Stoopid Pleco

[c_paan]

I have a spotted talkin raphele and a common pleco. All freakin day long the two sit under a large peice of driftwood, eatin it i geuss. And never come out to clean the algea off the glass and rock formation anymore!!

What else could I throw in this tank to help with the cleanin? Snails maybe?

Its a 55 gallon, with three cichils in it, so what ever it is has to be big or very fast, I would like somethin differnent even if i have to get it special ordered. ANyone got any suggestions?

 

[MrMup04]

hmm... try moving the drift wood to a different spot where the pl*co cant hide under it maybe that'll work

 

[Lotus]

What kind of algae is it? Plecos don't generally like the brown algae. Are you sure they're not cleaning at night?

 

[kool_sk8a]

how about trying a bristlenose plec. i heard they are great at cleaning algae of the glass. but they do get quite large

 

[kool_sk8a]

snails prefer plant to algae, so if u have plants u better watch out

 

[lighter]

Common plecos which are very well-fed wont go for algae.

 

[itchy armpits]

i think rafael catfish are more carnivorous than herbivorous.

 

[catfishmike]

sounds like your asking too much from fish that do nothing to start with.plecos aren't noted at being highly active fish and are not the algae eaters everyone makes them out to be.most plecos use they're sucker mouth to hold onto rocks in rapids and other high flow areas,not to scrape algae.raphaels are stricly noturnal feeders,and they are carnivorus.no algae for them

 

[skatoholic]

My pleco is the same way. But it's okay with me, cuz they're just so cool lookin

 

[c_paan]

Ive been looking at the tank for in the evenings and mornings now. And I have noticed the ol pleco ut and about. He is getting quite big.

Its quite humorous to watch a big pleco chase my Jack dempsey which is about the same size and the most dominate fish in the aquarium!

 

[Exevious]

I would toss in a few otto's.. those little bastids do a great job!!
If they dont have algae to work on they will dye! So dont get too many! I would get 2...

 

[c_paan]

Exevious, If I were to put any ottos in i may as well put a sign on there back that says "eat me im a feeder". They are way way to small and would be food for any of the cichlids in my tank. Thanks for the suggestion though! And I will agree with you they do do a great job.

 

[phOOey]

Originally posted by kool_sk8a
how about trying a bristlenose plec. i heard they are great at cleaning algae of the glass. but they do get quite large

yeah try a bristlenose, they are one of the plecos that like to eat algae, and do a great job of it to, and they dont get quite large as sk8a said, actually being one of the smallest plecos maxing out at about 5 inches.

 

[c_paan]

Are they nocturnal? I guess as long as they do a great job it doesnt matter if you see them or not!