New Guy Here

[Netti]

Hey, I'm new here.
Let me tell you about my tank. 20 inches long, 10 inches wide, and 19 inches high (16 gallon?)

I have two filters; an AquaClear 150 and a Mini
Blue gravel, no background, and plenty decor
I have 4 Platies. 2 are hybrids
I used to have MANY (mating can be something else) but many fish were given away and now I'm left with 4. One Orange Mickey Mouse Platy (female), Red Wag (male...and hasn't grown from a little less than 1 inch since it was born a WHILE ago), and two shiny golden bluish orangish Platies that are males (hybrids between a blue platy and a mickey).
1 Common Pleco, about 4inches long. He's really weird. No matter where I drop his algae wafers, he takes them and places them all in the SAME spot (I just got him today, only dropped 2 which he ate like they were nothing; all gone). Also, my tank looks MUCH better. I had alot of algae on my decor and on the walls...they're gone. Crystal clear. I didn't think he'd get it all but hey...

In about a month or so, I'm getting a 55 gallon from PetsMart. I'm not buying any other fish to go along with it. The platies will do what they did in the beginning (imaging going from 3 fish to 19 in 2 months). For variety, I may once again buy a few Swordtails and Gouramis, and then let the 16 gallon be my fry tank. So tell me what you think. Thanx

 

[Netti]

Also...I've read somewhere that the lump or dents in a Pleco's head can determine it's health, for example:

the there are dents in its head, it may be unhealthy

if there are neither dents or lumps, it's fine

and lumps means its very healthy...because those lumps are actually where it stores fat. Is this true? Because mine has DENTS, meaning no fat stored.

 

[tkos]

I am glad you said you are getting the bigger tank. A 55 gallon is really the absolute minimum for a common pleco as they can and will attain sizes of 2 feet in length and produce tons of waste. So make sure that the 55 gallon has plenty of extra filtration. I would suggest probably cansiter filters would be the way to go.

I have some platies too and they are great fish. Very fun to watch.

Sounds like a decent plan. I would suggest that you run both those HOB on the main tank and then when you need to run the fry tank just take the smaller HOB off and attach it to the small tank. That way you will always have a filter with lots of good bacteria in it and no cycling for the fry.

 

[Netti]

Yeah, the two HOBs are on the main tank currently. I'm aware of the common pleco's potential size, and I must say it sorta annoys me lol, even in a 55+ gallon tank...only because I liked decor though. Ah well, I'll find some way to be creative while leaving the bottom pretty smooth for it to roam. Also, I dropped another wafer in this morning, only to find him searching for it, and then taking it to the SAME spot again, and leaving it there to soften up and get spongey before it at eit. Lol does anyone else's pleco have weird behavior?

 

[Allivymar]

Heh, apparently you have a fussy plec. Mine just bullies everyone out of the way and eats the food where it lays; then again, hes 8 inches long and rules the tank LOL Your's may have not been eating well in the lfs; give him a few days and I think you'll see those dents behind the eyes start to fill out.

You don't need to have a smooth bottom for a plec. I use medium sized gravel/pebbles. You will have to get some driftwood tho; plecs need it for digestion. And kiss any live smooth leaved plants (like amazon swords) goodbye when he gets bigger LOL