Thinking of adding a plecostomus?

[Bubba643]

Figured I'd post a pic of my juvenile 2.5 inch Royal pleco to illustrate the effects plecostomus can have on the bio load of a tank. Important to note this particular fish will grow to 15-17 inches as a mature adult. Pictured waste was a result of feeding one dime size algae wafer and I also have a large piece of driftwood he snacks on with little to no free growing algae in this tank. This is about 24 hours worth of waste or less.

Most inexperienced people purchase pleco's thinking of them as a built-in cleaner of the tank. While they do clean the interior algae some what, there overall effect on the tank can be quite the opposite of clean, especially in under sized or under filtered aquariums. I happen to love them and think they are fascinating to watch and take care of. However, they need a lot of space, filtration, and water maintenance to thrive.

 

[DreaminginBlue]

Great thread- thank you so much! So many people don't understand how large these fish get and how big their bioload is- they just stick one in the tank in hopes that it'll solve their algae problems.
This weekend, while talking to a colleague at work about keeping fish, she proudly mentioned she had a pleco in her 10 gallon tank... and when I told her how big it would get, she was shocked. The pet store that sold him to her never mentioned this. My boss overheard and jumped in, explaining that she'd have to either rehome it or get a bigger tank. I learned that my boss used to have an 150 gallon freshwater tank with a pleco who was over a foot long and almost 13 years old... needless to say, my coworker wishes she'd heard this information before she bought the fish!

 

[Brookster123]

I'd estimate the biggest trailer I've seen to be about 8" behind a 4"bristle nose.. parading that turd around the tank like... "Look what I can poo!!!!"

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[_Drago_]

Very informative and accurate! I made the mistake of getting a pleco when I was very young in the hobby, well he quickly grew and was rehomed to an outdoor pond all to himself. Plecos are adorable but messy little creatures!

 

[Bubba643]

I'd estimate the biggest trailer I've seen to be about 8" behind a 4"bristle nose.. parading that turd around the tank like... "Look what I can poo!!!!"

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It's pretty crazy, it's like a timeline. When I drop in zucchini you can see the order he ate and portion size.

algae = clear
zucchini = light green
driftwood = dark brown...

 

[Toad]

I like my bn, but I'd be lying if I said I'd want another pleco. For the amount of bio-space they take up and the amount of time I never see him, I'd prefer something else, but after having him for over ten years he's mine till the end now lol.

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[Betta keeper]

I have a bn, and I see him quite often, but I also have decided that perhaps cories would make a better choice for bottom activity

I have him in a 29 with a Betta, and just a few little fish(which will soon move to the 38) even for his size, you can see the waste produced. I vacuum twice a week

 

[Bubba643]

I like my bn, but I'd be lying if I said I'd want another pleco. For the amount of bio-space they take up and the amount of time I never see him, I'd prefer something else, but after having him for over ten years he's mine till the end now lol.

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Can't blame you there, I kinda feel the same about the one pictured. Although he doesn't hide that much for a pleco as a baby, I'm afraid when he's a foot long I may just have to stop water changes and follow him around with scuba gear and a pooper scooper to keep the other fish in the tank from ammonia poisoning...

 

[Betta keeper]

What sized tank allows for scuba gear? Lol!

I know 120 is probably big enough to bath in....I was watching one that went on sale before Christmas but ran a bit short and ended up with the 38 instead

 

[Bubba643]

What sized tank allows for scuba gear? Lol!

I know 120 is probably big enough to bath in....I was watching one that went on sale before Christmas but ran a bit short and ended up with the 38 instead

Yeah I started looking early this month and of course saw a used one right down the street that was posted a month before. I would have loved it, but was gobbled up quickly way before I replied--125 gallon acrylic drilled with 40 gallon sump and pro led's, cherry stand and hood, media etc for $400. Just my luck...

 

[Brookster123]

Yeah I started looking early this month and of course saw a used one right down the street that was posted a month before. I would have loved it, but was gobbled up quickly way before I replied--125 gallon acrylic drilled with 40 gallon sump and pro led's, cherry stand and hood, media etc for $400. Just my luck...

I can't even look anymore.. all I want is a 120 for an Oscar and they're always gone or 3 hrs away..

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[Bubba643]

I can't even look anymore.. all I want is a 120 for an Oscar and they're always gone or 3 hrs away..

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I'll be there shortly, patience is not my strong suit...

 

[Toad]

First pic, ten minutes after throwing an algae wafer in, he'll come out.

Second pic, this is what I see of him if I am LUCKY, most of the time he is jammed more towards the back and I'll see the point of one of his fins.

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[Bubba643]

First pic, ten minutes after throwing an algae wafer in, he'll come out.

Second pic, this is what I see of him if I am LUCKY, most of the time he is jammed more towards the back and I'll see the point of one of his fins.

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Very cool fish, even if you only get to see him occasionally.

 

[schpanky]

Oh yeah, that fish two posts above is BAD!!! Looks prehistoric, right?

These days it seems like everyone's so much more educated about fish, but sometimes I wonder...if we were treating fish so poorly (years ago), then why did they seem to live and thrive so long. Over the years I've had plenty of Plecos in a 55 gal tank and they never got bigger than 8 inches. Was I stunting them? These days I'm too careful to even try that (thanks internet).

In fact 25years ago I kept a Pleco, a Dempsey, a Mag, and a catfish (all full grown) in a 55 and they all lived really long lives, they never got sick. So sometimes I just wonder about that.

 

[Bubba643]

Oh yeah, that fish two posts above is BAD!!! Looks prehistoric, right?



These days it seems like everyone's so much more educated about fish, but sometimes I wonder...if we were treating fish so poorly (years ago), then why did they seem to live and thrive so long. Over the years I've had plenty of Plecos in a 55 gal tank and they never got bigger than 8 inches. Was I stunting them? These days I'm too careful to even try that (thanks internet).



In fact 25years ago I kept a Pleco, a Dempsey, a Mag, and a catfish (all full grown) in a 55 and they all lived really long lives, they never got sick. So sometimes I just wonder about that.

I hear what your saying, and yes an 8 inch pleco full grown was most likely stunted. We've all pressed that envelope before especially as beginners being that often times the fish with the most personality, color, and over all coolness require very large tanks which are often expensive and time consuming to keep.

I try and think of it in human terms. If you were moved into an inclosure as a child and told you had to live your entire life within those walls what size house would you want? Would you want lights on all the time? What would you want inside that house (indoor plumbing, heated and cooled, room to exercise, sleeping area, waste removal)and what type of food would you want (same thing daily or variety). Obviously fish can't tell us these things so the only way to judge is based off adult size, activity, and color compared to those seen in the wild.

For a pleco I would view a 10 gallon tank as a prison cell assuming waste is removed daily you could live in that your whole life but would be cramped physically as well as emotionally miserable(possibly shortening life and growth). By the same comparison your 4 fish in the 55 gallon example would be maybe a 2 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath apartment with 1-2 grumpy guys and 2 guys that poop 5 times a day. Much better than one prison cell but certainly not ideal.

I would contend that 25 years ago a fish enthusiast would tell you the same thing they would today regarding fish care and tank requirements. It's just easier to reach them now. But their advice is always given in terms of "alive and well" not just "alive" and there is much room between those two for people to find what they are comfortable with personally to enjoy the hobby.

 

[schpanky]

So true. Plecos are such unique looking creatures, I had nooooo idea how much they pooped, and I always told everyone, "They clean the tank." I can laugh now, but sort of cringe at the same time. Then I think of how we treated goldfish...ugh....it's painful....