Plecos in a sand substrate tank

[Duddits]

I was gonna purchase a small pleco to help control the algae on my rocks and dw. However, I was told at petsmart that they don't recommend it because plecos can suck up the sand in the sand trying to clean it and die. Is this true?

 

[Tetra1990]

Highly doubt it, but anythings possible. I have my clown Pleco on sand and it's doing good so far.

 

[Zagz]

I have literally a couple hundred plecos of all sizes and all my tanks are sand. My oldest is a gold nugget pleco, he's 12 and he's been fine with sand all his life.

 

[DragonFish71]

They told you a bunch of fish-poo.

The plecos I have in my sand tanks love playing in the sand and are thriving.

 

[jetajockey]

Agreed, I have kept several plecos on sand. I guess they must think that these fish come from a sand-free water system, lol.

 

[5x5]

I agree with the others. Every one of my lousy plecos lives in a tank with a sand substrate and I even think its the most ideal situation. They hover above the sand and blow on it to sift for food. Similar to stingray behavior.

 

[Duddits]

Looks like I'm buying a pleco tomorrow
Thanks all, I appreciate it

 

[TenaciousTriggerFish]

Looks like I'm buying a pleco tomorrow
Thanks all, I appreciate it

I have a twelve inch pleco in a tank with sand and it was horrible cuz he kept digging gown to glass so the rank looked terrible he did this for a week till two weeks ago I re arranged my rocks to a cave-like formation he dug under there once and left the rest if the tank alone and is super happy !!!
Lesson? Give him a hiding spot tehe lol

 

[Duddits]

Well I tried a Pleco and no luck
He lasted about a week. Found him dead on the bottom if the tank. Through the week it looked like he was getting picked on. All his find were chewed up. So my question, all my fish are happy and thriving. Did my fish kill him or the fact that I have sand in mr tank?

 

[smomus]

Well I tried a Pleco and no luck
He lasted about a week. Found him dead on the bottom if the tank. Through the week it looked like he was getting picked on. All his find were chewed up. So my question, all my fish are happy and thriving. Did my fish kill him or the fact that I have sand in mr tank?

Could have been many factors, but I doubt sand was one. sorry for your loss!

 

[haglagwr]

Yeah probably from being picked on. I got a common bristle nose pleco a few weeks ago. He is a few inches larger than the rest of my fish so he hardly gets picked on. How big was the one you got in comparison to your fish? This may have been a factor. Also mine has plenty of hiding spots where the Africans don't notice him. Do you have places for him to hide? Sorry for your loss though.

 

[Mcass]

I have a sand bottom in my 76 with about an 11 inch pleco. Never had any problems. That shouldn't be the issue a highly doubt.

 

[Jacobsal91]

I have a sand bottom in my 76 with about an 11 inch pleco. Never had any problems. That shouldn't be the issue a highly doubt.

I second this statement, got sand in mine and my pleco is a few years old

 

[biss444]

wasn't the sand,what other fish are in the tank, and what size are they

 

[tnmichx6]

unfortunately i found this our too. we purchases a small pleco for our 15 gallon breeding tank. with in 2 weeks he tripled in size, we found him dead this morning. he would also push sand to bottom of the glass.

 

[TenaciousTriggerFish]

unfortunately i found this our too. we purchases a small pleco for our 15 gallon breeding tank. with in 2 weeks he tripled in size, we found him dead this morning. he would also push sand to bottom of the glass.

AWE sorry