Clown Pleco is too lazy

[Smudgeboss]

Hi. We got a clown pleco for our 10 gal tank because they don't grow so big. We had to give a regular pleco to the lfs because he was getting too big. The clown doesn't clean up the glass like the other guy did. Algae is starting to look loathsome. I don't imagine having a heart to heart talk about the Protestant work ethic will do too much for our pleco or our tank, but would adding a couple of snails assist in the algae situation? We have gold skirt tetras in the tank. Are water temp, fish type etc issues with snails? Are snails a good idea or not? Thanks for your continued input in this venture

 

[Zagz]

Make sure if you add snails be prepared for more than a couple in a short time. IMO a couple of oto's would be good.

 

[woodsplace1]

when did you get the clown pleco? Mine took a while to get acclimated to the tank, about a week or 2 before he started to realize what he was in there for...do you give him algae tabs? I noticed when I gave ours algae tabs he didn't want to do any work for his keep...so I reward him when he cleans up nicely by giving him an algae tab...he tends to do all his work at night....HTH

 

[Smudgeboss]

We have had him over a month. We are cutting down on the food we give out tetras assuming he is filling up on their left overs. Zagz, what is an oto?

thanks

 

[severum mama]

IME clown plecos will eat some algae, but are not known for eating it the way that some other species are. Do you have driftwood in your tank? Your pleco will need that for its diet.

 

[shaunakadub]

Agree with mama.

I put a nice big piece of driftwood in my tank with my clown plec, and almost as soon as I closed the hood of the tank he had left his normal hiding spot for a brand spanking new hole in the driftwood. I'll try to get a few pictures of him in his little home.

 

[crazyred]

Zagz, what is an oto?

thanks

She is referring to Otocinclus catfish. Here's a linky: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=16&cat=1919&articleid=2456

 

[brant]

Yeah I to have a clown pleco and he is lazy until one of my corys forgets were he is and ventures into what I have dubbed the cave of doom. Cory goes in all you see is a stir of gravel and out comes the cory with the clown hot on his tail chases them about half the tank and stops and watches as the cory sulkes off in the corner then slowly returns to his cave stoping along the way to look at the other corys as to say you want some until he makes it to his cave and then is unseen until the next poor unsespecting cory enters the cave of doom. LOL its halarios.