Plecos

SA14mars

SA14mars

Go Dallas!!!
Jan 19, 2005
107
0
0
44
Summer: Dallas TX; Rest of the year: San Antonio,
www.pbase.com
I have a new 44 gallon pentagonal tank and would like to add a pleco (wanted one since I was 7), but as the tank is new I have no algae or anything else for it to eat (no real plants or wood/organic material either). Do I need to wait for algae or is there a way to *accelerate* it's growth (if that's even something one does, which I'm not sure it is) or to provide other food for a pleco? Also, I know some pleco's are nocturnal - are there any that are active (or more active than their nocturnal cousins)? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Also, if you have a pleco and could share pictures, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

-CBA
 
they need more than algae and most dont even eat algae. you can feed them sinking pellets from the petstore i also feed mine blanched zucchini and some meaty stuff like raw chunks of shrimp and other seafood that my big fish gets. since your tank isnt that big (most commons will get over a foot long) you should get a rubberlip or bushy nose or one of the other smaller ones. check out the planetcatfish site for more ideas and pictures.
 
my pleco loves raw cucumber and cooked broccoli too.... though you have to anchor it to something to get it to sink (my angels tend to pick at these as well when they are available).

as for the stones, i have regular aquarium gravel (ie the kind you can pick up at walmart) and my pleco doesnt seem to have a problem with it. though i do have a slab of marble in the tank which is where he rests most of the time.
 
Expect to pay more than $100 for just one. Only grow 4 inches, prefer a meatier diet(does NOT eat algea) and a warmer overall tank temp(~82F). Never kept one myself, but I hear they can be a little on the fragile side.
 
You need not wait for algae to grow on your tank before you get one. They can feed on algae wafers, and many other sinking pellets, cucumbers, zucchini, etc. Regarding the nocturnal part, you can actually train them to feed during the daytime so that they can get used to it and come out in the lights to feed. But it take a bit of patience.
 
L046, i was checking the link out in your sig :)

picture10jq.jpg


I hope my plec dosent get this big
 
Archangel said:
Expect to pay more than $100 for just one. Only grow 4 inches, prefer a meatier diet(does NOT eat algea) and a warmer overall tank temp(~82F). Never kept one myself, but I hear they can be a little on the fragile side.
Click to expand...

whoa, looks like I'm back to going for a common plec or maybe a choc albino (they seem to have those in stock nowadays).
 
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