Why doesnt my tank do wellwith plecos?

Question

i have tried putting plecos in my tnk about three time and each time i do the plecos die after a week or even a day. i have noticed that my algae is a really dark red...could this be the cause of their deaths...is there anything i could do about it...i also have a problem with gouramis(sp?)

Answer 1

Hummmm. this is a tough one. The first thing I would recommend is have your water tested for phosphates. That red stuff might be algae or it might be cynobacteria. If it's cynobacteria the pleco won't eat it and could starve unless you feed him really well. If you have high phosp[hates then there is a good chance this is the problem. If your tank water is high in phosphate have them test your tap water too. (Take your own, so they don't test theirs). If it's ok then the phosphate is coming from a bit too much food in the tank and that's easy to fisx, just don't feed quite so much. But the phosphate could be form the tap water too. If so that's harder to fix because every time you change water you add more. You can get phosphate controllers at the pet store and that would help or you can use some distilled water mixed in your tank to keep the phosphates low.

I know you have other fish that are doing good, so try looking in this stuff and if you try a pleco again be sure to get some aglae wafers to feed just to him each night.

MM

Answer 2

I work at a fish store and I know this may sound really strange...but it's not really the "season" for plecos right now. Pet stores get a lot of them in to have in their tanks. But I can tell you that they don't do well there either. We have trouble keeping them in my store. We lose like 10-15 a day. Your algae could be causing their death, but it is not increasing BECAUSE they have died. As long as you pull the fish out in a prompt manner, nothing should be harmed. The algae could be a risk though. They should be doing their job, but if they are in poor health when you buy them, they're not gonna get rid of that algae very fast. What I can suggest is trying to find a pet store that sells a hearty plecostomus - for example, a clown plecostomus. They tend to be a little bit more expensive...but it's worth it. They are smaller and you can try out a few of them and see how it works. But they are much heartier than regular plecos. Also, plecos do not do well if your tank is relatively new and has not completed many nitrogen cycles yet. So it depends on that. But it sounds like you've had your tank for a little while, so you probably don't need to worry about that. At best, vary your choice of algae eaters and see what happens. Best of luck to you.

P.S. And about the gouramis.....it depends. You may not have a good mix of fish in there, and that may be why they are not doing so well. Check the compatability of all your fish and make sure your gourami's are not being eaten by the others. Other than that, your tank environment could be kind of unstable for them, with all the algae and everything. Do some regular cleanings and water changes with a gravel vac if you have one. That will help a lot. Gourami's can be rather sensitive, so try what you can. :)

Answer 3

I agree with the person above me. Clean any old algae you have around your tank (that may be affecting your water quality as well) and do weekly 10% water changed to keep it clean. After that try adding a pleco and supplement his diet with algae tabs, cucumber, brocoli and keep a piece of drift wood in the tank for him.

I'm guessing if you are growing a lot of dark red algae your water quailty is sub-par which would be why you have problems with gouramis (you spelled it right). Take a sample of your water to a pet store and they will test it for ammonia, ph, nitrates etc. and tell you how to fix any problems.

Make sure you have a properly working filter that breaks the surface so that you have enough air in the water. (or get an air pump if it doesn't break the surface)

Good luck

please feel free to email me with any more questions

Answer 4

They're handy fish to have around.

What I would do first, is get Algicide, and an Algae scraper. Treat the water, and scrape the sides. After a week or so, when you see the Algae come back on the glass, try putting a pleco in your tank.

Also, be very carefull of other fish in it's enviornment. Tiger barbs, for one, are very territorial in groups, and will kill a pleco. Believe it or not, I've seen a Gourami even attack a Pleco.