Common Plec In Coldwater?

[TenaciousG_]

Just simply can I put a common pleco in a coldwater tank? or what other type of algae eater can I use?

 

[techen]

I wouldn't put a pleco into a cold water tank, How big is the tank anyway? Commons need HUGE tanks.

 

[westmidsgal]

can u not have a butterfly plec  my lfs have them in the cold water tanks 

 

[plectastic]

My LFS say they do fine in cold water.

 

[fluttermoth]

I think a lot of plecs can tolerate fairly low temperatures (bristlenoses would be a better choice than a common), but I think you'd want a heater (with a heater guard!) turned down low; 20-22°C would be fine.

 

[MBOU]

Its not ideal and bear in mind it creates a HUGE ammount of waste and will need a 5ft+ tank... mind you.. so will goldfish so... as long as you are planning to get the right sized tank!!
 
Its not like commons eat a whole busting lot of algae anyway... certainly not when they get growing, they would rather eat fish food, prawns and cockle and mussel and if fed purely on an algae based diet... start doing the same as Chinese Algae Eaters... they start attacking fish and eating the slime  they produce off their scales... generally causing infections and killing their target fish.

 

[phantomlink]

the LFS I go to has a few plecos that are about a foot long or so in their Koi/turtle pond

 

[MBOU]

Like I said... its possible... they are very tolerant.... but ultimately it will kill them.
 
Because they are cold blooded but a tropical species, they rely purely on the correct temperatures to be able to digest their food properly, without the right temperatures, they can eat and eat but without being able to digest food properly to get the correct nutrients they need, over time they eventually waste away and die. Not to mention that the whole process is just a bit cruel.
 
Humans (assuming unclothed as thats cheating) would not happily be able to live very long in temperatures of around 2 or 3 deg C (about equivalent for plecs as we at least regulate temperatures). Likewise, the plecs will slowly suffer in cold water.