goldfish and algae wafers...

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beef_cake

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Aug 9, 2006
Messages
8
Hello all, I recently purchased a pleco to go along with my gold fish to help clean the tank. I have 3 koi and 8 regular comet goldfish in my 30 gal tank. Everytime I add an algae wafer to my tank for the pleco, all of my fish besides the pleco, all pile around the wafer and devour it before the pleco gets a chance. My pleco stays concealed underneath a fake rock the whole time, I've never seen him anywhere else. What I'm asking is this, Is it ok for all my goldfish to eat the algae wafer in addition to their regular feeding? and is my pleco getting any algae since the other fish seem to love it? I don't want to everfeed any of them but whenever I add a wafer to the tank the goldfish swarm it before the pleco even gets a chance. I'd like to see the the pleco do his job rather than hiding under a rock the whole time. How can I resolve this? Thanks all in advance.
 
First, your tank is way overstocked, but that is a different issue.

The wafer is fine for the other fish to be eating. Drop it in after lights out when the pleco is more likely to be active, and the other fish are more likely to be sleeping.
 
koi need at least 300gal+ and that is for just one!. Consider putting in a pond, or returning these fish to your LFS. The comets need at least 75gal, and that could probably only house three or less. If you keep the koi in this tank, they will die from either ammonia poisoning, or growth defects, from being cramped in that tiny tank. the goldfish and koi eating the algea wafer is the least of your problems! Sorry to be harsh, i just hate the thought of fish crammed into a tank that is too small for them.
 
Do you know what your ammonia and nitrIte levels are in your tank? As mentioned you are SERIOUSLY overstocked and need to deal with that issue asap. None of these fish are meant for a tank as small as you have. Goldfish and Koi are some of the dirtiest fish around and will pollute their water very quickly...
 
You can feed the algae wafers at night, when the goldies would be sleeping. the pleco is nocturnal, and would find the wafers, or drop them near him/her.
 
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