DISGUSTING! Plecos

[RackinRocky]

I learned a lesson yesterday--NO MORE PLECOS! Although I have BN, and not commons, they are still the most disgusting creatures when it comes to poop! I'd heard they had a high bioload, but no one said just HOW BAD it really is! I have two plecos--one in my 20 gallon and one in my 55. Only 17 days after last cleaning all the sludge in my filter in the 20, I had to clean it again yesterday. And OMG, I've never in my life seen such a mess! How is it possible for a fish to poop so much, I'd like to know? I used a toothbrush in the intake tube and I kept getting out these looooong strings of poop! Same thing with Q-tips. Then, on one side of the filter (the side with holes, not the pad), well, that was the worst. It was a miracle the bio-wheel was turning at all, with all the gunk that was in the impeller and housing. Altogether I got between 1/8 and 1/4 of a cup of poop. In 17 days! From one 3" BN pleco! I was really disgusted. I'd hate to see what a common could do! Never, ever will I have any more plecos. I'm taking the one in the 20 to the LFS and they can have him for free! I'll still keep the one in the 55 because at least the tank is bigger, and so is the filter, making it easier to clean. From now on, it's cories!

 

[mikem691]

Yep I banned them from my tanks and chuckle when I see someone call them a clean up crew

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[Coursair]

Yep. Corys and Otos for me.

I was told BN Plecos and MOST Plecos should be in 30g or larger. Partly due to the Poop Machine issue.


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[Brookster123]

This is what I'm trying to tells y'all fine people! They're filthy little pop demons; )

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[RackinRocky]

Yeah, I also had to laugh when you said some people call them clean-up crews. Heck, they create AT LEAST 30 times as much poop as what they clean up!

 

[Brookster123]

Yeah, I also had to laugh when you said some people call them clean-up crews. Heck, they create AT LEAST 30 times as much poop as what they clean up!

That's what we've been trying to tell y'all fine people 16" poos following them around the tank. .. nasty! !

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[Gillie]

Just like goldfish, in one end and immediately out the other, but I like my pleco.

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[Brookster123]

Just like goldfish, in one end and immediately out the other, but I like my pleco.

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Mine isn't as messy as the bn was, i think it has to do with its nocturnal feeding habits. The bn was constantly on the go eating everything in her path..

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[TheresaM]

I had plecos in the past but never again for this reason. I love bottom feeders and there are so many other options!

 

[Jmunroe]

I have a 13 inch sail fin pleco. The poop is unbelievable, sometimes looks like somebody threw spinach spaghetti in the tank lol. I keep it out of the filters and remove the pile where it collects almost daily so my water doesn't suffer between water changes. They will clean things off for you but that comes at a high price. I've grown to like algae on things but I can never grow any due to my water change schedule and low lighting. Keep plecos because you like plecos not because you think they will make life easy. They are an easy sell item to new people to the hobby. LFS just tells them "you need this, this, this and oh yeah one of these to keep your tank clean."

 

[RackinRocky]

What got to me even more was that they were pooping on my java fern! It built up "sludge" every single day, and I couldn't figure out why, because it never had before. Guess what? Pleco was responsible. And yes, even piles of it on the gravel, stuck to the wood, you name it, poop was there.

 

[Brookster123]

What got to me even more was that they were pooping on my java fern! It built up "sludge" every single day, and I couldn't figure out why, because it never had before. Guess what? Pleco was responsible. And yes, even piles of it on the gravel, stuck to the wood, you name it, poop was there.

Pleco ' s be like... "oh you like clean plants? ? Let me poop all over them for you! !"

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[Rivers2k]

Anyone else keep bulldog plecos or rubberlip plecos? I find that one doesn't poop as much. then again they don't get as big. My L200 is a poop machine but he is so cool looking I just deal with it.

 

[Gillie]

Mine isn't as messy as the bn was, i think it has to do with its nocturnal feeding habits. The bn was constantly on the go eating everything in her path..

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Yeah the hyps are definitely cleaner.

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[absolutangel04]

Anyone else keep bulldog plecos or rubberlip plecos? I find that one doesn't poop as much. then again they don't get as big. My L200 is a poop machine but he is so cool looking I just deal with it.

Yep. I have had a variety of smaller type plecos. I love watching their behaviors, but they are still fairly messy for their size. My favorite has been the pitbull pleco. They are pretty petite though.

 

[Coursair]

Pitbulls are Paraotocinclus tho. More like an Oto than a Pleco

Heck they call Hillstream Loaches Plecos also which is just silly.


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[absolutangel04]

Pitbulls are Paraotocinclus tho. More like an Oto than a Pleco

Heck they call Hillstream Loaches Plecos also which is just silly.


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Lol, I actually had typed the phrase "though they are more like an oto than a pleco" and got distracted and accidentally edited it out. I really shouldn't multitask.

 

[Coyne]

I have a BN Pleco in both of my 20 longs and do not have the same problems that everybody here seems to be having. Maybe because I'm using "plant substrate" instead of gravel or sand?

Also, it's been my understanding that long, stringy poops are a sign of dietary problems. Might be worth looking into.


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[mikem691]

I have a BN Pleco in both of my 20 longs and do not have the same problems that everybody here seems to be having. Maybe because I'm using "plant substrate" instead of gravel or sand?

Also, it's been my understanding that long, stringy poops are a sign of dietary problems. Might be worth looking into.


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Long stringy CLEAR poop is bad. Not spaghetti size normal color poop.

 

[Coyne]

Long stringy CLEAR poop is bad. Not spaghetti size normal color poop.

Well... I don't have either. Not sure what that means, but there you have it.