Will my pleco eat my liner?

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mqktandy

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Feb 18, 2010
1,291
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Iowa
Ok so I have been getting a few responses on my indoor pond build saying that my 14" pleco will chew threw the liner. It's a 40mil EPDM liner so I thought it would be ok. My pleco also doesn't clean **** so I thought that may lower the chances as he only eats shrimp and stuff. There is driftwood in there to chew on but what do ya think. Leave him or take him out?

Ps title was supposed to say will my pleco eat my liner....stupid auto spell check
 
I say no. I've heard many reports that they won't,

I did have some plecos in a pool liner for 6 months but that may not be a fair comparison as it was thicker then the black liners normally used
 
The only time I have heard of them being a problem is in plywood tanks. Over a long period of time they can eat through the polyurethane paint and start eating the wood.
 
I have seen pics showing what a common has done to wires from equipment that is in the tank and also a few showing them eat the silicone off the tank as well. They could eat the liners but I think it is not a very common thing to have any of this happen.

I know my larger Panaque ate my fake floating log I left in the tank after I took out my old kwantung river turtles. Those big fiberglass things. It was chewed to shh.
 
Zfishies;4794954; said:
your talking about a common right? i ferget what plecos eat, >.< random i know. ANYWAY no they wont cuz they dont have teeth
You haven't heard of Oddball's late titanic pleco damaging his acrylic tanks.lmao
 
It might. I had a large royal years ago ruin my 90 gallon acrylic. Plecos don't have teeth persae but have raspers which can chew wood. I would keep an eye on him.
 
It depends what pleco you have. Some have teeth more able to break through a liner (Pseudacanthicus, Scobiancistrus, Panaque etc). And those less able (Pterygoplichthys, Ancistrus, Baryancistrus). I imagine that with enough time most could eventually work their way through. But 40mm is a lot of liner to go through.
 
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