Hello all. I'm new to the site, & I'm hoping desperately for your help! We adopted 3 Pacu & an Oscar that all were abandoned & needed a home. They came in a 55gal tank, and we added a plecko to help with tank maintenance. We were crystal clear for months, until suddenly one day the tank was full of algae. We took water samples to be tested, but they tested fine. Eventually (after getting someone here to look at the tank) we were just told yesterday we have to use Algae Destroyer. I know we likely need to get rid of some fish. I've been working on interviewing people (so to speak) to find the Pacu a good home with someone who knows just what they're getting into. Does anyone think I DON'T need to get rid of fish? Does anyone know how long I can expect to have the algae problem? We've done very thorough cleanings, so I'm hoping it's resolved soon so they can all have clear water again. Thanks to you all!
Pacu Dilemma
- Thread starter KLD
- Start date
KLD you need to get rid of EVERYTHING except the oscar. One oscar alone will need a 55 gallon tank at least.
Really? I wonder why I've spoken to so many people at the local fish stores & never been told that. The Oscar isn't very big, & none of the fish actually swim around, they mostly hover in their little areas. They never have been swimmers (I don't know if that's normal or not).
i think you will find if they were in a larger tank they would swim more, i too agree all your fish except the oscar should be rehomed or you should invest in a bigger tank. i have a 180 gallon and wouldnt keep your fish in it, i hope you manage to find that pacu a home, they really shouldnt even be sold as aquarium fish. plecos shouldnt be used as a clean up fish, they have needs such as driftwood and fresh veggies, and very few will actually eat the algae. they will infact make more for you to do in the way of tank maintainence, they are poop machines! i have no idea what size tank you would need to house your fish, but i would say your looking at 500+ gallons if you were to keep them all. maybe a 75 gallon for you to just keep your pleco and oscar? im no expert so dont just take my word for it, but they do need a lot of tank space. good luck.
wow, just re-read and realised you have 3 pacus-seriously, good luck!
wow, just re-read and realised you have 3 pacus-seriously, good luck!
KLD;2852180; said:
to MFK!gt1009 is right. Pacus are really too cramped in a 55g when you consider the adult size. I would suggest rehoming them. Some people here in MFK can take them if you want. Make a thread in Marketplace: Buy and Sell forum about it.
What species are your pleco? If this is one of the common species, then this is another species that can reach 18-22 inches depending on the species. Search Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus, Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps, Pterygoplichthys pardalis, Hypostomus plecostomus and many others but the four mentioned are the most commonly available plecos not suitable for a 55g.
Don't rely on algae chemicals to destroy the algae. Your problem lies in overstocking. Your fish are all heavy waste contributors. Please get your own API liquid test kit and test for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, KH and GH. Do not rely on your LFS to test the water for you and obtain information from. Not all LFS are that well-informed even of the basics. It is obvious from your situation, your water is not absolutely fine. High phosphates, ammonia and nitrates are responsible for the rampant growth of algae.
As for your oscar, even a 55g itself is too small. A 75-100g will ultimately be the best minimum for one oscar alone. Your oscar may not be big yet but it has a lot to potential to grow.
How did you clean the tank? What is your filtration capacity? What is the temperature of the tank? What are the water parameters of your tapwater? Do you add dechlorinator as well to bind chlorine and chloramine?
dont listen to the people at your LFS. more often than not, they barely know the basics of fish keeping, if even that. many people on this website have invested countless hours and ammounts of of money none of us want to ever admit to. you can rest assured you will get the best info possible here
that being said, you can not keep an oscar or a pacu in a 55g tank for life. an oscar can reach 12" wide, which is the width of your tank easily. and pacu CAN reach upto 3ft, however they generally eiher die or are stunted due to being in tanks too small. trust me on the pacu, ive kept them for years, and currently have 2 that are a few inches shy of 2'.
how big are your pacu now?? be forwarned, around 6-8" they generally hit a growth spurt for a few months, and will VERY quickly balloon to 15-16" or more. you can almost see the growth day to day if you watch them, honest to god.
the best guess i have as to why your tank is suddenly cloudy is the fish are growing, therefor starting to produce more and more waste. especially the pacu, those guys are some of the messiest fish ive ever seen. the only way to combat the extreme ammounts of waste in your 55g, is literally to do water changes every single day. dont use any chemicals, as they will cause unneeded stress to your fish and any bacterial colonies that are in your filter/substrate.
that being said, you can not keep an oscar or a pacu in a 55g tank for life. an oscar can reach 12" wide, which is the width of your tank easily. and pacu CAN reach upto 3ft, however they generally eiher die or are stunted due to being in tanks too small. trust me on the pacu, ive kept them for years, and currently have 2 that are a few inches shy of 2'.
how big are your pacu now?? be forwarned, around 6-8" they generally hit a growth spurt for a few months, and will VERY quickly balloon to 15-16" or more. you can almost see the growth day to day if you watch them, honest to god.
the best guess i have as to why your tank is suddenly cloudy is the fish are growing, therefor starting to produce more and more waste. especially the pacu, those guys are some of the messiest fish ive ever seen. the only way to combat the extreme ammounts of waste in your 55g, is literally to do water changes every single day. dont use any chemicals, as they will cause unneeded stress to your fish and any bacterial colonies that are in your filter/substrate.
sadly man your gunna have to get rid of the pacus just give them back to your lfs, if u really love your fish ull give them back along with the pleco,ORR you could buy a monser fish tank
600 gallons would be perfect
600 gallons would be perfectfishkeeper25;2854138; said:sadly man your gunna have to get rid of the pacus just give them back to your lfs, if u really love your fish ull give them back along with the pleco,ORR you could buy a monser fish tank
for only one, maybe two, but for 3 full grown pacu, a possible large pleco and an oscar?? it gets too crammed and your doing weekly 50-75% WC's
trust me, i have 2 pacu in a 250g with a 12" oscar. want to see how fast a 7' long tank shrinks up
I've seen Pacu in excess of 40 pounds and 7" between their eyes. I think a minimum is in the7-8 foot long tank range 24-36 inches wide. They shouldn't even be sold to someone with a 55. (not you prior owner should have been warned). They have to go or you need to buy a really big tank for them. Oscar and plec are ok though.
You've probably been feeding too much, resulting in excess nutrients in the water that nourishes the algae.
You need a bigger tank. Get rid of the fish. You're not exactly "rescuing" them if only to put them in the same sub-prime condition.
You need a bigger tank. Get rid of the fish. You're not exactly "rescuing" them if only to put them in the same sub-prime condition.