Pleco

[Daniel30]

hi everyone I have been keeping fish for some years and always wanted to have a planted tank which I have set up, after a few weeks I have got the water right (plants looking good) with test at the local fish shop and started to add fish some at a time over a week or so, then the last fish I added was my beloved pleco spike And after I added him the tank looks like a war zone he keeps Digging and has moved loads of the sand now and the tank is constantly cloudy, is there any way to stop this ? As the tank now looks awful every day when the light comes on
Many thanks Dan

 

[Byron]

The short answer is, no, this is a habit of many pleco species (I've no idea what your pleco is). I had a Hypancistrus furunculus a few years ago that re-arranged his space. I kept him in the tank with fine gravel (not sand as in the others) solely because he was a bit more accepting with the gravel. But it is their nature.

The fish might settle down, once it has arranged the environment to its liking. So if you let it be, maybe... . The pleco is probably trying to construct a "home," as they tend to do this under chunks of wood (mine certainly did, he went from wood to wood until he found what he wanted and calmed down).

Byron.

 

[Daniel30]

Many thanks, he certain has done some landscaping he's got big bristles on his face, it's quite amazing how much sand he's moved Like you said I suppose I will have to waste until he's finished and happy with his new home

 

[budified]

You could try giving him some sort of cave with a roof he can hide under.

 

[Daniel30]

Yeah I done that with rocks and a nice bit of slate across the top but obviously it wasn't up to his standard and wanted a basement too

 

[NickAu]

Got to love Plecos, Got a photo?

 

[Daniel30]

Not at the moment next time I see him I will try and get one you can see how much he has moved the right hand side was the Same height as the left side

 

[budified]

Oh wow that's a busy pleco!