pleco's

[nitrofish1]

it says on the poly sticky that the only compatible pleco with a bichir is a bristle-nosed. i still have a bunch of algae wafers left over from my pleco that i sadly that to take to my LFS today but it all really depends on the individual fish?

if i did get one, would it be better to have it in the tank while the polys r small or bigger?

was thinking of getting one cuz of my driftwood, dont want it to break out uncontrollably with algae.

 

[Darth Scohin]

Pleco's IMO/IME are just one of those "Lazy Fish", let me explain....

I have alot of algae on the front of my tank and don't want to clean it myself OR I have too many snails and don't want to pick them out or use the Zuchini/cucumber method because that's too much work OR well you get the point

We Don't NEED plecos just buy a brush or algae magnet and call it a day....Plecos are notorious for eating slime coats off of cessile fish IE Bichirs and it's not worth the risk IMO...If you like Pleco's then another tank with fish that plecos wont potentially harm is the best route. However, if your getting plecos for their "Algae" Eating then DIY

 

[nitrofish1]

Pleco's IMO/IME are just one of those "Lazy Fish", let me explain....

I have alot of algae on the front of my tank and don't want to clean it myself OR I have too many snails and don't want to pick them out or use the Zuchini/cucumber method because that's too much work OR well you get the point

We Don't NEED plecos just buy a brush or algae magnet and call it a day....Plecos are notorious for eating slime coats off of cessile fish IE Bichirs and it's not worth the risk IMO...If you like Pleco's then another tank with fish that plecos wont potentially harm is the best route. However, if your getting plecos for their "Algae" Eating then DIY

i shouldnt worry about my driftwood turning colors from algae then?

 

[Darth Scohin]

No Algae is a natural thing plus I personally would love to see green algae cover my driftwood even (dare I say) Green Beard Algae....Infact I have brown algae(diatoms) on the sides and back of my tank, as long as it is cleaned off of the front so I can see my fish I'm fine, it's just when there is algae on the front glass or green water or tannins from driftwood is when I scrape/WC/move the tank

 

[nitrofish1]

No Algae is a natural thing plus I personally would love to see green algae cover my driftwood even (dare I say) Green Beard Algae....Infact I have brown algae(diatoms) on the sides and back of my tank, as long as it is cleaned off of the front so I can see my fish I'm fine, it's just when there is algae on the front glass or green water or tannins from driftwood is when I scrape/WC/move the tank

i get the brown algae, but i can say now that some of the long hair-like algae off of driftwood would be cool

 

[lungfishlover]

Pleco's IMO/IME are just one of those "Lazy Fish", let me explain....

I have alot of algae on the front of my tank and don't want to clean it myself OR I have too many snails and don't want to pick them out or use the Zuchini/cucumber method because that's too much work OR well you get the point

We Don't NEED plecos just buy a brush or algae magnet and call it a day....Plecos are notorious for eating slime coats off of cessile fish IE Bichirs and it's not worth the risk IMO...If you like Pleco's then another tank with fish that plecos wont potentially harm is the best route. However, if your getting plecos for their "Algae" Eating then DIY

strongly disagree - i have a blue phantom plec and 8 birchirs. not once have i seen the plec become even remotely interested in the birchirs. or my lima shovelnose cat or clown knife all of which have slime coats. if you keep your plec well fed you wont have a problem

 

[Cholly]

It's something to be aware of, certainly. Some do, some don't but you never know unless you try them. If you do have them together, you have to keep an eye out for slime coat removal. Many plecos are fine as long as you give them a fairly meaty diet, but if they start sucking, they won't stop unless removed.

 

[spwd]

I like plecos quite alot but the thought of getting up one morning to find a dead poly because of a plec i would be well pished of to say the least,so i dont RISK it!
Been so many posts on here about it,it just isnt worth the risk,as said above if you want one that bad,get another tank,id love some green and blue phantoms in my tanks but its a RISK im not willing to take!
Get a flagtail for your algae,apparently they are looooads better at removing it than plecos,oh and plecos poo all over the place too.
Good luck.

Steve

 

[nitrofish1]

decided against the pleco.

 

[spwd]

Well done that man!!!


Steve