Pleco Getting On My Nerves Lol

[guppy_man]

ive had a 39gal setup for just over a month, the fish i have in there are, 4 platies, 3 bolivian rams, 3 peppered corys and 2 plecos (common and gibbisep)
my common is around 7", he usually stays in his cave but when hes out on the feed, looking for the wafers he kicks the gravel up into piles and unplants my vallis
this is really getting on my nerves now, everyday the plants are floating and the gravel is in piles. my little gibbisep is not a problem atall, i hardley ever see him, hope he doesnt start doing the same thing

what can i do?, MY BLOOD PRESSURE'S RISING LOL

 

[HendrixTheOscar]

Either get some plant weights or place them between stones/rocks so that the pec can't get between them on the tank floor.

I've had this problem in the past and my tank is pretty barren now as i haven't been arsed to get the wet exercise of planting and re-planting and re-plantng and re-planting and......... you get the picture.

Except my bugger's an 8" Oscar called Hendrix. Whether i put them between rocks or whatever he whips through them as fast as possible and if he can't get them up that way he just grabs them in his mouth and pulls them up, carries them around the tank for a bit, then let's them go and drift to the surface. PAIN!!

Do try my suggestions though, they may just work with a plec as they don't tend to chomp plants and take them for walks.

Keep us updated.

Pete 8)

 

[morgan]

Hi, I sympathise! I have a 12" Common Pleco and he has destroyed 2 of my plants completely. They are big and boisterous. Mine is in a 65ukgal 4ft long. I have left plenty of open spaces. I am putting an airstone in soon so I'll see what he makes of that! I have found that the kind of plant which grows in a round shape rather than the sort that are several strands of plant seem to last best (so far).

 

[willtang3000]

two simple answers either get rid of them or move to another tank because there just going to get bigger and bigger and will mulch your plants and think of the poop

 

[Nina]

Plecs like to "garden" and if they don't like where you have put the sand/gravel they will move it.

I used to put the sand back to where I wanted it every couple of days and about an hour later the little sod would just put it where he wanted.

You will continue to have the same problem unless you either weight the plants down or move the plants to wherever he piles the gravel up.

 

[Kairi]

so THAT'S who's uprooting my plants. lol the booger!