/c it is very quiet and inexpensive)and i havnt tried that feeding technique yet he was under the coral bubble thing this morning so i put one under there where the gf cant reach them he wont be able to fit under there when he is older(and probably not behind the filter either) when he gets bigger but he should be able to fit in the flower pot b/c it is pretty big about 6 1/2-7 inches long and about 4 inches wide.(my gf hide in it too sometimes but they wont be ably to fit when they get bigger b/c it wont be high enough for them)

When I had a pleco, aside of cleaning the glass, he would only eat at night once the tank lights were out. I had to toss the wafer near to him... Plecos can be super shy.