maigen
10-20-2003, 2:14 PM
i've never had any problems keeping plecos before but now seems to be a different story. i finally set up an aquarium (first time in 5 years).....i really missed watching fishies, but i digress *LOL*
this is the 2nd one that's died within 5 days of getting it but all my other fish are doing great. my local fish store told me to wait about a month before getting a pleco.... it's been almost 2.
is the aquarium still too new? are smaller plecos more fragile.....both these guys were little....about an 1 1/2". the aquarium's a 20 gallon
i don't think any of the fish are responsible....molly, sword, albino rainbow, clown loach, frog (albino & dwarf)....everybody's really laid back
I would think that maybe your fish store got a bad batch of fish. Or else their water is really different than yours. Make sure (if you already haven't) to introduce him really slow. Float the bag and slowy add tank water to it so the fish gets used to the new water and not just the temp. This should take close to an hour or so.
Also I would suggest not getting a pleco. They get far too big for a 20 gallon tank and you will just have to return him. I assume the pleco you are talking about is the common one. There are other varieties of plecos that will do fine. The bristlenose only gets to about 4 inches or so and would do fine. Just make sure to put some driftwood in for him as the pleco needs to eat a source of lignin (I think that is the part of the wood they need).
Instead of a pleco I would suggest you double up on some of the fish you already have. Most of those do best in groups. In fact they pretty much all do except the rainbow and the frogs. Get another molly and swordtail. They do best in groups of three.
And a better choice for an algae eater in that small of a tank would be Siamese Algae Eaters (SAE) or even Ottos (though they are super fragile).
OrionGirl
10-20-2003, 2:37 PM
Albino frog as in a clawed african frog? Not a good mix for a community tank, as they get quite large, and will eat anything they can sweep into their mouth, including fish and other frogs. Those clawed front legs are quite strong, and could injure a fish easily, especially one that rests on the bottom.
The clown loach will outgrow a 20--9-12 inches is average for these guys, and they really prefer to have some companions.
The common pleco is very hardy. If they are dying that quickly in your tank, I would suspect a few things--first, poor quality fish from the store. Second--a decoration that is flaking, so fish that don't sucker to it are fine, but a fish suckering on it is ingesting toxic materials. Third, improper acclimation. However, a common pleco is not suitable for your tank--adult size is 18 inches or more.
If you want an interesting fish, there are many bottom feeders that are suitable for a 20 and will thrive if provided with a cave, some food, and little more. However, I strongly suggest you research the fish before purchase. None of the bottom dwellers or sucker fish should be added 'just because' as cleaners--they have specific needs that must be met, and few are good for algae clean-up as adults.