Can't think of a cool title to catch you about Plecos

[feliciae]

Either way, if your on this fourm, youll probably look anyway, seeing as there are very few threads here.

Anyways, I wanted to see if you guys knew anywhere I could get a relativly large pleco, or inspire the one I have now into more action.
I have a 55 Gallon tank, and the pleco I have now is around three inches. Not very big, I know, and he dosen't seem to be making very much of an impact.
Do I need to get a buddy for him? All he seems to do is hang out behind rocks and driftwood that I have in my tank, even when the light is off and it's dark.
And my tank is getting really dirty. I recently introduced several new fish into my tank, and I don't want to stress them out any more than they need to be by messing around in there and cleaning up....
What should I do?

 

[Fishman1995]

buy 2 Cory catfish and they may make him move more, also they'l clean to lol

 

[nanu156]

Well first try feeding your pleco Zucchini, it will help fatten him up.

Second what kind of "dirty" are we talking about? Brown Algae? Green? Debris at the bottom?

Plecos are both shy and nocturnal, meaning that your pleco may be very active but only come out when you are asleep. If he is a common pleco with in a year you can expect 8+" out of him.... thats quite a large fish. However common plecos are not known to be exceptionally good cleaners, especially when they get large.

 

[feliciae]

Its green algae, just a common 'I'mgoingtobemeanandturnyourwatergreen' algae.
And what would you reccomend instead of a pleco to keep my water clean?
I am going to keep my plecos, but what else will help out?

 

[AndiH]

A small group (4 or so) of Otocinclus if you can get some

 

[TAL]

I have a common who is now a shade over 6 inches....have had him over a year. He's a good cleaner. But he is also a bull in a china shop - he knocks planting right out of the gravel, the big lubbocks!

If I ever got rid of him I would try Otos.

 

[TAL]

Come to think of it.... I like Otos a lot.

My trucks are even an otos. I'm mean hey, stick shift is cool but they are a lot of work. I let the Otos do the work!