Pleco in a 5 gallon?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Rubber lip plecos stay rather small and should be ok in a 5 gallon, but, if possible, you should go with a 10 gallon or bigger. If you get a 5 gallon it's just harder to maintain good water quality and also only allows for really only one fish (the pleco) in the tank.
 
Pyramid_Party;4614191; said:
An AC 50 on a 5 gallon would be like Niagara falls. To be honest plecos don't eat "poop" or algae that well. So if that's the appeal you may be disappointed. Alot of people get plecos for this reason. There is alot more interesting things you can put in a 5 gallon.

my friend grew out 5 royals with that setup...not sure if its a good thing though lol...but his fish are nice and healthy. i imagine they liked the current. *shrug*

but yeah, id go with a bigger tank or not get a pleco.
 
CR$N310;4614182; said:
She currently has 2 otto's right now and she hates them


man, how do you "hate" on otos? they are so harmless ... but they are also really your best choice ...

maybe just get a snail ...
 
I can't believe how many bad suggestions have been posted on this thread. Lupin was right, there is not a single pleco species that could be housed properly in a 5 gallon.
 
There are many plecos that stay under 3 inches. They don't need a lot of swimming room and 1 in a 5 gallon would be fine with weekly water changes. I have an 11 inch L-114 leopard cactus pleco in a 100 gallon that only uses about 1/4 of the tank even at night.
 
drgnfrc13;4615707; said:
I can't believe how many bad suggestions have been posted on this thread. Lupin was right, there is not a single pleco species that could be housed properly in a 5 gallon.

Clown plecos only get to 3 inches and hardly move at all. There is nothing wrong with one in a 5 gallon.
 
Allan01230;4615845; said:
There are many plecos that stay under 3 inches. They don't need a lot of swimming room and 1 in a 5 gallon would be fine with weekly water changes. I have an 11 inch L-114 leopard cactus pleco in a 100 gallon that only uses about 1/4 of the tank even at night.
Just because it stays under 3" doesn't mean it will work for a 5 gallon. And just because your cactus pleco supposedly only uses 1/4 of your 100 gallon doesn't mean it could be kept in a 25 gallon either.
 
Your solution to pollution is dilution.:) The point is you need to provide it more space to allow its wastes to dilute without elevating dangerously enough to kill it fast. It's exactly why I did not agree any pleco should be kept in a 5g tank. The bigger the better. Doesn't matter if it doesn't even use the extra space unless you don't mind doing it a favor by doing several water changes daily.
 
For once, I'm disagreeing with all the pros. I'm looking at a five gallon tank right now and I can absolutely say that a 2" to 3" fish fed lightly and properly maintained would be healthy and happy in it.

On the other hand, plecos only poop as much as you feed them, but they need to eat a lot! So if you keep yourself in check and do water changes twice a week I really can't see it not working. As long as there's not much else in there. Lots of plants would probably be a good idea, too.

Does she know that her otto IS a pleco?
 
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