Pleco is rasping on my new sword plants.

[ColemAnthony1]

I just recently bought three beautiful sword plants from my favorite fish store in Portland and within the next day of me putting them in the tank I noticed that a few of the leaves had small holes in them. I later noticed my pleco was sucking on the leaves. I had no idea that plecos even hurt plants. I had one that grew to about a foot long and he never ever hurt my plants. I read online that they will "rasp" on the leaves if they don't have sufficient vegetable matter, so I threw a chunk of squash in the tank and both pleco and my bristle nose love it and are munching on it as I type. I am also planning on adding driftwood to my tank and I've heard that it is great for plecos. So between the squash and the driftwood should he stop rasping my sword plants? Or should I just get rid of him all together? My sword plants are already growing new leaves and they look damaged already. I'd hate to have wasted $15 because a cheap pleco is destroying my plants.


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[RadMax8]

Wood is pretty much required for owning plecos. As you've found, they need some fiber in their diet. The squash was a good idea and may keep them off your plants for a day, but it'd work on securing some driftwood ASAP. Your swords will probably survive, just make sure you trim off damaged leaves and give them some root tabs for nutrients.


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[ColemAnthony1]

Thanks for the reply. I've got some driftwood soaking at this very minute. When you say trim off the damaged leaves, pretty much all of them are damaged from that dumb pleco, so should I still trim all of them? I'd be left with one or two very small baby leaves... ? ?and do I trim off the stems all the way down to the roots?



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[Mebbid]

They should grow back okay. Just be sure to give them good root tabs.

What do you feed your plecos normally?

 

[ColemAnthony1]

Okay. I gave them root tabs the day I got them. I usually just drop an algae wafer during feeding time, I didn't realize how badly my pleco needed food. They really are tearing that squash up!


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[ColemAnthony1]

Alright. I did as y'all said and trimmed all the dead and damaged leaves, but I'm worried they won't survive. What do you think? ?


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[Mebbid]

View attachment 274914View attachment 274915
Alright. I did as y'all said and trimmed all the dead and damaged leaves, but I'm worried they won't survive. What do you think? ?


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Nothing to do but wait and see. Damaged leaves are detrimental to plants so they had to go regardless.

 

[ColemAnthony1]

Alright. I have a question regarding my lighting. I have two 54 watt HO T5 bulbs on my 50gal. tank. Is this considered medium light or high?


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[ColemAnthony1]

I was just wondering if I had enough light for my Swords.


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[tiger terror]

Alright. I have a question regarding my lighting. I have two 54 watt HO T5 bulbs on my 50gal. tank. Is this considered medium light or high?


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What K value do the fluorescents have?

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[tiger terror]

Alright. I have a question regarding my lighting. I have two 54 watt HO T5 bulbs on my 50gal. tank. Is this considered medium light or high?


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Would put you just above low but not quite medium I believe..

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[Mebbid]

Would put you just above low but not quite medium I believe..

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Dual t5ho bulbs os pretty solid medium light level for anything 21" or below in height.

 

[fishenthusiast]

I have an AquaticLife duel T5 HO fixture and I have high lighting. It's about 15" from the substrate. What fixture do you have?

 

[ColemAnthony1]

Umm the light says "Wave Point HO T5 fluorescent lighting system 108 watt 48inch" my light is about 20 inches from the bottom of the tank. What is the "K" value?


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[fishenthusiast]

Umm the light says "Wave Point HO T5 fluorescent lighting system 108 watt 48inch" my light is about 20 inches from the bottom of the tank. What is the "K" value?


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Okay. What bulbs do you have? K stands for Kelvin, which is the color temperature that is emitted from whatever source; in this case, your bulbs.

 

[ColemAnthony1]

On the bulb it says 6500K. Is that what your asking?


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[tiger terror]

Would put you just above low but not quite medium I believe..

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My bad,was thinking regular t5.Mebbid&Fish are correct..Medium lighting if not better..

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[fishenthusiast]

On the bulb it says 6500K. Is that what your asking?


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Yes. What is the other bulb's K rating?

 

[ColemAnthony1]

They both say 6500K. Should they be different?


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[fishenthusiast]

They both say 6500K. Should they be different?


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You can have two different bulbs, but you're good. Judging from the fact that you have those bulbs, that your fixture has reflectors, and that it is 20" from the substrate, I'd have to say that you have medium lighting.

Edit: I can't seem to find a PAR chart for your fixture, but I think you either have solid medium light or low high lighting.