hello im 15 i have a 55gal. tank with 3 happy 4-6inch tiger oscars a 14inch blue dragon and 2 active 4-7inch common plecos. the plecos have been acting weird always hiding under the little kind of cave i have for them could it be possible that there mating?
pleco help?
- Thread starter bluedragon
- Start date
Commons don't breed in aquariums, I've heard they breed only in the wild or large ponds. Have you checked your water conditions?
They're nocturnal mostly. They prefer cave-like places. I don't think they would be breeding though. They're probably just comfortable there.
Plecos are nocturnal for sure, they like to see you but not to be seen...They also like bubbles too. If you give them a bubble wall in the tank, they will generally migrate to that wall and bask in it...
The reason for the water quality question above is that both fish types in your tank are mega poop machines! In a 55 that equals a lot of water changes and a battle with nitrates. As long as your testing your water (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates) regularly and not overfeeding, thry should be ok for a year or so...But both species WILL outgrow a 55 for sure. I have 3 'common' varieties, an 8" highfin, 9" chocolate albino, and 12" common...the common was 8" a year ago...
The reason for the water quality question above is that both fish types in your tank are mega poop machines! In a 55 that equals a lot of water changes and a battle with nitrates. As long as your testing your water (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates) regularly and not overfeeding, thry should be ok for a year or so...But both species WILL outgrow a 55 for sure. I have 3 'common' varieties, an 8" highfin, 9" chocolate albino, and 12" common...the common was 8" a year ago...
yea i have a 12inch bubble wall basicly beside the cave thats made up of driftwood and rock and my nitrate and nitrite and ammonia are always in the safe range even if i dont do a water change for 2 weeks but generally i try to do a change once a week at a minimum and im selling one common pleco and possibly my blue dragon(violot goby)
There is no safe range for ammonia or nitrite, and nitrates should stay below 40 for most fish, especially to breed plecos in most cases. What they said is true, it is very unlikely your plecos are spawning, though not impossible. Are your commons the new type (black and gray?) or the old hypostomus type (velvety brown and spotted?)? The hypostomus are a smaller species and they spawn in caves above the water, so unless you have a mud bank in your tank it's very unlikely they'd even be tempted to try spawning. I don't know about the new common types.
ill post a pisture of my pleco in my album i dont know how to on here ill get one with his fins all up
Looks like a pardalis. Will likely get a lot bigger. Should have at least 40 gallons worth of space and filtration as part of a larger setup, or at least a 75 or 90 gallon to itself. But obviously many do fine in much less, though they are never at their potential and won't live as long as they probably should.
The Oscars, in the other hand, are still young. Once they pass about eight months of age they may well start fighting, and they will definitely poop too much for any 55g. Can't wait to see your upgrade tank! My advice is to not waste time buying slightly larger tanks. You'll still end up wishing you had 300 gallons or more within two years' time. Skip the Russian Doll game and get the big mama now and you'll save a lot of tank moving and fish catching.
The Oscars, in the other hand, are still young. Once they pass about eight months of age they may well start fighting, and they will definitely poop too much for any 55g. Can't wait to see your upgrade tank! My advice is to not waste time buying slightly larger tanks. You'll still end up wishing you had 300 gallons or more within two years' time. Skip the Russian Doll game and get the big mama now and you'll save a lot of tank moving and fish catching.