Pleco is a royal mess

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Iamjustifyd

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Aug 17, 2011
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Sherry
I just have to say it....I love my pleco but he is a mess! When I got him he was about 3-4 inches and now he is 8 inches and poops all over the place! I did a water test and the nitrates were a little high, don't remember the exact reading. Lost a cory, a neon disappeared and another has pop eye. I was going to trade him to the LFS and get a couple of ottos but I really like him! I'll have to siphon some of that poop out couple of times between cleanings.

fish.JPG
 

rufioman

"That guy"
Aug 16, 2010
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Rehome? I would :/ or find a bigger tank? I have a 10"~ hifin in my 100g....he craps EVERYWHERE. I have an Emperor 400 and AC110 on the tank (900 gallons per hours filtered 'from what the boxes say'), and do 50% water changes every 8 days with testing....what do you do for water changes, and what is your tank size and filtration?
 
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Iamjustifyd

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Aug 17, 2011
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It's a 55 gallon with an AC70 and Aquatop 400cf. Is he too big already for the tank? I was wondering about that.
40-50% weekly on the water changes
 

rufioman

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Aug 16, 2010
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It's entirely possible he is pushing your capacity, though I do not think it's too alarming. Try and perform daily water changes and see how your levels get.
 

rufioman

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Aug 16, 2010
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55 is not a bad size for him, and that capacity for filtration is fine as well. Big water changes and keep an eye on those levels.
 

FreshyFresh

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Jan 11, 2013
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I've read of a few people who basically keep a lone pleco in a 55g. Maybe a few miscellaneous small fish too. Probably fin-level weekly WCs would be necessary once the pleco is huge.
 

Star_Rider

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Dec 21, 2005
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if it is a 'common' many may grow to over 20"
I've seen many close to that size..you will need a much larger tank.

it's likely that the pleco will get larger than the 55 will be too small

I'd rehome or go larger
 
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