Starting Fresh With A Pleco

[mbpted]

After an Ich disaster about 3 1/2 ago, I'm starting fresh with new fish.
 
I've added a cute little Common Pleco (about 2 1/2 inches long) and a Bleheri Plant to the tank.
 
Although I've been cleaning the tank for the past few weeks, wiping the glass and vacuuming the sub-strait, there's a lot of algae build up.
 
I think the Pleco will enjoy the algae, and he's been moving from rock to rock and sucking on the glass.
 
My question is, should I supliment his diet with anything other than that? I still have bloodworms in the freezer and flakes I used to feed my Tetras.
 
I've read that leafy greens are good - and things like cucumbers and melons. Would those be for larger, more mature Plecos? I think I have a real baby.
 
And would the plant also help with extra food to nibble?
 
Any advice would be appreciated.
 
I hope to add more Tetras in another week or so.
 
 
 

 

[Sophie]

Have you a picture of the 'pleco' so it can be ID'd?
The genus tends to dictate the diet, in the case of 'commons', it's usually either a Pterygoplichthys spp. or a Hypostomus spp.
The Hypostomus tends to be herbivorous/omnivorous and the Pterygoplichthys are mostly herbivorous.
 
Here are two great links to have a read through of..
 
http/www.planetcatfish.com/shanesworld/shanesworld.php?article_id=294
 
http/www.planetcatfish.com/shanesworld/shanesworld.php?article_id=426&title=Feeding+PlecosWho+eats+what%3F

 

[Akasha72]

I'd agree it needs to be I'd'd ... not for it's diet right now but for your tank size. If it really is a common and you don't have a 7-8ft tank then I'd take it back now before you get attached.
 
Yesterday I was at Maidenhead Aquatics and in their large 6ft long holding tanks were several common pleco's of various sizes. I knew that they get BIG but the biggest yesterday was almost 3ft long and 2ft wide. Enormous didn't quite cut it. 
My local lfs currently have 2 common plecs that have been left with them by people who didn't know they were going to get so big. They are in their largest tanks which are about 2 1/2 foot wide and they are only just able to turn around .... and they are still growing. They are desperately looking for someone with a large tank to take them and they are struggling. This pair will be the second pair they have had left with them this year.
 
The common pleco really needs to be removed from the home aquarium trade. It gets too big for a home aquarium

 

[mbpted]

 
Thank you both for the responses. Attached are two photos of the Pleco. He likes to hide and was in the shadow behind one of the Bleheri leaves for one of them, so it may be a bit dark. But he came out into the light for the other. Hopefully they will be enough to help identify the specifics.
 
PS - I understood that he would get large, which is why I picked a small one. The LFS will take "donations" to their stock if a fish gets too large, or if I want to replace one secies for another. I bought him knowing I could return him later, but I understand your concern about them being a problem fish for home aquariums.

 

[Akasha72]

it does look like a common from those photo's. As already said - he's gonna need a tank no less than 6ft long in time ... the larger the better if possible. It sounds like you have a good lfs but I do wish the trade would stop selling these guys ... perhaps making them special order only for those who have the space to accommodate them. 
It just seems so cruel for them to live in cramped conditions

 

[jag51186]

I agree with you Akasha, it's just irresponsible of the trade to keep selling them...especially with the popularity of BN's now. I had a common plec back in high school when I was a fish murderer 

 And he was only ever in a 29 gallon max. Needless to say he ended up with spinal curvature and such, and he still lived for ten years.
 
Good luck with yours mbp! Hope he grows slow for u =)

 

[Akasha72]

I'd agree with the BN comment. They are lovely guys and they don't grow beyond 5-6 inches. They are really cute and provided you don't keep two males they are friendly and docile

 

[mbpted]

...especially with the popularity of BN's now.

 

I'd agree with the BN comment. They are lovely guys and they don't grow beyond 5-6 inches. They are really cute and provided you don't keep two males they are friendly and docile

 
"BN" stands for "Bristle Nose" Pleco?

 

[NickAu]

 
"BN" stands for "Bristle Nose" Pleco?

 
Yes,
When I feed my fish I always feed at the front of the tank, Once they settle in and get used to you being near the tank they will actually come to the front of the tank at feeding time it just takes a while.
 

 
I do wish the trade would stop selling these guys .

And Oscars and Ghost knife some eels the list is long. Pet shops do not care, They dont want you to have healthy fish, because healthy fish = food sales only. And sadly most fish are cheap for them because they buy in bulk.
 
I live in a semi rural area with about 10 000 people in county and the LFS has sold his 11th BGK this month for $15 bucks, I find it hard to believe that 10 people in the whole county have a tank big enough, Yet he sells dozens a year, Same thing with Bettas, he sells at least 12 a week, Somebody in my area has some big tanks and lots of them.

 

[Baccus]

I live in a semi rural area with about 10 000 people in county and the LFS has sold his 11th BGK this month for $15 bucks, I find it hard to believe that 10 people in the whole county have a tank big enough, Yet he sells dozens a year, Same thing with Bettas, he sells at least 12 a week, Somebody in my area has some big tanks and lots of them.
 
Sadly I suspect that its not so much lots of people with lots of big tanks, but plenty of people plowing through fish, basically having a revolving fish tank. "Oh look my new fish died, oh well I shall get another, oh look my fish died, oh well I shall get another etc"  I know not everyone has had the benefit of good advice given to them about fish keeping, and plenty of bad advice given by well meaning friends, but surely in this day and age more people can do some of their own research and not keep taking the bad advice as gospel. But that is what we are primarily here for, to help people with making the right choices not only for their tank but also for the very fish themselves.
 
As for the little pleco, because it is still very small it is hard to tell if it is a common or one of the smaller varieties. In the second picture (under the leaf) it certainly does look more like a common. If the shop you purchased the little pleco is serious about rehoming your pleco when it out grows its current home, I personally would either take them up on the offer before its needed or get an agreement in place. All it takes some time down the track for new owners to be in charge or a new policy to come through, even new laws regarding whats legal and no longer legal can throw a terrible spanner in your plans. Take for example in Australia the powers that be where looking at putting Bristlenose  plecos on the banned list, that would mean a VERY popular aquarium fish would no longer be allowed to be bred or traded.

 

[Far_King]

 

 
"BN" stands for "Bristle Nose" Pleco?

 
Yes,
When I feed my fish I always feed at the front of the tank, Once they settle in and get used to you being near the tank they will actually come to the front of the tank at feeding time it just takes a while.
 

 
I do wish the trade would stop selling these guys .

And Oscars and Ghost knife some eels the list is long. Pet shops do not care, They dont want you to have healthy fish, because healthy fish = food sales only. And sadly most fish are cheap for them because they buy in bulk.
 
 


 
Add Clown Loaches to that list too....beautiful fish but a lot of shops will sell them to people with woefully inadequate tanks.  oh, and Bala sharks!

 

[Akasha72]

perhaps it is us, as experienced aquarists that need to take the responsability to stop these fish being sold. If I knew how to do it I'd kick start something off but I feel the main responsability lies with the lfs'. It is them that should take this up and decide once and for all that they will no longer trade in fish that are not suitable for home aquariums.
 
Here in the U.K homes are getting smaller. Many people live in flats as I do and so space is limited. My 4ft tank takes up a large amount of space in my living room. Not many homes here have the space for aquariums of the size these monster fish need and so to carry on selling these fish to people is just cruel and irresponsible. I have two brilliant fish stores locally and both are responsible. They no longer ask me about my tank size etc because they know me now and know that I have experience and a good knowledge but I do hear them checking with customers they don't know about their tank sizes etc. Sadly though I also visit other places and it is rare to hear those checks taking place, it is also rare in the larger chain stores for the staff to have any knowledge of fish keeping at all (yes I'm talking about p@h) 
 
 
Perhaps we need a pinned post on the forum with a list of fish that need to be avoided unless you can provide the tank sizes they will need?

 

[NickAu]

 
perhaps it is us, as experienced aquarists that need to take the responsability to stop these fish being sold. If I knew how to do it I'd kick start something off but I feel the main responsability lies with the lfs'.

LFS don't care about fish to them its just inventory like dog food, and it is in LFS interest to sell as many fish as they can. You know economics and profit.
 
I was banned from a local chain pet shop because I heard a sales person trying to sell a 1 gal cube substrate plants additive xxx, and xxx and xxx and a betta to a person all at the same time " When you get the stuff home sir, put the gravel in put the water in then the plants and a few drops of this and this and this then put the fish in" When I told the customer what they needed to do and what it takes to keep a betta in a 1 gallon unfiltered tank, they decided to look into it and not buy anything, I was kicked out of the shop and asked not to come back as long as I was a negative influence on customers. I cost them about $100 in sales.

 

[Asteria]

Just wanted to jump in here. 
As not all LFS are like this. The one by me are fish keepers themselves
 When their order of fish come in they stop sales of fish for 2 days and have a QT for the sick fish and are treated there in the store. They also ask how big your tank is. If your tank has been cycled and also what other fish you have before buying anything. 
It all just goes upon the owner of the shops. 
And we need more people like these guys! 
I always shop their as they know their stuff. 
Even with dogs cats and they have a guy in for lizards as they don't know much about them themselves. 

 

[Far_King]

I agree with Asteria, some are fine and the guys I go to are fishkeepers as well.
 
But sadly there are the unscrupulous out there