Pleco compatibility?

[leoslizards]

Hi, someone just gave me a 8" common pleco that I currently have in a 10gallon tank and I was wondering if I could put him in my 29gallon main tank that has a 1" to 2" albino bristle nose pleco? Can these two different species of plecos coexist? I'm afraid they might not and the bigger pleco eats the smaller more expensive pleco since he can easily fit in his mouth.

I was also wondering what kind of algae do both of these pleco eat or won't eat? From the looks of it, my ABNP isn't eating much algae at all. I got brown algae, green algae, hair algae, blue/green algae, and red algae.

 

[Jchillin]

You actually have more problems that just whether the plecos are compatible, which in a larger environment, they are.

1. The common pleco shouldn't be in a 10g and will outgrow the 29g. It if were me, I'd tell that person thanks but no thanks. You would need at least 125g for him.

2. Pleco's "snack" on algae, it should not be considered their favorite food source. What they like to do is clean leftover food from the substrate.

3. Your algae problem seems to be out of control. I would suggest taking steps to rid yourself of the algae manually. The algae is in the 29g and not the 10g? Do you know why this is so?

 

[leoslizards]

Someone gave me the 8" pleco with the 10 gallon tank. I know they get big, about 2' long. I've had 12" plecos in the past and when they outgrow their tank I usually just take them to my LFS and trade them in for a new 2" pleco.

I always leave a little left over flakes in the 29g tank but I never see my ABNP eat anything. How can you tell if a pleco is eating and not starving to death?

My algae problem is definitely out of control. It's in my 29G planted tank only. I always scrape it off my glass and plants but that just spreads it all over. The day after I scrape it, the problem gets worse. I removed all the fake plants and decorations and left them soaking in about 1gallon of water and two cap fulls of bleach.

Here are my tank's parameters.

Inhabitants:
2X Dwarf Gouramis
1X Sunset Gourami
1X Clown Loach
8X Fancy Guppies
15X Ghost shrimp
1X Bristle Nose Pleco

Water parameters:
29 gallon planted aquarium
No ferts
No Co2 injection
1½" Leveling sand
1" Eco-Complete Planted Aquarium Substrate
1X 40 watt 5000k compact fluorescent
1X 20 watt 9350k fluorescent tube

PH = 7.5
NH3 = 0
GH = 220
KH = 110
NO2 = 0
Temp = 80º F

 

[Jarred Darque]

OK, for the pleco, take the 8" one somewhere, he is too big for either tank. the bristlenose should be eatin anything other than hair and beard algae., and they can eat alot, if he cant keep a 29 gallon clear of it, then you have serious problems

For those, in aplanted tank, if your having alot of algae, then you have a nutrition DEFICIENCY somewhere. PLants require a balance of alot of minerals and chemicals to live. they will outcompete algae for these as well. but when one of those minerals, chemicals, gases runs out, then they stop taking in any of them. Algae does not need a balance, and will thrive onany part of the inbalance, which is the problem that you are having. I would try and get a master test kit to test everyhting, iron, oxygen, CO2, ph, and a list of other minerals that are found in water that plants need.

you should supplement a plecos diet with fresh veggies. To tell if one is starving, all plecos have a soft belly, and if they are not eating, it will get shallow and concave, (it will go in) If they are healthy, it should be slightly round, puding out a little bit.

 

[zenkatydid]

what kind of algae do you have? also, do you have a NO3 test result? i don't think tests for trace elements/iron etc are necessary. algae is most often related to a carbon (BBA/staghorn), nitrogen (BGA) or phosphorus (GSA) deficiency. you will need to dose whichever nutrient you are lacking so that your plants can once more out-compete the algae.

that 8" pleco needs to be taken to the pet shop now, imo - he is way too big to be in even a 29gal tank, and will add _heaps_ to your bioload.

 

[Jarred Darque]

Yeah, plecos are messy messy fish. min size for a common is a 55 with an otherwise pretty empty tank. 75 for a moderatly stocked tank

 

[leoslizards]

Yeah, plecos are messy messy fish. min size for a common is a 55 with an otherwise pretty empty tank. 75 for a moderatly stocked tank

I see what you mean, yesterday I saw he left of bit of a poop trail and today it was triple the mess! At this rate I would have vacuum clean the tank everyday. I'm just going to wait until I get a bit more money, take him to my LFS and do a partial trade for another albino bristle nose.