To pleco or not to pleco

[dnalex]

I love my albino BNs. They are so much fun I am thinking of breeding them.

[Flipper]

I love mine too! sounds like a fun endeavor, Alex.

Drift wood is a must for any pleco. They need to be able to rasp on it for gut health. Doesn't have to be a huge piece of wood, but they do need it

[Flipper]

Here's my pleco, Zebb.

So cute, right

[We4wieners]

I had a breeding pair of BN's from an inch size to 6". They lived about 6 1/2 years. The female died, then the male died a month or so later.

[Mernany]

I just got my albino BN pleco from Acro recently. She is very shy and doesn't move around much during the day. She has a spot on a rock that she has found where I can see her and that the goldfish can't bother her much. She works out from that rock munching on the driftwood above her and the algae on the tank floor. She hasn't ventured far from the rock to explore the other end of the tank but slowly she is gaining confidence.

My gf don't bother her on purpose. If they do they seem more surprised

As far as eating algae I expect she is so small she can't keep up with the large tank yet but I expect as she grows she'll start to keep up

[MissBubbles]

Just wanted to add a few things.

About 5 species of pleco are carniverous, so don't buy fancy plecos that you don't know anything about. BN and Rubbernose are common, and well known to be vegetarians. Of the BNs There seems to be 4 color variations, normal (peppered, and looking like a rock), yellow, albino, and red. The reds are rare and have recently been genetically set. They are also bred in captivity. Most of the more unusual plecos are wild caught in Brazil, and no one kows how to breed them in captivity. The rubber lip pleco gets large, up to 7 inches, and requires a 50 gallon tank.

Next, you generally buy a pleco for 6.99 at the pet shop. That pleco is one to one and a half inches long. That pleco has no bristles. The only way to actually sex the pleco is to wait for a year. (This is similar to many birds who must be dna tested because there is no sexual dimorphism.) The only way to find one is to get it as an older specimine. Good luck getting one of those!I am ignorent on the subject of cost, but if it is like many other fish an inch long fish will cosy 5 dollars, a 7 inch long fish will cost 79.99.

Now, the last has to do with keeping and culture. Goldfish like cold water, plecos are from warm waters of South America. Their culture is more like discus and silver dollars. Although they are great in a community tank, that community does not include goldfish.

I am all for plecos. Loaches and plecos and bichers are my favorites. Anything that looks like it came from jurrassic park. I just don't think plecos are suited for golfish tanks.

[fingers]

!!DO IT!!....DO IT!!..:-)

[Anna-Katharina Parsons]

I love mine too! sounds like a fun endeavor, Alex.

Drift wood is a must for any pleco. They need to be able to rasp on it for gut health. Doesn't have to be a huge piece of wood, but they do need it

I do have a big log of driftwood in my tank. Question though, does the gnawing show up a lot? Do they actually eat the wood. I mean would my niece decorative log slowly disappear? Would it be worth to add some smaller driftwood?

[Anna-Katharina Parsons]

I had a breeding pair of BN's from an inch size to 6". They lived about 6 1/2 years. The female died, then the male died a month or so later.

I'm really sorry to hear you had little luck with your plecos. Do you think there was a specific reason this happened?

[Anna-Katharina Parsons]

I just got my albino BN pleco from Acro recently. She is very shy and doesn't move around much during the day. She has a spot on a rock that she has found where I can see her and that the goldfish can't bother her much. She works out from that rock munching on the driftwood above her and the algae on the tank floor. She hasn't ventured far from the rock to explore the other end of the tank but slowly she is gaining confidence.

My gf don't bother her on purpose. If they do they seem more surprised

As far as eating algae I expect she is so small she can't keep up with the large tank yet but I expect as she grows she'll start to keep up

I also wouldn't want the pleco to me so terrified of the waterpuppurs that his life was miserable. But by the sound of it yours is slowly building up confidence?

[Anna-Katharina Parsons]

Just wanted to add a few things.

About 5 species of pleco are carniverous, so don't buy fancy plecos that you don't know anything about. BN and Rubbernose are common, and well known to be vegetarians. Of the BNs There seems to be 4 color variations, normal (peppered, and looking like a rock), yellow, albino, and red. The reds are rare and have recently been genetically set. They are also bred in captivity. Most of the more unusual plecos are wild caught in Brazil, and no one kows how to breed them in captivity. The rubber lip pleco gets large, up to 7 inches, and requires a 50 gallon tank.

Next, you generally buy a pleco for 6.99 at the pet shop. That pleco is one to one and a half inches long. That pleco has no bristles. The only way to actually sex the pleco is to wait for a year. (This is similar to many birds who must be dna tested because there is no sexual dimorphism.) The only way to find one is to get it as an older specimine. Good luck getting one of those!I am ignorent on the subject of cost, but if it is like many other fish an inch long fish will cosy 5 dollars, a 7 inch long fish will cost 79.99.

Now, the last has to do with keeping and culture. Goldfish like cold water, plecos are from warm waters of South America. Their culture is more like discus and silver dollars. Although they are great in a community tank, that community does not include goldfish.

I am all for plecos. Loaches and plecos and bichers are my favorites. Anything that looks like it came from jurrassic park. I just don't think plecos are suited for golfish tanks.

I think I would tend for a bristlenose. So foodwise and size wise that would be ok.

I'm just not sure if I should adopt an older one rather than buy a young one in my lfs. There are a lot of plecos up for adoption on gumtree. The advantage is that a larger o be would be a less likely snack the disadvantage would be the risk of ending up with a common pleco.

The temperature is a bit of an issue. I didn't realise they needed more tropical temperatures. I do keep mine on the warmer side of the goldfish spectrum. But....

Edited November 28, 2014 by Dandelion Blue

[Lis.]

I think I would tend for a bristlenose. So foodwise and size wise that would be ok.

I'm just not sure if I should adopt an older one rather than buy a young one in my lfs. There are a lot of plecos up for adoption on gumtree. The advantage is that a larger o be would be a less likely snack the disadvantage would be the risk of ending up with a common pleco.

The temperature is a bit of an issue. I didn't realise they needed more tropical temperatures. I do keep mine on the warmer side of the goldfish spectrum. But....

I keep mine at 22 degrees, and everyone seems pretty happy with that

[jmetzger72]

For those of us who keep our Goldfish tanks in the mid 70s, there are no issues with Plecos and temperature.

[*Amanda*]

My tank is kept at room temperature during the winter months, and I've never had an issue with that. During the warmer months, I add a heater and set it between 72 and 75F.

As far as the size available from your LFS, it may depend on where you live. 2.5-3-inch BN plecos are not at all uncommon in my neck of the woods, and in fact are more readily available than the really tiny ones.

And about the driftwood, yes they do munch on it, but it's not like they leave gaping holes in it - at least not that I've noticed! They just sort of suck on it as they move along, same as they do on the glass.

Here's some pics of my Pacman:

[dnalex]

Just wanted to add a few things.

About 5 species of pleco are carniverous, so don't buy fancy plecos that you don't know anything about. BN and Rubbernose are common, and well known to be vegetarians. Of the BNs There seems to be 4 color variations, normal (peppered, and looking like a rock), yellow, albino, and red. The reds are rare and have recently been genetically set. They are also bred in captivity. Most of the more unusual plecos are wild caught in Brazil, and no one kows how to breed them in captivity. The rubber lip pleco gets large, up to 7 inches, and requires a 50 gallon tank.

Next, you generally buy a pleco for 6.99 at the pet shop. That pleco is one to one and a half inches long. That pleco has no bristles. The only way to actually sex the pleco is to wait for a year. (This is similar to many birds who must be dna tested because there is no sexual dimorphism.) The only way to find one is to get it as an older specimine. Good luck getting one of those!I am ignorent on the subject of cost, but if it is like many other fish an inch long fish will cosy 5 dollars, a 7 inch long fish will cost 79.99.

Now, the last has to do with keeping and culture. Goldfish like cold water, plecos are from warm waters of South America. Their culture is more like discus and silver dollars. Although they are great in a community tank, that community does not include goldfish.

I am all for plecos. Loaches and plecos and bichers are my favorites. Anything that looks like it came from jurrassic park. I just don't think plecos are suited for golfish tanks.

I do not agree with your conclusion that goldfish "like" cold water. Where did you get this information? Goldfish can live, and thrive, in a great range of water temps, but to say that goldfish like cold water is about as accurate as saying humans like cold temperatures or humans like warms temps.

I think that it's really easy to generalize, but the truth is not so generalizable.

Edited November 29, 2014 by dnalex

[Flipper]

I keep my tank at about 77*F all year long and my bn pleco and GF all seem

And I think that the rasping on the wood is not noticeable, esp with just one bn pleco it will also be eating algae and fish food. They like brine shrimp pellets, frozen foods, gel foods and pretty much fish food that it stumbles upon mines belly always looks full

[Lis.]

My tank is kept at room temperature during the winter months, and I've never had an issue with that. During the warmer months, I add a heater and set it between 72 and 75F.

As far as the size available from your LFS, it may depend on where you live. 2.5-3-inch BN plecos are not at all uncommon in my neck of the woods, and in fact are more readily available than the really tiny ones.

And about the driftwood, yes they do munch on it, but it's not like they leave gaping holes in it - at least not that I've noticed! They just sort of suck on it as they move along, same as they do on the glass.

Here's some pics of my Pacman:

Beautiful pleco, Amanda

I agree about the larger ones being available more often than smaller ones in lfs, where I work we have some gorgeous large ones, I'm especially taken by a large male, he's so wide

We've had a gorgeous adult male in a display tank at work for over a year, and he's kept the driftwood looking spotless

[We4wieners]

 

I had a breeding pair of BN's from an inch size to 6". They lived about 6 1/2 years. The female died, then the male died a month or so later.

I'm really sorry to hear you had little luck with your plecos. Do you think there was a specific reason this happened?

 

They were close to 7 years old. Not sure BN's go much longer than that in captivity, though I am not sure.

[Mernany]

I just got my albino BN pleco from Acro recently. She is very shy and doesn't move around much during the day. She has a spot on a rock that she has found where I can see her and that the goldfish can't bother her much. She works out from that rock munching on the driftwood above her and the algae on the tank floor. She hasn't ventured far from the rock to explore the other end of the tank but slowly she is gaining confidence.

My gf don't bother her on purpose. If they do they seem more surprised

As far as eating algae I expect she is so small she can't keep up with the large tank yet but I expect as she grows she'll start to keep up

I also wouldn't want the pleco to me so terrified of the waterpuppurs that his life was miserable. But by the sound of it yours is slowly building up confidence?

Yes. She seems to be more and more comfortable but it is taking time. she's got quite a few knooks she can hide in if need though

[MissBubbles]

Goldfish and koi are considered cold water fish when compared to tropical fish from the Amazon river and that area like the Pleco. This is not an opinion, it is a comparison of temperatures given by various guides on fish culture. The optimum temperature for a goldfish is between 68 and 72 F. The optimum temp for a pleco is 73 to 82 F. There is no overlap whatsoever. Another thing no one should do is stick a goldfish in with tropical fish. I am sure there are those who disagree.

[*Amanda*]

Goldfish and koi are considered cold water fish when compared to tropical fish from the Amazon river and that area like the Pleco. This is not an opinion, it is a comparison of temperatures given by various guides on fish culture. The optimum temperature for a goldfish is between 68 and 72 F. The optimum temp for a pleco is 73 to 82 F. There is no overlap whatsoever. Another thing no one should do is stick a goldfish in with tropical fish. I am sure there are those who disagree.

I always thought that the "coldwater" designation given to goldfish simply meant that they can be kept in cold water, not that they should be or that it is better to do so. Fancy Goldfish by Johnson & Hess actually says that while often debated, they feel the optimum temp for goldfish is the mid- to high 70s (much higher than that and oxygenation becomes an issue; much lower than that and you risk harming the efficiency of your nitrogen cycle). However, it also mentions that there should be a seasonal temp drop to encourage breeding. What I do in my tanks is keep them in the mid-70s in the warmer seasons and remove the heater in the cooler seasons. Where I live, there would hardly be any difference if I did not do this since we don't get much seasonal variation like many other areas do.

This is contrasted with tropical fish, which I believe need to be kept in a very specific, higher temp range at all times. I do agree that goldfish should not be stuck in with these fish. However, some species of subtropical fish, like the BN pleco, can make great tankmates.

Edited November 29, 2014 by *Amanda*

[jmetzger72]

If you are concerned, I think a temperature around 74 (72-76) would be a fine comprimise for both species. Many of us heat our Goldfish tanks in the winter but do not cool them in the warmer months. I keep my tanks at 72-74 in the winter and allow them to warm to to the room temp of 76-78 in the summer. Both my Goldfish and my Plecos seem to do very well within this range. Many members and at least 3 of us on the moderating team keep BN Plecos and Goldfish together successfully

[Mernany]

DB I just caught my girl out and about today. She was all the way on the other side od the tank just more progress on her part

As for the temperature of my tank it is kept at 74 in the winter with a heater and in the summer the heat keeps it at 74-78 my goldfish do very well with this temperature and it is in the range for the pleco. I wouldn't keep other tropicals in with goldies though as most are either too small or can be aggressive.

[dnalex]

Goldfish and koi are considered cold water fish when compared to tropical fish from the Amazon river and that area like the Pleco. This is not an opinion, it is a comparison of temperatures given by various guides on fish culture. The optimum temperature for a goldfish is between 68 and 72 F. The optimum temp for a pleco is 73 to 82 F. There is no overlap whatsoever. Another thing no one should do is stick a goldfish in with tropical fish. I am sure there are those who disagree.

 

Curious...goldfish live in outside ponds in many tropical and subtropical countries, as well as odd places like Florida...

[Mr. Hyde]

Goldfish and koi are considered cold water fish when compared to tropical fish from the Amazon river and that area like the Pleco. This is not an opinion, it is a comparison of temperatures given by various guides on fish culture. The optimum temperature for a goldfish is between 68 and 72 F. The optimum temp for a pleco is 73 to 82 F. There is no overlap whatsoever. Another thing no one should do is stick a goldfish in with tropical fish. I am sure there are those who disagree.

 

Curious...goldfish live in outside ponds in many tropical and subtropical countries, as well as odd places like Florida...

Florida odd?

Why you picking on the Sunshine State?