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Author Topic: PLECOS  (Read 987 times)
Mindemae
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PLECOS
« on: September 12, 2010, 06:14:43 PM »
Anyone out there know anything about Plecos?
I guess my question is on feeding.  Do you feed an algae wafer every night? Or do they eat the leftovers from the regular fish food?
I bought another Pleco since my last 2 have died.  The first one only lived a couple of months and the last one not even 2 weeks so the store did give me my $$ back.  Thought I would try again, sigh....
Well so far so good he cleaned up all the algae on everything.  It's sparkling clean now! Smiley
I have algae tablets and the last store where I bought him told me to feed shrimp pellets so I bought those too.
He liked the shrimp pellets but I don't want to over feed or under feed so he starves.  They suggested drifwood....supposedly it helps with their digestion?? Huh  So Yeah, I'm a sucker, I bought that too! LOL! Grin
Anyone have experience with keeping Plecos long term? Cheesy
Thanx!
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Nossie
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2010, 06:13:07 AM »
I believe that bristlenoses are very similar in their behavior, looks and nutritional needs Smiley So yes, I've kept them for years! Cheesy
Since they were living in a community tank, we were feeding flakes and pellets to the other fish as well as a wafer for the bristlenoses Smiley We had driftwood from the start as well, so yes... I'd say it should be fine like that! Just feed them like usual once or twice a day, and they should be fine Cheesy
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Hanna
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #2 on: September 13, 2010, 05:03:44 PM »
No experience with plecos, but a short one with BN, they eat wafers and flakes which sink to the bottom and clean up the algae of the glass and leafes Smiley
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Deofel
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #3 on: September 16, 2010, 01:00:43 AM »
Mindemae,

I have a five year old plecos aka ''stealth'' who started out in a 10 gal tank, moved to a 55 gal, and now is stuck in a 30 gal tank but surprising quite content. Anywho I have always fed stealth the algea wafers that have the vegetable center. When he was small, under 3 inches I fed him one algea wafer a day. As he grew that increased until the point that he now consumes four algea wafers a day. Of course they will eat anything and everything else in the tank that tastes good. So keep the basics in mind. If you feed in the morning and the wafers still there at the end of the day then it doesn't need another one.

Keep whatever tank mates your plecos has in mind during feedings as they may help eat the wafers so their diet may need to be adjusted as well. And try tossing in a piece of squash from time to time. I'll toss in a quarter of a zucchinni and it'd disappear in two or three days. But of course that's not a daily thing.
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Katarine
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #4 on: October 05, 2010, 12:43:35 PM »
I thought I was doing everything right.. my Pleco didnt really survive on his own... poor bugger. so you arent alone in losing fishies, Minde Smiley
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Mindemae
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2010, 08:05:30 PM »
Thanks Deofel!
I am always afraid of feeding too much and poluting the tank!
I will try the zucchini and I bought some different kinds of dried seaweed, red and green, the supposedly catfish and plecos like.

Hey Kat WB!  So sorry your pleco didn't live long! Cry
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Mindemae
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #6 on: October 25, 2010, 12:19:21 PM »
Deofel,
Thank you again for your suggestions and information on Plecos. Smiley
I tried the zucchini and bought the veggie centered algae tables and my pleco went crazy for both! Wink
My goldfish love them too! Cheesy
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Andrea
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #7 on: October 26, 2010, 04:26:45 AM »
Try feeding them to your goldfish too Mindemae, mine both love them and keeps them entertained for awhile Smiley
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Mindemae
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #8 on: October 26, 2010, 09:47:58 AM »
Thanx Andrea,
I tried the wafers on the goldfish and they love them too! Smiley
I was thinking the next time I go out of town that I will drop a couple of those wafers in.
It will keep them so busy they will hardly miss me! LOL! Grin
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Hanna
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #9 on: October 26, 2010, 05:52:55 PM »
 Grin They also love Omega Super Veggie Kelp Flakes or Seaweed  Grin
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Mindemae
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #10 on: November 07, 2010, 04:59:57 PM »
Here is a picture of my Pleco. Smiley
As you can see he is doing quite well. Wink
He loves the veggie wafers by tetra with the algae centerand zucchini!  Cheesy
I know to each his own, but I think he is beautiful! Grin
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Hanna
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #11 on: November 08, 2010, 06:45:05 AM »
HE IS BEAUTIFUL ! Cheesy

looks like an L108 to me, they can get up to 18cm big, wow Sad
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Nossie
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #12 on: November 08, 2010, 07:51:19 AM »
He's so cute! Smiley For how long have you had him? Smiley
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Mindemae
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #13 on: November 08, 2010, 09:30:42 AM »
Thanx guyz! Smiley

Hey Hanna!  What the heck is a L108? LOL!
I didn't know my pleco had a serial #! Wink

Nossie,
I've had him a few months now. 
With the ich he had and the heat/salt treatments I used he doubled in size! Shocked
The heat increased his metabolism and his appetite! Cheesy
Hence the big growth spurt! Grin
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Nossie
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #14 on: November 08, 2010, 12:36:10 PM »
There are so many catfish of the... umm... suckermouth-kind, that they receive those L- codes to be easier to keep track on! Cheesy

Aww, that's great! Smiley Maybe you should keep the tank 1-2 degrees warmer than usual? Wink
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Mindemae
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #15 on: November 08, 2010, 12:42:29 PM »
Yeah!  I was wondering if that would work on orandas!
Maybe that's the secret to geting big fish!  Heat and lots of food!
I keep the temp in the tropicals around 80F. Smiley
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Mindemae
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #16 on: December 13, 2010, 02:54:18 PM »
Remember when, not long ago I got 3 plecos from Petsmart and they all got ich and I had to treat them but only one lived through the treatment and I had to take 2 back to the store.  (That was when I brought Cali home).
Well here is a picture of my pleco that survived the ich.
I bought another pleco when I bought Cali and put him in the tank with her and treated him and her at the same time.  He is doing great too and I moved him to my tropical tank now.
The pleco that was in the tropical tank is in with the orandas.  He was getting too large for the 29 gallon tropical tank so he is now in the 55 gallon.
This new guy in the picture is in with the goldfish in the 30 gallon tank in my office.
You might remember Smidget is in that tank too. Smiley
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Nossie
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #17 on: December 13, 2010, 03:40:01 PM »
Yay, how cute! Smiley How big is the other one? Cheesy
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Mindemae
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #18 on: December 13, 2010, 04:09:19 PM »
Yikes he's a big guy and will eat 1/2 a slice of zucchini in one day!
I'd say he's about 5 inches from head to tail. Smiley
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Hanna
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #19 on: December 13, 2010, 04:22:20 PM »
I adore those sucker fish...he is a beautiful boy? girl?

Now just seing the photo, I think plecos are a bit slimmer in bodyshape and ancistrus a bit larger, flatter ? Nossie, what do you think?
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Nossie
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #20 on: December 14, 2010, 09:53:02 AM »
I didn't measure Danny this week, but he was around 4 inches last time Smiley

He does this funny thing, that when he's hungry, he comes to the feeding corner, and whatever sinking pellets I drop there, he grabs with his mouth and slowly drags the victim in behind the drift wood! xD It's so very cute! Cheesy
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Mindemae
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #21 on: December 14, 2010, 10:56:31 AM »
I know! That is cute...my pleco, stole pieces of anti bacterial pellets that I was feeding to Cali! Wink
I've come to the conclusion that plecos are pigs and will eat just about anything.. Smiley
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Nossie
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #22 on: December 14, 2010, 04:11:16 PM »
We measured him again today (a week after last time) He's now 0.5cm longer... IS HE GROWING HALF A CENTIMETER EVERY WEEK?! Roll Eyes

Some plecos really are! Cheesy But it's important knowing their exact species so that you can provide the correct nutrition, mine for example is omnivorous, so I offer him both vegetable and shrimp pellets Smiley (Plus fresh veggies and live foods)
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Mindemae
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #23 on: December 14, 2010, 04:55:22 PM »
Yep! Mine too...I feed mine the same things!! Cheesy
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fantailer
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #24 on: December 14, 2010, 05:04:55 PM »
Great! I wish I had one!
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Nossie
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #25 on: December 15, 2010, 04:53:36 AM »
Cool Smiley Any idea what species he is? Smiley
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Mindemae
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #26 on: December 15, 2010, 05:36:56 AM »
Heck no! Smiley
Looks like a plain old pleco to me! Wink
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Nossie
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Re: PLECOS
« Reply #27 on: December 15, 2010, 10:47:15 AM »
He does seem to have the pattern of a Common Pleco, so maybe that's what it is? Smiley If so, he should be... if I remember correctly, around 18-25cm when fully grown Smiley
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