# Problems keeping Plecos



## marcusblackcat (Sep 27, 2012)

I have, in the last 5 years, had about 15 Pleco's in my various tanks.

The 60litre tank I had I put small ones in (about 2-3") but each one died after a few weeks.

Got a 125l tank and got a beatiful sand coloured pleco (not exactly sure of the breed) about 5" long after the tank settled - this lasted about 6 weeks and simply died.

I tried various small plecs in the 125l tank and all died within a month of being introduced.

I have now got a 400l 5 foot tank and have a number of silver sharks and cichlids in., I have always had problems in the smaller tanks with the smaller silver sharks but have put some in the new tank about 5" long (4 of them) and had no problems so I thought it must be an issue with the size of the fish and that the larger fish would be more hardy. I thought this would be the same with the pleco so I got a large pleco (approx 12") and added him to the tank. Introduced him very slowly and put him in about 2 months ago.

I could see no problems with him - swimming fine and moving about with no problems, then I came in from work yesterday to find him dead. My tank has a small amount of green algae on the rocks and the ornament which I have in there so I thought that would be sufficient for him to eat but I am absolutely baffled as to what I am doing wrong with Plecos. All other nfish are survivng fine. Water is testing normal with no Nitrite or Ammonia and a PH of about 6.7. Can anyone give me advice? Could it be feeding as I didn't see the pleco eating a great deal - may wafers help if I get another plec in the future as they are my favourite fish - just wish I could manage to keep them!


----------



## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

They are not scavengers and need a targeted diet. Plecos is a trade name, and the scientific term is usually Loracarids - you have to research them. There are carnivores, algae eaters, detritus (debris) eaters and even wood raspers - among the hundreds of species there are many different feeding strategies and it's up to you to figure out which works.
If feeding is the problem, it can be hard to see since they have rigid external armour. The fish looks normally shaped even if it is wasting away. 
Go to a site like planetcatfish and read up on them. I think that if you like catfish, you'll find that site pretty exciting.

You have a big active fish with the silver shark - an endangered species that really shouldn't be kept in aquariums. Your tank is too small for them, and that could be a part of the problem - you have small tanks for the fish you like, without your even identifying the cichlids. The 125 liter tank is a small one for any pleco, and would need 50% weekly water changes to keep one alive - a standard pleco is one of the greatest producers of poop in the fish world. Even at that, it would be a short term tank for anything but an Ancistrus sp.


----------



## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

As Nav said you must feed the plecos something other than just the algae on the tank. I feed my bushynoses algae wafers and veggie sticks as well as sliced zuchinni and sweet potatoes. Having wood in the tank is a necessity as they rasp this to help aid in digestion.


----------



## marcusblackcat (Sep 27, 2012)

Thanks guys - much appreciated.

I no longer have the 125l tank - this has gone since I got the 400l tank - wood may be the problem(or lack of it) - the Plec I had was from a stockist I trust and have bought a lot of fish from and he is also very reknowned in the north east of England.

I'll speak to my supplier this afternoon and hopefully he'll point me in the right direction (I think it may be food for them as I haven't really been sure about them in the previous tanks.!)


----------

