# Pleco advice



## GERBER85 (24 d ago)

Good evening all,

New to the forum, but I just have a question or two.
I’ve got a 30 gallon tank, and Im using a basic Fluval 30 filter system. 
I’ve got a single pleco, 5 tiger barbs, and 2 black tetras. I did have 5 each, but 3 just couldn’t survive. I’ve had Pleco since she was a little over 2 inches in length. She is now over 6 inches.
The tiger barbs I’ve had for a year, and black tetras for about 9 months.

I just got done doing a 50% water change, so don’t mind the stuff floating around as I took a picture before taking a net to it. 

I use to place everything in the aquarium nicely, but as my pleco got larger, she kept moving everything out. So I just stopped. No worries though. It’s their home, they’ll make it how they want.

So my question(s) are:

- What filtration system do you use, and is there an inexpensive one that cleans better? Under gravel type??

- Could you recommend a natural element/item for my pleco to hide in to reduce stress and too much light?

- Are there any other natural plants you could recommend? It seems like these guys enjoy coverage, and pleco keeps snacking on my plants. Lol.

Thank you for your help and advice in advance.

Gary


----------



## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

They like caves, you can build them out of flowerpots, wood, rock or pvc pipe. Your java fern needs tied to rock or driftwood. Feed him algae tabs, fresh zucchini slices, fresh spinach. He's eating algae off the leaves which when he rasps it, it tears. He looks like a common pleco and will soon outgrow your tank. a big poop machine.


----------



## Dlaw (6 mo ago)

That is a lot of pleco for that little tank. My first suggestion is looking for a new home for her, maybe a new build? Otherwise, I don't think she will be happy for much longer in that tank, she's almost too long to turn around now.

Under-gravel filters are generally not used anymore, to my knowledge. I don't know the exact reason, but there are so many options these days, it's likely just that everything else is better. In my 29, I run an Aqueon Quietflow 30 and a sponge filter and they work great for me.

I just go to my LFS for plants. I literally tell them "I want bulletproof, low light plants" and so far there's only been one species I've struggled to keep. Java Fern and Anubias have been the easiest so far, but I've had pretty good luck with swords (I don't think your tank is big enough for one, maybe a dwarf sword though) and Valisenaria too.


----------



## blackghost (23 d ago)

That tank is already far too small for that plec, as you can tell by its stress pattern. It’s Pterygoplichthys pardalis, which grows over 2 feet long.


----------

