Plecos & Chinese Algae eater 29 gal with Crorys?? good b

[MiamiFishy]

Hey everybody!
First, sorry for not keeping my word on posting some pictures of my tank, I have not had the chance to re-install the web cam in my computer.

On the good side, the tank is doing good, and now am caring for the 2nd batch of zebra danios fry...not fry anymore, but still little compare to the big brothers.

Now for a question,... and I know, I should have done a complete research before getting this guys, but you know how will bending this hobby can be; the thing is I bought 2 Plecos ( about 1 1/2 in long) and 3 Gyrinocheilus Aymonieri - aka-chinese algae eaters ( about same size as the Plecos.)
As you know, I have a 29 gal tank, pebbles substrate, Penguin 350b hanging filter ( with four media pads- two new- two aged )
air stone and air wand on wall - air wand temporary off... fish seem to like it more that way. Lets see, ohhh my little buddies, about 15 Zebra Danios ( 12 about 1 inch long - first batch of fry born to the tank ), 3 zebras from my original 10 gall tank, also about 1 inch long; 2 Crorys and one Betta fish.

And here is the question... what would you guys do... Add the 3 Chinese algae eaters or the 2 Plecos...or add all of them to the 29 gal tank???

Right now the Plecos and the Chinese Algae Eater are in my Quarantine tank which is 10 gal with a big amphora decor where the plecos hide under the handle or opening while the Chinese algae eater hide under or inside the decor. Been there for a week already...seem peaceful and healthy. Air stone and Penguin 100?-200? size with bio-wheel too. Aged filter media.

So what would you guys recommend. My idea was to keep these guys as my algae control crew - supplementing them with algae waffles and flakes if algae not available... the Crorys keep to themselves and go all over the place but most of the time sit either on top of the bridge decor or under one the three arcs.

Would adding either the Plecos or Chinese Algae eater, or all toguether to the tank cause problems- competitions???
Your advice and suggestions as usual will be very appreciated and thank for!!!

Oh one more thing... I have a second batch like I mention at the top, of zebra fry that are already about 3/4 big in a 2 1/2 gal hatch tank. Could I move them to the 29 gal tank with the Plecos or/and Chinese algae eater or should I wait for the little guys to get bigger or add them at a later time ????? Thank you all

 

[malkore]

first suggestion - more spaces in your post so its easier to read and comprehend.

what kind of plecos? cuz common plecos grow fast ,and will outgrow your 29gal in a few months. I've seen common plecos at 14" long.

chinese algae eaters also get a little big, some report 8"...far too big for a 29gal.
they also tend to get aggressive as adults, and will latch on to fish and suck the slime coat off their scales...and rarely touch algae.

if those are common pleco's, I would return them, and probably the CAE's unless you have plans to have a much larger (100gallon) tank in the next 12 months.

 

[MiamiFishy]

Sorry about the lack of space in the post, kinda in a hurry to type away before boss came by, at work here.

A 100 gal tank???... mmm... that much space for those 5 guys??? I give you, I have seen a big...sorry...HUGE PLECO at a local Petco store, but would probably sale it before they gets to that HUGE size...i think it was about 3 feet long!...but that would take years right???

Could I keep maybe the CAE in the 29 gal while the Plecos in the 10???
Now have another good reason to get a BIGGER tank... but defenetly not a 100 gal...not that much space available.

But before I get a new tank, is sending them back to the LFS my only choice???? 8O

 

[Zagz]

The common pleco's will definately get too large for a 10 gal and quickly. I would return those to the lfs and get a couple of otos or a bristlenose pleco instead.The CAE's do get large and can definately get aggressive. I've had my CAE (Bruce) for a year and he is 7" long and in with Malawi cichlids than can totally handle him. One CAE will work for a while in a 29 gal but not for very long unfortunately. There are several smaller plecos, the BN being one example that works well in smaller tanks. In my 29 gal I have a gold nugget pleco, he is gorgeous when I see him.

 

[MiamiFishy]

Thank you guys for your replies,
Zags, what's the grow ratio for commom plecos??

I did notice last night when checking out the tank after lights out that the CAE kinda were picking on one of the Pleco that was hanging in one of the tank conners. But other than that, the Pleco I hardly see during the day unless I look for them; the CAE I have realized that are very active but also very shy or timid, as any movement around the tank will send them running to their hidde out under the big decor.

What is the rate of grow for the Chinese Algae Eater too, how fast do they grow??? I guess maybe I could keep one Pleco and one CAE in each tank, one pair in the 10 and another in the 29gal - at least until they have eaten some of the algae I got in my 29 gal.????!!!

Ohh, How are the Plecos with small fish...I mean with Zebra fry, not fry fry, but juvenile fish.???? Could I move my juvenile zebras to the 10 gal tank with one Pleco???

Im not been staburn, but most of the Fish Stores around my area pretty much all they have under algae eaters are either the common plecos and variaty of the Chinese algae eater...variations as in colors and patterns... not so with the Plecos... have no idea why.!

 

[JustOneMore20]

I had a CAE kill 2 danios because it sucked on them....in a 10g. I suggest you take all the fish back and see if you can find some ottos or a bristlenose. CAEs get more aggressive with age (mine wasn't that old...about 3.5-4 inches long) and they will eventually stop eating algae, so not very affective algae eaters in the long run. I think mine was about 4 inches when I gave it away and I had only had it probably 5 months.

None of the 5 should be kept in a 10g...the 29g is too small as well. I think the best thing would be to take them back. Look at all the LFS in your area for ottos. They are very peaceful, harmless little guys. Surely someplace will carry them. If not, you can order them online.

I think CAEs should be kept in cichlid tanks with fish that can stand up to them. I've seen one that was about 6 inches long and pretty fat at a LFS.

 

[bosk1]

1. To repeat what has been said, those fish are all far too big for either of your tanks. But there are many other varieties of pleco that stay small.

2. Neither of those types of fish eat much algae. They will not cure your algae problem. So if that is your only motivation for keeping them, you are better off getting rid of them.

 

[MiamiFishy]

Ok Ok ok!...

Any particular member of the otto family that I should ask for? Do they eat some algae?
I do water changes 50% every two weeks, but would like someone inside the tank to give a hand with the regular algae you know.


Ok, so those 5 guys are going back I guess... maybe I could keep one of the Plecos, see how big it gets... ja ja... don't beat me guys...just joking here.!

But really, what other members of the otto or and Pleco could be good for the community 29 gal tank I have??? Besides the Bristlenose Pleco, what other plecos could live happily in my tank???

 

[Guest]

Ottos actually do a good job eating algae and they love diatoms (brown algae) Be careful when you get the ottos. There should be alage visible in your tank because a lot of times the LFS has them in a clean tank and they starve in a new keepers tank.

There is usually one kind otto that you will see at the LFS. They are
cheap. I am not personally a big fan of them. Two times I bought 6 and 5 died over a month. Many people will tell you they are top hard to keep alive, and others will disagree.

IMO, I would go with a Gold Nugget Pleco or bristlenose. There are many plecos that stay small and they are some of my favorite fish. Check out this link. search for plecos

http://liveaquaria.com/search/default.cfm

 

[JustOneMore20]

A clown pleco could live in your tank, but I don't think they are as great at eating algae. If you specifically want an algae eater, go with an otto or a bristlenose. Chances are if any LFS has ottos, you won't know which type. It doesn't matter really which one you get. All stay small. I know that I have 2 different types of otocinclus cats, but they pretty much look the same....only a slight difference.

I also think you should get more cories...they are shoaling, so would enjoy having atleast 4 more of the same type. You could trade in the CAEs and plecos for cories and ottos!

 

[bosk1]

You could go to planetcatfish.com and take a look around. There are some really interesting plecos out there. Most get too large for your tanks, but there are quite a few that do not. Take a look at the thread on the first page about gold nugget plecos. A couple of varieties of those stay at about 4 inches, and they are gorgeous fish. I've got one in my tank. But they are a bit pricey. Rubberlip (or rubbernose, depending on the lfs) plecos also stay fairly small and are fairly common (and cheaper).

I don't believe there are different varieties of Oto. If there are, I think they are relatively similar. They stay small (about 2" max), are inexpensive, and chow down on the algae. My house has very, very good natural lighting, so the indirect sunlight was causing an algae problem in my 55. I spent about $6 for 4 otos, and the tank was spotless within about 2 weeks, and has been that way ever since.

 

[Guest]

I agree with Bosk. That is the way to go. Great looking Plecos around

 

[JustOneMore20]

There are more than one species of ottos...is what I meant to say.

Look here...there are alot of different species. Not all are common though.

 

[bosk1]

Ah, didn't know that. Nothing about them ever really turned me on, and I probably never would have gotten any if I did not have my own algae situation in my tank. But since having them, I really think they are cool fish. Not only to they keep things sparkly clean so that I don't have to scrape the algae myself, but they also have funny temperments. For instance, they will frequently be just sitting on the driftwood or suckered onto the glass, and then just out of the blue start schooling with my two roseline sharks. And when one goes, they all follow, so it's funny to watch.

 

[JustOneMore20]

I didn't know there were different species until I got a couple for my 10g. They looked a little different than the ones in my 55g and 29g and I thought something was wrong. I did a little research and found out there are many types. The one that survived in my 10g is really small compared to the others. He is a little over an inch and hasn't grown since I've had him. He is also lighter in color than the others I have.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I didn't want you all to think I was making it up. It seems like people are always doubting my info on here.....hmm...

But yes, I believe ottos or a small pleco will work. There are a few of the numbered plecos that stay small, but may not be commonly available.

If you want one of the exotic plecos, I'd go to Exoticfinds.net and check out their stock. Then go to Planet Catfish and look up the number to see how big they get. I wouldn't go for anything over 5 inches in a 29g.

I like L134-Leopard Frog Plecos and L205 plecos

 

[bosk1]

Well, if you're going to post links and all...

Here is the L081 gold nugget. Says here it gets about 7"
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=154

Here is the L177. I believe this is mine, and is the more common, smaller variety that gets about 4". A lot prettier than the L081, IMO.
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=155

And here are the L018 and L085. If this is right, these get to 14"
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=153

 

[crazycat]

be careful when you consider the length of a pleco. not only are they long, but they can be very wide--very substatnial fish. and a 7" pleco can create A LOT of waste. also be very careful in your choice of a pleco--many are not algae eaters--some are even carniverous. if you go with a pleco from the ancistrus family, should should be ok. dwarf bristlenoses are awesome, especially the males with with their ugly faces

fyi on CAEs i've had mine for about 3 years--he started at an inch and is now about 5.5". he still does eat algae--although not as much and not reliably. he has gotten more agressive, but not to small fish, only to big fish that can handle him like my clown loaches. and really he only chases other fish away from "his" territory--which happens to be wherever he is at the moment. but he doesn't attack other fish.

i agree, however, that CAEs are definitiely not candidates for a 29g. they also get very fat and very messy.

have you considered snails for algae control? there are a lot of beautiful species out there that don't eat plants. pomacea bridgesii (known as an apple snail or mystery snail) come in many colors and are quite beautiful. make sure you don't get pomacea canaliculata, which closely resemble brigs, because they do eat plants. there are a few varieties of ramshorns and malaysian trumpet snails that won't eat plants as well. do NOT get a giant columbian ramshorn, as they will totally much your plants if you have them.

hth

 

[JustOneMore20]

dwarf bristlenoses are awesome, especially the males with with their ugly faces

How can you call this face ugly?

Very true about the plecos crazycat. I forgot to mention that. The LFS that I like has a pleco that only about 7-8 inches long, but about 3-4 inches wide....I think its a panque(?). One of those that has a bigger head. It looks huge! And if a 4 inch bristlenose can make alot of poo....I can't imagine what a 7 inch could do.

 

[crazycat]

the same way i can call this guy ugly

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=83174

 

[MiamiFishy]

Wow, Thank you all for all your replies, and great advice.

I will check with PetSmart and see if I can change the Commom Plecos and Chinese Algae eater for the Ottos and corys.

Thank you too for your advice CrazyCat... and no, I wouldn't have to worry for the time been, if I were to get snails since I dont have real plants...sorry.. they are all plastic or silk kind. But I wouldn't go with snail. Got a very bad experience with snails and my 10 gal tank some time ago.

I had bought some real plants onces, I think they were Hairsword or Hedge something,- long, sword-blades-like leaves, about 2-3 inches tall, really thin, bushy?? ( sorry, have always been bad in giving descriptions. ), anyway, I got the plants.

I admit it, they were not quarentined correctly, so a few days after introduced to the 10 gal tank, I notice this funny looking thing hanging on my tank glass. Well, I got snails... I said, but WOW did I get snails... Grandpa, like I got to call the first snail to crawled out the plants got as big as 3/8! and damn if it was a busy dude. In less than a month I got more snails covering the glass, the substrate and everything else than I had fish.!

It ended with me taking down the tank and having a very stressfull re-cycling in the tank.
2 fish died. So..no snails for me... but Ill take the Ottos, crorys and or the Gold nugget plecos...

Once more, thank you ALL, for all the great advice and links and info!!!

Oh, just one last question,...mmm.. for my 29 gal, taking in consideration the 15 zebras, 2 corys, and 1 Show Betta that are in already...

How many Ottos should I get?? and 2 more cory will make my two original crory happier right???
I know it will make my Betta happier...that is, it will have two new play mates to terrorized! ja...
it just loves to hang with the bigger of the two crorys and from time to time flash his gills... but the crory likes it, because, in more than one occacion I have witness the Betta been in the opposite end of the tank and the Crory swims to where it is and sit right in front of the Betta's nose..kinda like.." Hey dude, whatcha doing? Whana play chase the crory??!! LOL.. thank you guys for the advice again!