My 60L (Pics)

[JohnBoyMinster]

Hey Guys

I have just added my Pleco into my 60l tank to get the cycle started now it has all been set up and the water has stabilized.

This is pretty much how the tank will stay now, i have a nice piece of bog wood that has been sunk in my old tank and i am waiting for it to become water logged so it sinks!! The bell is in there for the plec's comfort as he's has that since he was tiny, i have somewhere to re-home him when he out grows this tank, he is a pooping machine at the moment!!

I am planning on adding 3 clown loachs, 3 gouramis, 6 neons and the plec will stay for another 6 months to a year.

 

[Wills]

Hi, so your in a fish in cycle now then you ready for the daily water changes? Its a tough slog but its worth it Personally I would have gone fishless but its possible to do it this way How long has the tank been set up.

As for the fish you have chosen - The common plec you have will grow rappidly upto 10 inches and then anywhere to between 12 -18 inches within the year, I would just take him out and get a bristlenose plec or bulldog plec if you really want a plec Also the clown loaches have a similar growth size getting to 12 inches over a number of years. But a good alternative for you would be the pygmy chain loach which only gets to 2 inches but ideally they need a sand substrate but your gravel looks quite smooth so I think might be okay.

Also from the pics, you have the plant at the back that like has lots of tall leaves going into the gravel, thats called java fern and needs to be attached to decorations like the bell you have for instance. They need the roots exposed to the water and light not buried other wise they will rot. Also the filter you have often comes with a zeolite cartridge which will detoxify ammonia which is great now but it wears off so might be a good idea to get that out of the filter for now if your at the start of the tank.

Sorry if the above seems harsh, but it does seem like you have got off on the wrong foot into the hobby but we can help you through it

Wills

 

[JohnBoyMinster]

Hi Wills

not sure if you remember but you gave me a lot of advice before which really helped - the java fern's roots are exposed the pic doesn't really show that very well, the guy in the shop told me to do this the plec will stay for the time being, i know about the size issues but if all go's well i shall have a 150 gallon tank within a year in my new house, i have got somewhere to re-home him now straight away so all is good for the time being (apart from the spaghetti sized poop's!!)this tank is all about learning for 6 months to a year, is that a good idea? Or do you think i should just get the plec out?

It did have a zeolite cartridge in there the guy in the shop again told me to take this out for 6-8 weeks?

I couldn't do a fish-less cycle - i will just change 30%-40% of the water each day till the levels are all good and then leave it to once a week.

I've had this plec for two years and before i didn't know anything about keeping fish - i used to do a full water change every fortnight and didnt even treat the water, and he has survived thus far, i bet he is a lot happier now i'm taking it seriously!!

Also, i want to try and get an external filter - is this possible as i cannot find one anywhere!!!

 

[PDSimon]

Most local fishstores i've been to stock the external fluval filters

try to go to a bigger store if you can, they're bound to have them - atleast in the UK anyway.

 

[Twinklecaz]

Ha, you've got the same tank as me except mine's silver!

 

[BethK]

Just out of curiosity; how small wsa your plec when you first got him?

 

[talisker]

the problems with plec's is unless you are fairly sure that you will be getting a large tank you could have a problem finding him a new home, i know of a couple of fish shops that won't take them in as they allready have a few tanks with large plecs in that people don't want.

 

[OldMan47]

As talisker said, it can be difficult to find a LFS willing to take in a a larger plec, even at no charge. What ends up being the problem is that you have a large and growing fish with no place to put it. The end result is simple, something must give because you have no place to home the newly grown pleco. I have been lucky so far by finding a pet shop that thought it could sell my over-sized plec for some profit. That meant they were willing to take in my plec and not charge me for taking it. I can only hope that they were right. The common plec needs a very large tank because they can easily grow to over 18 inches, 45cm.