Oh no! I got a common pleco!

[amyandlars]

Not to hijack the post or anything. But researching plecos is kinda confusing me. Most fish retail sites are listing the min tank size for any pleco as 30 gals. Even 1 dwarf species I found that reaches a max of 3 inches. Why the need for that size at least? And other people are getting suggestions to get a dwarf pleco at 15+gal.

I like them not b/c of the tank cleaning, but it's pretty comical to watch them sway on a clip as the suck on a Zucchini sliver. :

 

[CaptnDan]

BTW, did you ever get that dead fish out of there?

Wait, was that in this thread or the other one?

 

[svtcontour]

apparently, they grow to 12 in?

and like i posted, what should I do

and please answer the off topic question, as for I'm getting a snail

I think they get bigger than that because mine is definitly around 14" and I think its still growing.

 

[Ulan]

I think they get bigger than that because mine is definitly around 14" and I think its still growing.

I think they get 2 feet long.

 

[Lobo.]

they may suggest a larger tank for them because many of the smaller fish are sensitive and harder to keep, a bigger tank is more likely to have the stable parameters that they need

but if your keeping a rubber lip or bushy nose, something smaller would probably still be ok, just make sure that you have some driftwood with some growth on it, as many of them need the wood in thier diet as well as the algie wafers and vegies

 

[xwirthx]

dont know about the ick either

common plecs are good in large tanks

____________________
50 gal

multiple various plants
3 angles
15 cardinal tetras
10 neon tetras
2 peppermint plecs
2 clown loach

 

[CaitxSith]

:OT:

BTW, did you ever get that dead fish out of there?

Wait, was that in this thread or the other one?

Yup.. But it left a disgusting mark(s) onto my tank... Anyhow, glad to get rid of it! And the ick treatments going fine...The blue tetra doesn't have ick anymore.. I'm just watching the glolite female like a hawk

On Topic:
Well it says that stingray plecos are hard to keep and need LOTS of algae... So much for that.. Can anyone post a pic of a common pleco so that I can be 500% sure that it looks like my pleco? I still feel like it's something different :huh:

And I read everywhere that apple snails/mystery snails are Sexual(one gender only)..... Will adding a plant increase algae? Because I don't see any algae and I have my flourescent light on (flourescent light=those tube light bulb things that create light blue light instead of yellow?
:OT:
Obviously I can't add snails to my tank during ick treatment, right? Because salt+snail=..... But can I add fish? I'm sick of seeing my black neon bullied so I'm getting 4 more of his kind and let them bully the bully :Angel: !

 

[Lobo.]

the snails should be fine, unless you pour the salt on them....

in regards to sexual/asexual, im talking about the smaller pond snails/ ramshorn snails/ malaysion trumpet snails

if you want algie, a plant will help, but just waiting will also work, also in the meantime, feeding veggies and algie wafers will work just fine

i would not add fish thou until the tank is done with being treated for ich, and then i would wait until i could buy a q-tank

patience is a virtue and it may stink for a while, but in the end you will be more happy and have more money

where are you buying your fish? make sure that you buy fish from a store with no sick fish, if they have sick fish, wait until they fix their problem so you dont make it yours

right now, i would set up your quarantine tank, just buy a 10 gal, a filter, a heater, and if you want (but dont need) gravel and decor. then put in some fish to cycle it (something tough like your pleco if its still small) ***this is just temporary for the pleco, you should be trying to find a place for it at the lfs or a friend's bigger tank****

how long has your tank been set up? are you testing your water?

 

[monkey_toes]

in regards to sexual/asexual, im talking about the smaller pond snails/ ramshorn snails/ malaysion trumpet snails

Not asexual — hermaphroditic. Having both male and female parts, any two can fertilize each other, but I'm pretty sure they cannot self-fertilize. However, any snail that you would find would likely have been in contact with at least one other member of its species and would likely be gravid.

 

[Ghost_knife]

fwiw, Common pleco's 22 inches 24 inches, 26 inches and 19 inches
this is accurte measuremets tanekn today to see what one will become my pond pleco