Oversize Pleco?

[Achtemichuk]

I've had my pleco for about 5 months, and I'm worried he's getting to big for my aquarium size (10g). I feed him an algae wafer about twice a week or so, but at this point I think he's likely creating more waste than good. I've talked to the petstore I purchased him from and they said they'd exchange him no problem. However, if possible I'd like to keep him. So my questions are, is it effecting him to be in such a small tank, as long as I feed him additional food? and second, does anyone have experience with gravel vacuums? or any other way to keep his waste under control?
Thanks

 

[bruinsbro1997]

That's too small of a tank for a pleco. IMO if you could upgrade to a twenty for him he'd be much happier.

Gravel vaccuums are easy to use and the secret to PWC. It's easily done to start a siphon with these guys

 

[Bubble_B0y]

Yikes!

plecos have a huge bioload. They poop and poop and poop......all day long

 

[LyndaB]

Judging from that really long white poop hanging onto his butt, I'd say he's not too happy in that tank. He's absolutely gorgeous and I can see why you'd want to keep him, but it's really not plausible. You could clean that tank every 5 minutes and it wouldn't make it a good environment for him.

Have you had driftwood for him? Plecos require driftwood in their diets to properly digest their food.

 

[Achtemichuk]

Thanks for the advice! I've currently got my eye on a 25g tank, so if that doesn't work out in next week I'll take him back to the fish store. As per the driftwood, I hadn't heard of that before, I'll definitely pick some up for him. Thanks again!

 

[joel618]

Judging from that really long white poop hanging onto his butt, I'd say he's not too happy in that tank. He's absolutely gorgeous and I can see why you'd want to keep him, but it's really not plausible. You could clean that tank every 5 minutes and it wouldn't make it a good environment for him.

Have you had driftwood for him? Plecos require driftwood in their diets to properly digest their food.

May be a dumb question. Is white poop a sign of stress or something?

 

[LyndaB]

It's quite often a sign of bacterial infection...... always something to keep your eye on.

 

[joel618]

It's quite often a sign of bacterial infection...... always something to keep your eye on.

Not trying to steal this thread but one of my Cichlids has feces like that. The rest do not. What can I do to cure it?

 

[Flossie]

Not trying to steal this thread but one of my Cichlids has feces like that. The rest do not. What can I do to cure it?

Mine do when I feed zucchini.

To the op I had the same situation as u. It would be better for u and his sake if u would rehome him now. I started getting really attached to mine ( also in a 10g) he died b4 I could move him to my 55g ( I had a disease outbreak )

 

[LyndaB]

Not trying to steal this thread but one of my Cichlids has feces like that. The rest do not. What can I do to cure it?

This thread is about one specific pleco. You are best served to start your own thread so as not to hijack this one. Then, you can get responses based on your specific fish.

 

[CharlieB]

I personally think even 100g is way to small for a sailfin pleco, his growth also looks a bit funny already, how long is he? he should be at least 20cm by 5 months, he should look slightly longer and not so thick, there growth can be really stunted from being in a small tank.

I would take him back and get him exchanged for a smaller species of pleco, even then there arent any plecos which will thrive in a 10g

 

[NoMoreGoldFish]

Wow, a pleco in a 10g? Should've done some research before getting your fish and stocking your tank. I spent two hours a day for a week making sure everything is compatible.

 

[LyndaB]

Research is definitely your friend when it comes to stocking a tank. We probably all made some kind of mistake at the beginning..... comes with the territory.

 

[Toirtis]

I personally think even 100g is way to small for a sailfin pleco, his growth also looks a bit funny already, how long is he? he should be at least 20cm by 5 months, he should look slightly longer and not so thick, there growth can be really stunted from being in a small tank.

I would take him back and get him exchanged for a smaller species of pleco, even then there arent any plecos which will thrive in a 10g

Sorry to the OP, but I really must agree here. Trade him in for a trio of Otocinclus.

 

[absolutangel04]

I am sorry that you are attached to him. As Lynda said, we have mostly all made some mistakes in stcoking when we started. However, a 10 gallon is too small for him. I know petstores sell them when they are tiny, but baby plecos grow a lot! Even a 25 gallon is too small for him. It is in the best interest of the fish to re-home him and look into snails or shrimp as algae eaters in a 10 gallon tank. Maybe otos depending on the other stock.

 

[Achtemichuk]

My parents were looking after my aquarium while I was away traveling and purchased him while I was away, not realizing their growth rates. I think I'll take him back to my pet store tomorrow and wait out on getting another algae eater for awhile as my fish are a bit stressed as it is with a couple pregnancies in the tank. I (and my pleco) appreciate the advice!

 

[Cart.Poe]

I have a 10 gallon planted that is my favorite of all my tanks. It is stocked with a happy, healthy community of 2 dalmation mollies 1 Mickey mouse platy 1 guppy and 3 Stein Cory cats it is planted with about 8 stem plants and there is also a Crypt in there. I use no Ferts or C02 injections, I also use no filter media in my hang on back filter but I keep it on to create current. I do not vaccum at all and do no water tests etc. What im getting at is that it is a very well thought out, healthy old tank. i would not recomend this until you are sure you have a stable ecology in your tank. As long as you are smart about a plant to fish ratio and let the ecology build slow, you can have a lot of life in your little tank.

 

[Tigroscr]

Ahhhhh! I love my pleco ! I know he can be messy but his poo is probably the easiest to vacuum cuz it all stays together! I don't mind cleaning up after him he loves it when I hand feed him ( lol, he's very tame) he comes right up and takes algae wafers right out of my hand! But he's a monster when it comes to eating!!! I actually used to have 2 of them then my husband had a friend come over from work and offered me 50 bucks for my other gigantic pleco!! At first i said no cuz I didn't want to part with him but I finally gave in! I had him in a 55 and this guy said he would take real good care of him and has him in a 120 g! And so far he's very happy in his new home, but I miss him cuz though I couldn't hand feed him he was the better algae eater!

 

[Cart.Poe]

My Molly could beat up ur Pleco

 

[Tigroscr]

My Molly could beat up ur Pleco

How big is your Molly? My pleco is a good 10 inches from head to tail, but the only thing he used to fight with was my other pleco cuz they're highly territorial. And he's armored so I don't think your Molly could hurt him! Lol! Your kidding, right?