loads of poo...pleco is pooing a lot

[foshizzle11]

We just got him last week for our 90gal tank. There are two gar and a RTC in this tank right now, these fish are all quite small at the moment.

Anyway, the pleco is only about 2.5" long and he is eating all the algae on the log we have in there and is pooing so much more than any of the other pleco's we have in our other tank.

Will this stop once he has eaten a bunch or will he just continue to be like this?

 

[shellieca]

My understanding from what I've read from others is they have a BIG bio load so chances are he'll continue to be a poo machine!

 

[Moobs99]

As lol as the bog woods in there he will eat eat eat eat and eat lol I got rid of my plec as I wanted to bog wood more

 

[Fishanatic]

Most likely will keep pooing. Not sure how pleco's are, but usually, the ammount of food he eats should almost be the same as what he will poop.

 

[foshizzle11]

Most likely will keep pooing. Not sure how pleco's are, but usually, the ammount of food he eats should almost be the same as what he will poop.

Well, we are hoping that is the case and he won't have as much to eat if he keeps going at this pace. I will give it a couple weeks and then maybe find a new home.

thanks for the help guys!

 

[Crowsmuse]

I had the same problem, mine was one of only19 fish in an 80 gal aquarium, all small fish...but this guy doubled in size over 4 months and amount of poop was insane, I found him a new home In a friends 130 gallon who needed one badly, and I have to say.. The tank has never looked as nice without him.
He was a good looking fish, but a Poop machine.
I got a couple of otocinclus, who of course can't cover as much algae eating ground as the plecco, but good enough.
Good luck,

 

[93MSB]

I had a bristlenose I brought home that poo'd like crazy for a couple days but after that it settled down and the bio load wasn't as bad.

Then I had a green phantom shipped to me that didn't poo for 3 days and now is a poo machine.

So your mileage may vary lol

It's a good thing though that its pooping a lot, unless the poo is white/clear

 

[Alyxx]

I have five bristlenose plecos, and by the time my weekly water change rolls around it can look like it has been months since I vacuumed the sand instead of a week. As they get older, they just keep pooping more. However, it is a sign that they are healthy and well fed.

 

[foshizzle11]

It looks like he has slowed down already. Like more poo in the first 2 days than in the last 5 so that's good! I hope it stays that way.

He is only 3" long and our RTC is about 6" so we are hoping he doesn't get eaten. It has been close a couple times but a $6 pleco is worth a try in there! So far so good.

 

[JDT]

Hi

I had the same problem - bought my pleco and the little tablets to feed him he pooped and pooped like crazy... I went to the petshop for advice and they said that he is being fed to much and that's the reason for all the poop...as I understand they should only be fed every 3d day or so .... My pleco is happy and healthy .

 

[Aski247]

Seems legit. Plecos are pure poop machines. The worst misconception about them is they "clean" your tank. In fact the help pollute the water more so then eat algae. (Scrub brush > pleco) IMO.

 

[Fishanatic]

Hi

I had the same problem - bought my pleco and the little tablets to feed him he pooped and pooped like crazy... I went to the petshop for advice and they said that he is being fed to much and that's the reason for all the poop...as I understand they should only be fed every 3d day or so .... My pleco is happy and healthy .

I wouldn't really do that, especially if he's a baby. It can work, but I suggest feeding at least once per day or every other day.

 

[BillD]

Plecos need to eat a lot, and feeding every 3 days is really bad advice. Any fish that eats vegetable matter needs a lot of food volume. If they aren't passing a lot of feces, they aren't being fed enough.

 

[JDT]

Plecos need to eat a lot, and feeding every 3 days is really bad advice. Any fish that eats vegetable matter needs a lot of food volume. If they aren't passing a lot of feces, they aren't being fed enough.

I did not say to feed it every 3days....its what I've heard that's all but

 

[Bwiz123]

I ha e two sailfins and a normal pleco, the r pooping monsters once a day I go threw and siphon crap" ontop

 

[foshizzle11]

Do you all put sinking pellets in everyday? Or twice a day?