Common Pleco

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bambam1

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Oct 19, 2014
Messages
121
Location
Wales UK
I have 3 Gold sucking Loach in my tank had them about 6 to 7 months, 2 are same size as when I first had them but 1 is twice the size of the offer 2.
But the big 1 has started to bully my Common Pleco that I 3 if not 4 times bigger than him. He swimming on top of him and sucking on the Common Pleco’s skin then chases him around the tank. Will he hurt him if I leave them to it? Or do I need to separate them?
 
If by gold sucking loach you mean one of the many species of hillstream loach, these fish are highly adapted to a specialized environment and need a specialized aquarium. I would separate the loaches not because of bullying but because they need a tank with an insane amount of relatively cool water flow, very high oxygen, a lot of algae/biofilm growth.... Really, hillstream loaches are terrible for anything that isn't a species tank.

I recommend reading this article.
http://www.loaches.com/articles/hillstream-loaches-the-specialists-at-life-in-the-fast-lane
 
If you mean gold Chinese Algae Eaters....they are nasty. Get big and mean if you have slow fish they will eat their body slime. I will never own them again.

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Body slime protects the fish from external parasites and illnesses like ich. One fish eating another's slime is attempting to kill the other fish. Perhaps the exception to that would be hagfish.
 
the pet shop told me they was peaceful :( thank you all even though there in a big tank they still nasty?
 
Gee, I have never heard of a lfs putting immediate profit before assuring customer satisfaction.
Take your smart phone with you next time and google information about the fish before you buy them.
 
Gold sucking loach is just another name for "Chinese" algae eater. Look them up. They have a mixed reputation and it is mostly bad.
 
Thank you all for your help the pet shop has had him back now and thank you sinibotia for that link it was really interesting. What is the best sucker fish to get to eat the algae from the glass and stays small will get on with my Common Pleco?
 
LOL, oops. I didnt even thing of golden chinese algae eaters. My mind immediately jumped to the "golden butterfly sucker loach" sewellia lineolata.
 
Also, what size tank is this? Common plecos will get 2ft long, and have a huge bioload

191 uk gallon with 59 gallon sump, air stones, internal filter think it is 800lph In sump, dio balls and foam then a 3500lph pump (not really big a enough think I need 6000lph if not more) . With a fx5 on main tank.
 
When you said golden sucking loach i thought you meant golden butterfly loach. The fish I was talking about and the article I showed you was for that.
 
Thank you all for your help the pet shop has had him back now and thank you sinibotia for that link it was really interesting. What is the best sucker fish to get to eat the algae from the glass and stays small will get on with my Common Pleco?


Your best bet is to reduce Algae by controlling lighting and not overfeeding and doing consistent water changes.

No fish eats all types of Algae.

Nerite snails are great cleaners and don't breed. Otos are lovely but little, so can't go in aggressive tanks.


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okay cool thank again. My light come on 1 bulb at 7am till 8pm other 1 at 9am then go's of at 10pm is that okay or to much?
 
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