Chocolate Pleco in Pond

[matubula]

I read something about driftwood and certain plecos. I can get him some tomorrow. Why does he need it and how big of a piece should I get?

Wood is only a necessity for Panaque and Cochliodon (Hypostomus cochliodon group) as these are the only plecos equipped to properly gouge on it with few, large spoon shaped teeth. Your 'chocolate pleco' is most likely a Pterygoplicthys pardalis and has small, rake like teeth, which are only good for rasping.

But having pieces of wood is a good thing to have in your pond or tank. It provides more surface for algae/biofilm to grow on, and as you've described, your pleco enjoys rasping on algae already, as this is its natural food source. it also provides hiding and resting places for the fish.

 

[Pondergirl]

Thanks for the tip on the driftwood. Got him some but he is not using it yet. He still likes going under the lilly pots and waterfall during the day. In the early evening he moves to the top of the lilly pots and gets ready for sundown. I think he just might be my new favorite fish! So fun to watch him when he takes off swwimming and jumping about in the evening.

 

[raspberryberet]

my pleco really likes cut up strawberries as a treat. i've read that they store unused fat in the indentation behind their eyes, so that's how you can tell if they're getting enough food...here's a link with some info about pleco care: http://www.fishpondinfo.com/fish/plecocare2.htm

 

[Pondergirl]

Thank you for all the nutritional links and tips. I purchased some canned blood worms and shrimp for him. He loves the worms. I have not yet purchased the algae wafers, simply because there is so much algae in the pond. He eats it off everything in there! He nibbles at the plants, but there are so many I doubt he will be able to destroy all of them. He eats all day long now and rarely hides under or behind anything. I read where some plecos tend to behave in that manner as opposed to being active only at night. He actually came to the surface several times yesterday and splashed out of the water in the day time. He does it at night and I think the reason may be he is hunting the bugs that land on the surface of the pond. I still can't get over how graceful he his when he swims and how fast he can move. I have not yet noticed him bothering the other fish. I read where some plecos suck the slim coat off of other fish. So far so good and no injuries. My breeding adults are getting ready to spawn. It will be interesting to see how many babies make it this year with the pleco in the pond. If he is indeed hunting bugs, I suspect he will eat the frey. I will try to get some pictures of him posted. I hate to net him simply to get a photo. Thanks again for all the information!

 

[amy1994]

Have you got a heated pond?

 

[Pondergirl]

No, our pond is not heated. Has not been necessary for the Shubunkin. My plan was to bring the pleco inside over the winter and house him in a 150 gallon tank. I must admit that I have been looking at heating the pond now simply due to his size and the idea that I could also keep the tropicals over the winter as well. I asked my husband about manufacturing a temporary green house cover for the pond this fall that could be removed in the spring. He rolled his eyes and said "it's just a fish." He has since named the pleco and has started feeding him...so we will see! LOL

 

[amy1994]

It's because my dad is just building a tank, and i said that he should put a pleco in it, but obviously i thought it would have to be heated. So the pleco is fine?
Then again you probably have warmer weather than us

 

[muffywrx]

this is so cute to read about Mine are not very active right now, and I think they are mad at me for moving them because they were eating all the plants (even tho they went into a larger tank lol) .....

 

[Pondergirl]

That is so funny! My Shubunkins get mad when I take them out of the pond once a year to clean it!

 

[silentcircuit]

Awesome to read all this. I love plecos. Yes, they can move crazy fast if they want. The coolest thing to me is to watch mine (still only about 3-4") deal with the (occasionally) more aggressive fish in my tank; they'll come over and bother him (get in his space) and he'll flare his dorsal fin at them -- which is big and tends to startle them -- and if that doesn't cut it, he'll swat them away with his tail. Generally no one bothers him, and if they do it doesn't last long. He's definitely "boss" in my tank for now.

Don't know what weather's like in Kansas, but these guys really need to stay at or above ~68F to stay healthy (topping out around 82, 83F). Don't know how well they'd do outside long-term.