Just Got The Freaking Scare Of My Life!

[Durbkat]

No he is 5" long and yes he is a year old. I already know he's stunted because he was in a 10g for a year when he was bought at 4" so I know I made a mistake and am doing my best to fix it.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Well the longer he stays in the 20gal the more irreversable the damage will be, so start doing so somthing about getting him somewhere bigger to live- even if its only a big plastic tub, it'll be better than the 20gal if its bigger and won't cost half as much as a glass tank.

 

[fishdudein]

A lot of people don't realize, when they buy a pleco, just exactly what it is that they are buying. You know that you have an algae problem in your tank, so you go to the LFS to get something that will eat the stuff for you, and 90% of the time, a pleco is recommended. Plecos do a great job of eating algae, but when they get it under control....then what do they eat? It is good that you are feeding the supplemental algae wafers, a lot of people don't do this. I just had a pleco die that was "rescued" from someone that had no idea what they were doing. Looked like it came from a concentration camp, it was so thin. A 2-week regimen of frozen brine shrimp, frozen bloodworm, flake food, freeze dried tubifex, shrimp pellets, dried marine algae sheets, and algae wafers....the poor guy was finally filling out a little through the stomach, but the damage was already done, he never did regain body mass.

I had a pleco live under my care for 12 years, don't know how old he was when I got him. Ended up being about 18 inches long. Do most people think about the eventual size and tank requirements of these fish when they buy them? Are you prepared to house a fish 18 inches long? Do you know how much water they can splash out of their tank with their tails?

My opinion is that you are OK with the pleco in your 20 "temporarily", but you should really be making plans to get him into something bigger very soon. To get the most enjoyment out of this hobby, you need to do what is best for the fish....a fish that has it's basic needs met will always be better looking than one that is just "surviving".

 

[Durbkat]

Thanks fishdude for understanding alittle more than tokis.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I tell you what you need to know and do, pretty much everyone who buys common and sailfin plecs do not know what they are buying exactly otherwise they'd run a hundred miles away from them. I've spent pages trying to explain things to you over your last couple of threads about stocking, this isn't my job you know.
Anyways you should know what you need to know now.

 

[Durbkat]

I do. And THANK YOU for all you have told me and scolded me on. and I appriecate you doing all you have done. I will be on the look out for a 55 gallon tank or bigger. Can't wait to get it to put it maybe in my living room or in my bedroom.

 

[Monte20]

and quit watching FINDING NEMO in view of your fish. that movie is filled with escape tactics, including climing up your filter tube.

 

[Durbkat]

Oh yeah I have watched finding nemo alot so maybe the pleco or the tetras were watching and telling the pleco how to get out.

 

[shelaghfishface]

hi tokis, i think you just gave some fab to the point advice, just like it should be done

 

[andyj]

and the advice was given about 2 and a half years ago !!!!

 

[Esfa]

Bloody hell, I think I found a zombie.

 

[Ace Of Spades]

Considering this thread is 2 and a half years old, I wonder what actually happend to the Pleco, did he get a bigger tank, did he die? its like a soap drama PLEASE get back to me and tell me its interesting

Just checked his profile - Last online 2006 but i also found this

55g- 6 long finned black widow tetras, 4 small angelfish, 4 black widow tetras, 1 common pleco
long 20g- Currently empty
10g- 3 red eyed tetras, 3 x-ray tetra, 3 Julli cories
2.5g minibow divided- male betta on each side
1g- male betta

THE PLECO GOT A BIGGER TANK YAY!! ALL CHEER!

 

[Darkstar]

Plecs are specifically adapted to feed in fast flowing water, so he was just doing what comes naturaly.

That very much depends on what plec you are talking about...as not all plecs live in fast flowing water.

 

[xingumike]

similar topics strikes again......