Protecting plants from a hungry pleco?

OrangeCones · 07-03-2009, 04:20 PM

I think I know the shop you are referring to, but its on 6th not 2nd? Anyway, I agree with your assessment.

Other than the Otos, I've bought all my fish from private breeders/importers and had them mailed in. Same with the plants.

Until I buy a house (still a year or so away), I'm keeping to the 4 tanks I have now. Once we get our house, I want a 75gallon

Greendragon1128 - I've never had problems with the bristlenose pleco and plants. I've kept both the bristlenose and the Otos with no problems. The Otos seem to keep the glass cleaner, but both keep the plants clear of algae. Just make sure if you get Otos that you get a group, and make sure they all have round (full) stomachs. If they are sunken in, they likely will die on you (could take weeks or months). I've not had any personal experience with the rubberlip pleco, but I've heard they are also fine with plants and stay smaller.

BE CAREFUL if you get Otos to make sure they ARE Otos. I've seen them mislabeled at fish stores a lot, often really Chinese Algae Eaters or Flying Fox.

tropicalcrazy · 07-03-2009, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrangeCones

I think I know the shop you are referring to, but its on 6th not 2nd? Anyway, I agree with your assessment.

Other than the Otos, I've bought all my fish from private breeders/importers and had them mailed in. Same with the plants.

Until I buy a house (still a year or so away), I'm keeping to the 4 tanks I have now: 29gallon, 20gallon long, and a 15 that is divided to raise some fry. And a new 5 gallon that is still empty (going to do an experiment in there to raise worms for my fish). Once we get our house, I want a 75gallon

yeah 6th avenue is it. sorry.

your private breeders/importers are they an online site? are they priced well?

oh and i forgot the ARL up there on 22nd behind hooters in WDM. i go in there a decent amount. i bought a bag of black plant substrate there and a few other things. they arent too bad. just a little overpriced on the fish. right now they have a 180g w/ stand, lid, light and all priced at a little over $800. i want it bad. they have a decent i believe 75 acrylic in there w/ stand and everything but i think they are a little overpriced on that guy. and the acrylic needs buffed BAD. but im in same situation as you we have to wait until we get out of our apartment and get a bigger place. once we do that, which hopefully will be a house its on like donkey kong. i want that 180 or something similar, keep my 55 and add another one, then i want to get a 20 long for breeding fish and a 29 for a smaller community tank.

but im glad there is at least one person on this site that is around here. maybe in the future we can possibly do some trading or whatever since we are close.

tropicalcrazy · 07-03-2009, 04:50 PM

rubberlip plecos only get to 3-4" max. they are fun to watch. i miss mine

OrangeCones · 07-03-2009, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tropicalcrazy

your private breeders/importers are they an online site? are they priced well?

I got enough plants for $15 shipped to fill the 29 and 20long and then some. I toss enough to fill a 10gallon completely every couple of weeks. They are not an online store but just fellow aquarium keepers. Folks I've met on forums.

The fish I've bought were just not available locally. Even tried to order them from the LFS in the area, but no one could get them. The shipping can get to be expensive, but it was worth it to get the fish I wanted. One was a commercial importer on aquabid, the others just folks I've met on forums too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tropicalcrazy

but im glad there is at least one person on this site that is around here. maybe in the future we can possibly do some trading or whatever since we are close.

Not sure what kind of plants you are looking for. I'll get a list together of their scientific names and PM you what I have. Not that I have all available all the time, but some I throw clippings away weekly. I am very responsible to make sure clippings are completely dead before I throw them out so I don't accidently introduce a non-native plant into the wild. I'd rather someone got some use out of them then throw them out.

Greendragon1128 · 07-04-2009, 12:40 PM

I'll probably get rid of both my plecos sometime next week. Unfortunately I have to go to Petsmart for new algae eaters, and last time I went, the otos were in the same tank as a bunch of sick mollies. They move them around about once a month, so I'll just have to wait and see. Last time I went, the rubberlip pleco was in with the goldfish.
As for the plants, I found this aquatic gardener tool at Petco and replanted the swords and wisteria. They actually stayed, and my gravel didn't get messed up. No more cat toy!
Still working on convincing my parents to let me set up a nano (My current arguement is that I'll take it with me to college so they won't have to worry about it).

OrangeCones · 07-04-2009, 12:52 PM

Just make sure you check the health of all the fish they have. They run a filtering system that shares the water between tanks, essentially making it one big tank. Disease in one tank can/will spread to all the tanks.

Greendragon1128 · 07-04-2009, 01:13 PM

I really don't like shopping at Petsmart unless I can't find the fish elsewhere. The last live thing I bought was my red temple plant, which is now mostly dead. However, my betta (also from there) seems to be doing okay, probably because he was in his own little cup. I spend at least five minutes in front of the tank, checking the fish. If anything is dead or sick in the entire row, I don't buy. I get most fish from two LFS nearby and plants either online or from one LFS that has three huge plant tanks.

tropicalcrazy · 07-07-2009, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrangeCones

Just make sure you check the health of all the fish they have. They run a filtering system that shares the water between tanks, essentially making it one big tank. Disease in one tank can/will spread to all the tanks.

hey do you by chance want a gold algae eater that is approx 3-4" and a rainbow shark that is approx 4-5"?

OrangeCones · 07-10-2009, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tropicalcrazy

hey do you by chance want a gold algae eater that is approx 3-4" and a rainbow shark that is approx 4-5"?

I don't have the size tank a rainbow shark will need. As for the algae eater, I only have Otos and they do the job nicely. I keep Badis and two other fish that only max out at 1 inch so a 3+ inch algae eater would be overkill !

tropicalcrazy · 07-10-2009, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrangeCones

I don't have the size tank a rainbow shark will need. As for the algae eater, I only have Otos and they do the job nicely. I keep Badis and two other fish that only max out at 1 inch so a 3+ inch algae eater would be overkill !

darn its all good maybe ill try to go someplace here locally and get some in store credit to get the rams i want

07-03-2009, 04:20 PM	#11
OrangeCones Large Fish Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: USA Posts: 985	I think I know the shop you are referring to, but its on 6th not 2nd? Anyway, I agree with your assessment. Other than the Otos, I've bought all my fish from private breeders/importers and had them mailed in. Same with the plants. Until I buy a house (still a year or so away), I'm keeping to the 4 tanks I have now. Once we get our house, I want a 75gallon Greendragon1128 - I've never had problems with the bristlenose pleco and plants. I've kept both the bristlenose and the Otos with no problems. The Otos seem to keep the glass cleaner, but both keep the plants clear of algae. Just make sure if you get Otos that you get a group, and make sure they all have round (full) stomachs. If they are sunken in, they likely will die on you (could take weeks or months). I've not had any personal experience with the rubberlip pleco, but I've heard they are also fine with plants and stay smaller. BE CAREFUL if you get Otos to make sure they ARE Otos. I've seen them mislabeled at fish stores a lot, often really Chinese Algae Eaters or Flying Fox. Last edited by OrangeCones; 07-03-2009 at 04:29 PM..

07-03-2009, 04:50 PM	#13
tropicalcrazy Medium Fish Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: west des moines, iowa Posts: 425	rubberlip plecos only get to 3-4" max. they are fun to watch. i miss mine __________________ 55g 9 Neon Tetras 1" 1 Dwarf Gourami 3" 1 Female Red Wag Swordtail 2" 1 Male Neon Swordtail 2" / 3" with tail 1 Rosy Red Minnow 2" 1 Albino Rainbow Shark 6" 5 Otocinclus Catfish 1" 1 Clown pleco 3" 3 Yoyo loaches 4" Java Moss Multiple Java Ferns Multiple Anarchis 1 Amazon Sword Soon to be 2 Banana Plants, Sagittaria Subulata, and Micro Sword or Dwarf Hairgrass Rich Nutrient Dirt substrate Seachem Florish Liquid Fertilizer, twice a week

07-04-2009, 12:40 PM	#15
Greendragon1128 Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Near LA Posts: 59	I'll probably get rid of both my plecos sometime next week. Unfortunately I have to go to Petsmart for new algae eaters, and last time I went, the otos were in the same tank as a bunch of sick mollies. They move them around about once a month, so I'll just have to wait and see. Last time I went, the rubberlip pleco was in with the goldfish. As for the plants, I found this aquatic gardener tool at Petco and replanted the swords and wisteria. They actually stayed, and my gravel didn't get messed up. No more cat toy! Still working on convincing my parents to let me set up a nano (My current arguement is that I'll take it with me to college so they won't have to worry about it). __________________ How much would it cost to install a 5000 gallon tank in my backyard? 47g tall planted guppies, platies, 1 neon swordtail+ fry, 1 red swordtail, 7 harlequin rasboras, 2 common plecos, snail population explosion Plants: anacharis, java fern, moneywort, anubias, wisteria, water sprite, red and green temple, amazon sword, unidentified sword, unidentified 10g male betta 10g QT white mickey mouse platy, gold twin barred platy, marigold variatus, redtail black variatus

07-04-2009, 01:13 PM	#17
Greendragon1128 Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Near LA Posts: 59	I really don't like shopping at Petsmart unless I can't find the fish elsewhere. The last live thing I bought was my red temple plant, which is now mostly dead. However, my betta (also from there) seems to be doing okay, probably because he was in his own little cup. I spend at least five minutes in front of the tank, checking the fish. If anything is dead or sick in the entire row, I don't buy. I get most fish from two LFS nearby and plants either online or from one LFS that has three huge plant tanks. __________________ How much would it cost to install a 5000 gallon tank in my backyard? 47g tall planted guppies, platies, 1 neon swordtail+ fry, 1 red swordtail, 7 harlequin rasboras, 2 common plecos, snail population explosion Plants: anacharis, java fern, moneywort, anubias, wisteria, water sprite, red and green temple, amazon sword, unidentified sword, unidentified 10g male betta 10g QT white mickey mouse platy, gold twin barred platy, marigold variatus, redtail black variatus

07-04-2009, 12:52 PM	#16
OrangeCones Large Fish Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: USA Posts: 985	Just make sure you check the health of all the fish they have. They run a filtering system that shares the water between tanks, essentially making it one big tank. Disease in one tank can/will spread to all the tanks.