Pleco's

[Davy_Jones]

My friend has a pleco that stays in one spot. Hardly moves and even at night when he cuts off the aquarium light he still stay in one spot. When he does move he its to go into another spot and it harldy cleans his tank up because its got tons of algea.
Whats up with this?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Not all pleco's eat Algae so it doesn't surprise me that he isn't cleaning any of it off the tank. It's not uncommon for plecos to not move around much. I have a candy stripe pleco that can always be found hiding under a fake plant in the corner of the 29 gal tank. Well, that is until I move the gravel vac near him for water changes.

 

[Davy_Jones]

Its a sail fined pleco I think, the black ones you find a Wal-Mart (a place wich sickens me when it comes to fish).

 

[GouramiFanatic]

If it is a Sailfin Pleco like the one I have, it's mostly nocturnal. Mine rarely comes out during the day and he's very, very, very shy! If it's out and I walk into the room or turn the lights on, most of the time he hurries to get back into his favorite hiding spot. As far as algae, my tank is just about always spotless so either I don't have an algae problem or he's doing a great job of cleaning (he's the only algae eater I currently have in this tank).

What size tank does your friend keep him in and what other fish are in it?

 

[Jchillin]

Contrary to popular belief, not all pleco's hunt algae or even like the stuff. If they do, it is certain types of algae but not all forms. I imagine folks thinking of pleco's as aquarium brooms constantly working around their tank to keep it clean. That does not happen.

Pleco's by nature are shy and would rather hide than be exposed to the outside world. Sounds like your friends pleco is normal.

 

[MyCatsDrool]

My QA, Paula, is strictly a meat eater.

She hides 99% of the time in her house on the edge of the deepwater district and driftwood vale under a piece of driftwood. She was in fact, the one who reported the President's affair and elicit CO2 abuse at Club CO2 with Perez Hilfish. I only know this because those busy body cory cats told me. They never shut up. Gossip fanatics, i tell you.

 

[Davy_Jones]

i didnt get what size it was, Id guess a 15gallon though.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

15Gal is going to be way to small for that plec. My Red Sailfin came with a 20Gal from my mother (was 10-11"), Moved him to a 75, now to a 120Gal. He's 13" long. (he actually comes out sometimes during the day, but highly active on the glass and in the plants during the night. I just finished building my moon lights and get to watch how active he is at night

 

[Davy_Jones]

Yeah, he said that his parents are buying him a larger tank. And I was just guessing it was a 15gallon, not sure though.
Which are better Cory cats or pleco's?

 

[fish 'n' fries]

Which are better Cory cats or pleco's?

Better for what? They're quite different fish...

 

[tropicfishman]

is he feeding it algea wafers or some kind of sinking pelletts? if so thats prolly why its not cleaning lol now the being lazy thing is what plecos do unless ther ebothered