Do The Pleco's A Favor! -Please Take Time To Read-

[HotStuffGal]

Plecos Are'nt for Everyone. They Get Large, People don't realize that.......

My Neighbors learned the hard way. A 10 Gallon tank a baby Pleco, so what seems

to be the problem? Well They had no idea about Plecos, or even tanks for that

matter. This Pleco grew and grew in this tiny tank which was cleaned only a

handfull of times. 8 Years in the filthy moldy rotting tank before I showed up.

Their way of covering it up, and getting rid of the now nuscense, A tag sale. I saw

The tank and the Pleco now 9 inches cramped up in this tank. Mold flowed over

the edges, you were almsot un-able to see in there because of rotting glass, but

through it all lay a large pleco at the bottom. "$3.00 In Change" The man said

sticking the small net in the tank, but had some trouble the water so thick with

rotting material. Putting the Pleco in a bucket of water for me I placed it in the

trunk or my dad's car. "I Don't want the tank sir" I said sliding into the seat. As I

stared into the bucket and upon closer inspection I realized many 'bruises' and

'blemishes' upon the old plecos body. As he frantically splashed and hit the walls of

the bucket I also came to realize his eyes were clouded over with a white

substance, he could not see. Living in a living hell of a tank seemed to only phase

his body, but not his spirit. Into a 125 gallon tank he went swimming and splashing

around like 8 years of his life was not wasted. Blemishes gone, roughed up fins

gone, clouded over eyes gone, a happier life, just beggining. Everyone

should learn from this experiance, Plecos are NOT for everyone, do your research,

learn about the fish and learn how to take care of a tank and learn the

responcibility of am Aquarium. A small tank with an alge problem can be solved

without a pleco. There are Alternatives, chinease alge eaters, otto cats, even other

fish. So PLEASE no Pleco or any fish in this matter should EVER have to go through

what This Pleco did. Next time you enter the fish store and see a nice cheap small

tank and a cute small pleco realize that what your doing by buying it without

any knowledge of what is to come, is wrong. Please Do the Plecos A Favor!!!

~Scarlett

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Can I just point out that not all plecs get huge. Some barely get over an inch and there are many that get no bigger than 4".

Can I also say that CAE are also not a good choice due to their size and aggression.

Perhaps it should be common plecs are not for everyone.

Good post though

 

[HotStuffGal]

True but most people don't even know what kind they are when they buy them. But Thankies

 

[Fiddlesticks]

Thanks for the great post. Commons do get huge. And thanks for rescuing that cute guy.

 

[HotStuffGal]

Your very welcome! People Need to learn and I hope people are learning from this. And Yeah I am glad I saved him too, he is one of my Fav fish now!

 

[Emz]

Hi all,

I bought a 10g tank and a baby plec. BEFORE you all shout at me, i was completely new to all of this and went by the advice of the LFS (who i thought new what they were talking about, how wrong i was). I was told a load of rubbish, they didnt tell me what type of pleco he was, or how big he would grow to, they also told me that my 10g would be the perfect size for him.

Obviously, i have now done my research and now that Bailey (my plec) is getting bigger i am buying him a new home, much bigger.

I cant believe anybody could treat that poor fish in that way, its terrible. I could never do that. I have always and will always look after my fish and their homes.

My plec is my pride and joy

Emz

 

[HotStuffGal]

Emz I am soooo glad that after you realized the problem that you did something about it and did not just forget about it like my neighborhs did, Thanks for caring ~Scarlett

 

[Inchworm]

Hi HotStuffGal

I'm glad that your sad story had a happy ending! Thanks for sharing that with us.

 

[HotStuffGal]

Yeah the ending was happy........your welcome once again! ~Scarlett

 

[IBFrog]

I had a pleco way back and it was a delight. IMHO there should be a bright red sign on the tank where a common pleco is sold telling people how big it will/may get. I did not know and learned the hard way. Fortunatly I found out and got a bigger aquarium. My number one rule now is = Research before getting a new type fish.

 

[ryan]

Can I just point out that not all plecs get huge. Some barely get over an inch and there are many that get no bigger than 4".

Can I also say that CAE are also not a good choice due to their size and aggression.

Perhaps it should be common plecs are not for everyone.

Good post though

Cheese sumed up what I was going to say but good to hear the story finishes well.

 

[karrihug]

same thing with me, 10 gal tank and common plec. today i pick up my 210 gal where he can spend his life happily and in comfort.

 

[HotStuffGal]

Yea People have actaually been reading this and sharing experinaces, and I agree "Big red sign witch has the size on it"