Should Pleco go home?
I apologize for the "plecoptera" title - autocorrect.
8 or so months ago we got a small common pleco. I knew they got large, but figured it would take a while. At the time we had a 20 long and an algae problem. I was looking for something to clean the algae and we figured we would get a larger tank or take him back when he got too large.
Forward to today. We are setting up a new tank (about day 6 of fish-in cycle) and I'm thinking about the new tank stock. The tank is a 75. Every time I put the fish I want into the aquarium advisor calculator, the pleco always causes it to be overstocked - by a lot. If I pull it out I am fine. I know this is calculating based in a full sized pleco (my guy is about 5 inches at the moment).
So my big question is - if I want a community tank with lots of fish (danios, tiger barbs, mollies, cories, and Siamese algae eaters) - should I re-home my pleco? Are plecos best left in large tanks with few fish? I really like him and like the idea of having one large fish with all the other little guys, but don't want anyone eaten or stressed by overstocking. Thanks.
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I apologize for the "plecoptera" title - autocorrect.
8 or so months ago we got a small common pleco. I knew they got large, but figured it would take a while. At the time we had a 20 long and an algae problem. I was looking for something to clean the algae and we figured we would get a larger tank or take him back when he got too large.
Forward to today. We are setting up a new tank (about day 6 of fish-in cycle) and I'm thinking about the new tank stock. The tank is a 75. Every time I put the fish I want into the aquarium advisor calculator, the pleco always causes it to be overstocked - by a lot. If I pull it out I am fine. I know this is calculating based in a full sized pleco (my guy is about 5 inches at the moment).
So my big question is - if I want a community tank with lots of fish (danios, tiger barbs, mollies, cories, and Siamese algae eaters) - should I re-home my pleco? Are plecos best left in large tanks with few fish? I really like him and like the idea of having one large fish with all the other little guys, but don't want anyone eaten or stressed by overstocking. Thanks.
Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
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