Should I keep my Pleco?

[Connor333]

Ok, I just found out my pleco is a common. I thought he was a BN but I was wrong. He is in a 90 gallon tank with 2 blue gouramis, 4 rosy barbs(planning on keeping 1-3 of my rosy barb babies in another tank), 2 cherry barbs, 1 dojo loach, 5 platies, and 11 zebra danios. I really like the way my pleco looks but I know that when he is full grown he will produce alot of waste and I want to get another dojo loach too. If I took him back what are some smaller algae eaters that I could get? If I keep him can I still add a couple rosy barbs and another dojo? For filtration I have a Fluval 304 and an AQ 500. Thanks

 

[Teelie]

Other algae eaters are Siamese Algae Eaters, shrimp, and some species of Pleco that stay small. Do not get a Chinese Algae Eater however as they aren't effective algae eaters especially as adults and will suck slime coats off slow moving fish.

 

[smithrc]

what are the sizes of your tank?

I know if i had a tank that was 5ft+ long and 2ft wide - i'd keep him

 

[Connor333]

My tanks dimensions are 4 feet long, 18.5" wide, and I think 23" tall. Can Siamese Algae eaters be kept alone? How big do they get?

 

[xXMrBonesXx]

i'd keep the pleco, your tank is big enough and the filtration seems up to par, i think they look better when their fully grown compared to when their little

 

[nitro]

i would swap the common for a shoal of lively small Ottos, about 6 i wuld say.

Just remember common plecos they are HUge and will put extra pressure on your bio-load even at a tank that size.

 

[Grams]

there are some plecos that dont grow to be large like a bristlenose.

 

[Stryker]

For crying out loud, in his post he said he thought originally it was a bristlenose.

 

[Daveo]

Keep the Pleco don't get rid of it. I have two in the 20..gal(see sig) 8)


Daveo

 

[parker313]

i would swap the common for a shoal of lively small Ottos, about 6 i wuld say.

Same here.

 

[plecoperson]

Daveo, your 20g looks like it may be overstocked.

Id keep the plec but I understand your concerns about the bioload. why not get a small group of bristlenoses or similar??