Create algae for Pleco.

[handb94]

I think my Pleco is getting too big for my tank and I am not sure if it is getting enough to eat. I have a 30 gallon long. It is about 30" wide and 12" deep and 13" high. The fish is about 9 1/2 inches long and 4 1/2 wide with fins out.

Is there a way to increase algae production in the tank for it? Would it be better to relocate it to a bigger tank for it's own health? Thanks in advance.

 

[buddha_red]

move to a larger tank, yes
you can introduce algae disks which my plecos ate up.

 

[mfdrookie516]

they also like veggies... cucumbers, zucchini, lettuce... things like that. ive got a clip that suctions to the bottom of the tank that holds veggies down so the plecos and cichlids can eat at them

 

[green_hornet]

If you really wanted to you can culture your own algae by taking a cup of tank water and leaving it out near an open window sill, but that to me sounds sill because how are you going to get the algae to your pleco without spreading it all over your tank and causing a potential algae problem.

 

[mfdrookie516]

why would you want algea in your tank? there is plenty more for plecos to eat than algea... they clean the gravel of the leftover food from feeding and prevent algea from taking over (unless there is too much)... you can buy algea flakes and discs and this that and the other for them, i tried them once and they clouded the water really bad... most people with plecos dont even bother giving them any food, they just get whatever they find in the tank

 

[handb94]

I only had an algae problem when I didn't have the pleco, and the water is always clear with him in it. The tank is always spotless which is what leads me to believe that there isn't enough for him to eat. There is no chance of an algae breakout.
There isn't any left over food from when I feed the other fish. I will try the named vegetables.

 

[mfdrookie516]

i would try the veggies, because they wont cause cloudiness like some of the algea (insert form here, ie flake, pellet, wafer, etc) can do... mine really enjoy zucchini, as do almost all of my cichlids and tin foils... sounds wierd but works... i would not suggest introducing algea in to your aquarium, it could potentially take over and cause problems. there are leftovers in your gravel, sand, etc... when you vacuum do you have icky stuff coming up from the gravel if you shove it all the way down and let the gravel float up some? usually if you feed flake food, some will drop to the bottom... i would stick with veggies, and that clip only cost me $1.99 at petsmart...

 

[handb94]

Ok. I will try that. I think I have an extra suction cup around here somewhere. I think zucchini is on sale this week so I will pick some up. Yea there is all sorts of crud that comes up when I vacuum. Thanks again.

 

[mfdrookie516]

just out of curiosity, what size tank is in it and what do you have it stocked with?

 

[handb94]

30 gallon. 1 platy (1 1/2 inches long), 2 feeder goldfish (one is about 5 inches long the other about 3). and the pleco of course.

 

[mfdrookie516]

ugh... i hate golfish, they are so nasty... i had them when i first started out (i fully blame petsmart) and i was having to do water changes like crazy and my ammonia kept going up.. got rid of them, had no ammonia problems, much less dirty junk coming out in the gravel vac, and didnt have to worry about them taking over the tank... i gave the goldfish to somebody for a pond and put red wag platties (beautiful fish), dalmation mollies, guppies, corydoras, and a bn... eventually got tinfoil barbs and bala sharks to put in with them, now getting rid of all of them... im trading a bunch for jack dempseys... i caught the cichlid bug.... and mts too

 

[handb94]

I don't mind the goldfish, water doesn't get cloudy they are very dirty fish though. I have no idea what the ammonia levels are. I am thinking of trading them back into the fish store and getting a group of tiger barbs or bala sharks.

 

[mfdrookie516]

yeah i would take them back if it were me... you also need to invest in a test kit... i found an API master freshwater test kit today for $20 on sale... usually around $30... now the 30 will be kind of small for bala's as they can get huge... i would go with tiger barbs, but they may nip at the platty... have you thought about dwarf gouramis? they are really pretty fish, and will go great with your platty... something like that or maybe some more platties and some mollies. how long has the tank been set up? have you had your water tested yet?

 

[mgamer20o0]

sounds like its time to upgrade.

 

[mfdrookie516]

lol... that always another option...

 

[spoonman]

I'm with gamer. The answer is to upgrade if you want to keep the pleco. He is too big for that tank. If you put balas in their they would eventually get too big for that tank also. An upgrade is in order. Either that or find a better home for the pleco and rethink your options.

 

[handb94]

Hrmmmmm. Well upgrade is not an option as the cash flow is at a halt. I will find a new home for the pleco. I didn't know balas got that big. I haven't looked into the gouramis, but I will. The tank was set up for like 2 years, then broken down to be moved and it has been up again for about 6 months. I haven't gotten it tested no. I have only had like 3 fish die in the 3 or 4 years I have had a tank set up, so I don't think I am doing anything terribly wrong.

 

[mfdrookie516]

before you start getting anymore fish, you definately need to either get a test kit, or take a water sample to an lfs and have them test it for you... weekly/bi-weekly/ or at least monthly water testing is needed just to see if there is anything going on in there that you dont see from outside... youre nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, or ph can get out of whack big time, just overnight sometimes, and its important to test and fix the problem before it kills your fish. Now Bala's can get monsterous, they can get around a foot or so in a big enough aquarium... they get really ugly after they get bigger than 6-7" imo. If you cant upgrade the aquarium, see if your lfs will take it back, get a few snails, and you wont have to worry about them outgrowing the tank, plus IMO they are better than plecos because they let you know if youre overfeeding by having lots of snail babies lol...

 

[handb94]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I think I will go with the snails and get my water tested tomorrow. I will rehome the goldfish and get some tiger barbs.

 

[sieski]

Hrmmmmm. Well upgrade is not an option as the cash flow is at a halt. I will find a new home for the pleco. I didn't know balas got that big. I haven't looked into the gouramis, but I will. The tank was set up for like 2 years, then broken down to be moved and it has been up again for about 6 months. I haven't gotten it tested no. I have only had like 3 fish die in the 3 or 4 years I have had a tank set up, so I don't think I am doing anything terribly wrong.

If you like plecos and like the fact they keep your tank clean try a bristle nose. I just brought one and hes lovely.