Advice about Plecos needed...

[mathman]

I have tank salt for my Mollies and Guppies but don't know if it is OK for plecos. Will having the pleco change how I may have to medicate if a problem arises? What should I watch out for so I don't harm my new addition. ( He/She is about 2 1/2 inches long ) How do you sex plecos?




By the way... It's great to be back!

 

[sgtbirch]

salt burns plecos (most of them anyway) do not use. If you have to medicate. take out the pleco add the salt if you like. After meds are done wait a couple of water changes and them reintroduce him and keep an eye on him. You should wait till you have changed about 150% of the volume of water. This is all heresay so I cant be 100% sure. I am only sure on no salt for plecs

 

[mathman]

uh oh! I did about 40% water change just before I added him/her. I only have a one gal tank as a hospital tank and use a light bulb to heat it. He seems to be fine though at first he did go bezerk but settled down very quickly. I hadn't thought to ask until after I added him. What do you recomend?

 

[Angel Lady]

uh oh! I did about 40% water change just before I added him/her. I only have a one gal tank as a hospital tank and use a light bulb to heat it. He seems to be fine though at first he did go bezerk but settled down very quickly. I hadn't thought to ask until after I added him. What do you recomend?

I was told that they were very hard to sex I have 2 pleco's and they both look the same they said that plecos were caught in the wild and they were very hard to sex these little bugers But i really like mine I have one that is about 7 inches long and he is doing great he likes a hidding place he doesnt like to be seen in the day time so you might want to get him something to hide under. My other pleco is about 1 inch long and he doesnt care wheter he hides or not but I'm sure as he starts to grow he will want to hide to because that was how my bigger one did.They realy change colors when there mood changes first mine is black with a few spots on him then he turns like a brown color with a lot of spots on him. Then again the smaller on stays the same color except for the spots sometime I can look at him and he all kinds of spots and other times I can look at him and he dont have half as many spots. You just got to love these things they are fun to watch.

 

[mathman]

Mine is about 2 inches and he has a hiding place already but does come out in the day. He loves brine shrimp and comes out when I give it to the rest of the fish. His color seems to change depending on how active he is.

 

[cryosi]

sexing plecs is rather hard in some species! If you need to medicate and fish in with your plec or corys then move the affected fish to a hospital tank or if you dont have one then get one or let nature do it work. (do not use salt in the tank with plec or cory in you will kill them) sorry if this sounds harsh!