janitor fish and rbps

[sbuse]

I have one eight inch common pleco. The amount of poo he creates astounds me. I have to vacuum his area every other day, because it just collects and sits there, on top of the gravel. I've never seen a fish poo so much. Definitely not a janitor. More like a little baby elephant.

i agree my 13" common drops a 3" duce every 10sec.... as for plecos and p's when i had p's everything that went into the tank got eatten except one goldfish...for some reason the dominent p liked it and killed and ate the other p to save the goldfish...it even tried to bite me...when i was taking the plants out to clean the tank it waited at the bottom of the last plant till i reached to grab it then tried to get me and almost did...at the time i lived with my mom and she tried to help by changing the water and killed it...but as for other fish with them if you care for the fish don't put it in...

 

[ballinouttacntrol]

I agree that there's a misconception that your pleco is going to be a "janitor". Maybe on the first day if you have a ton of algae.

Either way, i have 8 RBPs with a small pleco the Ps have already outgrown. He's maybe 4 inches long and the largest P is about the same length. The pleco is out all throughout the day and does his own things. The Ps pretty much ignore him. Sometimes they steal his food, sometimes he takes it back from them. I've never noticed a bite mark or seen them messing with it. They say plecos are nocturnal but mine is out from the time i get home from work (5:30ish) and i'll see him out until about 8, and then he'll disappear again and he's out again but the time i turn off the TV for the night.

 

[Otherone]

I've tried larger Trinadas and African Cats, P's are great fin nippers or if they're real hungry they'll take a chunk off the back........either way as stated many times ...large cats/plec's create more waste than they eliminate and they don't eat poop.

Brazilian Spears however do and eventually expell it into oxygen, best part spears have little nitra or C02 requirements so no need to add co2 to the water..........snails do a great job of getting rid of uneatin' food these guys are great janitors for P's and an alternate foods source as a snack. They breed like crazy and aren't the most attractive but do work as true janitors.

 

[assortedsorts]

I have a spotted raphael cat in with my rbp's and they don't bother him...but then again my p's have also been happy tank mates with a pearl gourami haha...

 

[Trigga]

It might work for a while if you provide enough cover but don't expect anything permenant