# The TRUTH about plecos...



## gretchup (Jul 9, 2010)

So, I was having an algae problem in my ten gallon with my two black moors, so went to the store, and was suggested a Pleco by my LPS, the kind that i have now learned gets to be 24" in ideal conditions. 
I decided at the time to upgrade my fish to a 15 gallon at that time, so i did, and got them all situated in there. Then did some research... and now i am left with a pleco that will either die from stunting, or i will have to upgrade him, or get rid of him.
He is really small right now, but i dont want his growth to stunt my other fish's, and i dont want him to die just because i cant afford to buy him a better tank. How long, do you guys think, until i have to get rid of him? Or, should i just go ahead and exchange him for the kind of pleco that gets 2".... is there any way to take care of algae without medicating, or overcrowding my tank? or having to scrub it off the glass myself? haha, i just love having a clean tank..
i do have a planted tank btw... so that leads to alagae more right?

i think the answer is to get rid of my pleco, right?


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

I would take him back and get a bristlenose pleco, they max out at about 3 to 4 inches and do a lot better job at cleaning algae.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Definately should look at exchanging the common plec. There are many varieties of smaller ones and some get quite a bit expensive. The two most commons are BNPs (Bristle Nose Plecs) and Clowns. Both stay just few inches. 

If you don't like scrubbing the glass...maybe look into some snails such as Briggs or Nerites. 

Otos can be an option but thier diet should also be supplimented with fresh veggies.


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## gretchup (Jul 9, 2010)

will the snails eat algae off of plants and rocks too? and they wont bring any diseases with, will they?
i am interested in the snails as opposed to an additional fish, because truly this tank is about my goldfish. And to allow them fifteen gallons just the two of them, would be ideal.
Do snails count in the one-inch-per-inch-of-fish rule too?

Luckily my cousin is in need of a pleco and has a huge tank, so Frank will soon be given to her. I feel more comfortable with that than returning him to the store - he would probably die if i did that.


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## longtail4711 (Jun 8, 2010)

I'm really glad that you found a home for your common pleco. I have one that is 9" long and he's stunted. He wasn't mine, he was a friend's and she was keeping him in in a 10 gal.! I have him in a 29 gal. and he seems quite happy for now. I'm trying to find a home for him, but if I can't do that, I plan to upgrade my aquarium next year to a very large one so he can have all the space he can bliss himself out in. Hopefully he will start growing again. I do not know if a fish can grow again after being stunted. 

Snails do not count as a "one fish per inch" rule. I recommend the Nerites, they do a great job of cleaning the tank and they are quite beautiful when it comes to shell colors and patterns. They also will not breed unless they have brackish water, so you won't end up with a snail explosion.


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## Shotgun (Mar 1, 2009)

i would steer you away from snails. i forget the word for it, but they can reproduce by themselves. *L1 in other words, if you buy one, be prepared to have a bunch of them and theyre really hard to get rid of them if you ever want to get rid of them.

as for your pleco, you have to get rid of him asap. they tend to grow fairly fast. once again, it amazes me how stupid some of these people are who work at these LFS. algae problem? 10g talk? NO PROB! LETS GET YOU A COMMON PLECO!!!!

no. like the others said, get bristlenose (BN for short) pleco. theyre cool lil guys. you could always go the oto route. get a few otos. get 3-4 ottos, theyre really cool and if your a girl, ur probably gunna think theyre cute. 

hope this helped.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Nerite snails will not reproduce in the tank unless you are running marine salt in the tank. I have had some for years and never had any new ones born in the tank.


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## Shotgun (Mar 1, 2009)

i didnt know that susan. thanks! lol. i thought nerite snails were only in marine setups. can someone chime in?


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Shotgun said:


> i would steer you away from snails. i forget the word for it, but they can reproduce by themselves.


Only certain types of snails produce asexually like ponds, rams and MTS.

Snails like Briggs and Nerites need male and female.

As for breeding Nerites...yes...they need brackish water to breed.


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## keziahamber (Jul 18, 2010)

I haven't seen the bristlenose pleco around here.


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## finatic child (Jul 9, 2010)

I hadn't seen them around my part of the world either until yesterday. I stopped by Petsmart for a thermometer and they had just gotten some in. I'm not saying you need to buy them from Petsmart, but you might want to keep checking your LFS. Also, most non-chain LFS will order in what you want for you. You might ask them.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

I wished you lived near me, I have plenty. But its to hot to ship anything right now, And I will usually only ship them express and that can get expensive.


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## Scuff (Aug 10, 2010)

Bristlenose plecs are wonderful little buggers. I very rarely sell Hypostomus or Gibb plecs in my store these days; most people do quite well with a bristlenose or one of the other non-pleco algae eaters. The appearance is a little offputting to some people, but I think they've got character, and they're not afraid to hang around out in the open. As my signature says, don't just assume your algae eater will subsist on merely algae alone. Slices of zucchini, pieces of green bean, pieces of lettuce, they like them all. Just freeze them overnight to break down the cell walls so they get nice and tasty.


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## MooImmaFish (Jul 22, 2010)

Does anyone have any info on Frogmouth Plecos? I just got one for my 20 gallon. Is that ok for him?:fish10:


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## Scuff (Aug 10, 2010)

It should be fine, they max out at 4" or so. General pleco care applies, make sure they get occasional greens.

*edit* Information.

Bulldog/Rubber Pleco - Chaetostoma cf. thomsoni (L187b)


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