Pleco Behaviour

[berylfall]

We have had a pleco for about 4 years and he has grown and grown from about 2" to around 12/13" in that time. We bought a larger tank because he used to kick all the gravel and plants around but was okay with all the other fish. However his behaviour was no better in the larger tank, he uprooted everything. We have now had to put him in a tank on his own. Any ideas on what to do with him?

 

[xingumike]

its what they do.

 

[stang1]

As Mike said, it's what they do.
My L205 digs all the gravel up and makes a little burrow for himself. My Sunshine Pleco kicks up all the sand in her tank and makes a right mess.
We ended up tying plants to bogwood as this prevents them from being uprooted.

 

[Elaine2]

My bristlenose plecs are also avid diggers and the common plec is a definite plant-uprooter! As other have mentioned, digging and rooting about is what plecs do with some varieties making homes under bits of bog wood, having first kicked out all of the gravel. Welcome to the world of sub-aquatic earth movers!

 

[berylfall]

My bristlenose plecs are also avid diggers and the common plec is a definite plant-uprooter! As other have mentioned, digging and rooting about is what plecs do with some varieties making homes under bits of bog wood, having first kicked out all of the gravel. Welcome to the world of sub-aquatic earth movers!

Thanks for your comments. I am thinking I might have to let him/her go before getting much bigger. I need something to keep the tank clean that won't grow so fast.

 

[raptorrex]

try BN plecos. most don't get above 5 inches. they are good with algae, thought they do root about. if you give then some caves, they should not be too bad. given their small size they are not in danger from any fish really,( they have an excelent protection system) so should fit in fine.