Algae eaters

crf9 · 10-12-2005, 10:10 AM

I bought a pleco at the pet store yesterday because the guy there told me it would be ok with my green spotted puffer. She ended up killing the pleco

Is there any other algae eater fish that she could live with? The pleco was bigger than her so I thought it would be ok but I later learned not to listen to pet store owners. Thanks, Christina

Lydia · 10-12-2005, 10:18 AM

How big is she? And what size tank do you have? As far as I know, plecos are not supposed to be in brackish water; that might have killed it.

**Cichlid Man** · 10-12-2005, 10:27 AM

Plecs can live in BW, but anyway something else probably killed it. What are your water specs?

DavidDoyle · 10-12-2005, 10:34 AM

Puffers really belong in a species tank

**Damon** · 10-12-2005, 10:41 AM

Agreed, though many people keep them with otos. Otos will not tolerate a brackish environment.

crf9 · 10-12-2005, 02:23 PM

My gsp definately killed the pleco because it was bleeding when i found it and the gsp had bit her eye or something (i know its gross!). So it wasn't the water. My puffer is about two inches and is in a 10 gallon tank. The salinity is 1.010.

**Cichlid Man** · 10-12-2005, 02:39 PM

I saw two red tailed sharks the other day with both their eyes bitten out. They were in with puffers ,defintly a species tank fish.
Your GSP's character will also show more on his own because you can just focus on that fish instead of worrying about all the other boring fish that you might put in the tank. Puffers are real cool, and colourful too!

fishboy · 10-12-2005, 10:00 PM

a GSP will outgrow a ten gallon and needs high brackish(some even say full marine) as a adult. What's its diet, do you feed it inverts to dull the evergrowing teeth? Sorry for the question but i just want to know how well you know the fish's needs. Also GSP ar pretty aggresive so i wouldn't add tank mates at all, and it's normal for aggresive fish to go for eyes, they're good weak points and very damaging to loose. I remember someone on the forum telling how his oscar bit both the eyes off his arowanna (and arowannas aren't cheap either)

crf9 · 10-13-2005, 08:25 AM

I obviously researched gsps before i bought her. She is in a 10 gallon because I am at college and she is only 2 inches long but when i go home in a few months she will have a bigger tank. I have been feeder her snails and frozen brine shrimp and blood worms but she doesnt seem to like the frozen food that much. Shes spits it out. I thought I read somewhere that they can have a tank mate if it was too fast for them but I don't think I would risk it for the poor other fish.

fishboy · 10-13-2005, 08:56 AM

sorry i didn't want to seem like i didn't believe you had knowledge of the fish, i just wanted to make sure. Good idea to not add a tankmate

Pufferpunk · 10-13-2005, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cichlid Man

Plecs can live in BW

Not true at all. They will not survive or be happy for long in BW.

There are no BW algae eaters. When you get that puffer home, I'd get it a 30g tank & leave it there.
Good GSP Article: http://www.thepufferforum.org/viewtopic.php?t=12

**Cichlid Man** · 10-14-2005, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pufferpunk

Not true at all. They will not survive or be happy for long in BW.

There are no BW algae eaters. When you get that puffer home, I'd get it a 30g tank & leave it there.
Good GSP Article: http://www.thepufferforum.org/viewtopic.php?t=12

Sorry to break this to you pufferpunk, but a whole colony of plecs were found in a brakish estery, thiving too.

Pufferpunk · 10-14-2005, 11:08 PM

Please tell me which species? They have been known to visit BW, but not stay there & thrive, as far as I know. Certainly not species that are commonly available to most aquarists.

Does this mean you don't want me as Mod now??? =o(

**Cichlid Man** · 10-15-2005, 01:44 PM

No of course not, you have a better knowledge of brakish fish than me, and probably most other mods here at fishforums.

I think the species found in brakish water was hypostomus plecostomus, well that's what they look like, I must double check. There are so many plecs that look the same though.

Pufferpunk · 10-15-2005, 11:15 PM

Hypostomus plecostomus is the common pleco--strictly FW & will not thrive but will suffer & have a much shorter lifespan in BW.

**Cichlid Man** · 10-16-2005, 04:25 AM

Oh, it was probably one that looked like one then, I'll try and find it for you.

heatherhoge · 11-27-2005, 03:06 PM

plecos are scaless and will die in brackish water. There are some snales that can handle brakish but I don't know much about types of snails. We had an apple snail in our brakish but I was to paranoid to leave him in the brakish so I put him in another tank. I had him in their for about 2 weeks. After I moved him I had millions of snail babies and had to clean them all out.

awesome kid · 11-27-2005, 07:13 PM

Cichlid Man and PufferPunk, i thought i read something about plecos living in brakish water. was it down near florida?
no that was something else, sailfin mollies i believe in full marine.
anyway, back on topic, im pretty sure that there was some kind of pleco living in brackish....now where did i read that? I dont remember! geez, i thought i'd be older before my memory went.

heatherhoge · 11-27-2005, 08:09 PM

I heard of bushy noses and rinos being able to tolerate a low solinity but I have yet to hear of a true brackish pleco. The bushy and bristle nose however are true freshwater. I asked about every retailer when I started the hobby of brakish water and they all told me plecos can't handle the salt very well due to being scaleless and the salt burns them per say. They can handle small amonts of salt for treating ick persay. If you find any plecos that can handle higher brakish say solinity around .08 please let me know I would be very intrested to find out.

I have been researching plecos for 2 years and have about 30 diffrent spiecies in my collection from everyday seen to extreamly rear and yet to find a good one for my brakish. I did lose a phantom in a brakish because some one told me he is good for brakish and to find out he wasn't and died so I research it more and to find out sales people will say anything to make a sale. lol.

tyrell30 · 12-24-2006, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lydia

How big is she? And what size tank do you have? As far as I know, plecos are not supposed to be in brackish water; that might have killed it.

for you and any other fish keeper plecos can live in brackish water and full strenth sea water.i have my plecos in brackish water now with the s.g.1015 you have too acclimate them slowly

10-12-2005, 10:10 AM	#1
crf9 puffer love Join Date: Oct 2005 Age: 20 Posts: 12	Algae eaters I bought a pleco at the pet store yesterday because the guy there told me it would be ok with my green spotted puffer. She ended up killing the pleco Is there any other algae eater fish that she could live with? The pleco was bigger than her so I thought it would be ok but I later learned not to listen to pet store owners. Thanks, Christina

10-12-2005, 10:18 AM	#2
Lydia Ichthus Owner Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: FL Posts: 1,907	How big is she? And what size tank do you have? As far as I know, plecos are not supposed to be in brackish water; that might have killed it. Last edited by Lydia; 10-12-2005 at 10:22 AM.

10-12-2005, 10:27 AM	#3
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,100	Plecs can live in BW, but anyway something else probably killed it. What are your water specs? __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers.

10-12-2005, 10:41 AM	#5
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	Agreed, though many people keep them with otos. Otos will not tolerate a brackish environment. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

10-12-2005, 02:39 PM	#7
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,100	I saw two red tailed sharks the other day with both their eyes bitten out. They were in with puffers ,defintly a species tank fish. Your GSP's character will also show more on his own because you can just focus on that fish instead of worrying about all the other boring fish that you might put in the tank. Puffers are real cool, and colourful too! __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers.

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10-12-2005, 10:34 AM	#4
DavidDoyle Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Age: 89 Posts: 497	Puffers really belong in a species tank

10-12-2005, 02:23 PM	#6
crf9 puffer love Join Date: Oct 2005 Age: 20 Posts: 12	My gsp definately killed the pleco because it was bleeding when i found it and the gsp had bit her eye or something (i know its gross!). So it wasn't the water. My puffer is about two inches and is in a 10 gallon tank. The salinity is 1.010.

10-12-2005, 10:00 PM	#8
fishboy Custom User Title Join Date: Feb 2005 Age: 16 Posts: 1,656	a GSP will outgrow a ten gallon and needs high brackish(some even say full marine) as a adult. What's its diet, do you feed it inverts to dull the evergrowing teeth? Sorry for the question but i just want to know how well you know the fish's needs. Also GSP ar pretty aggresive so i wouldn't add tank mates at all, and it's normal for aggresive fish to go for eyes, they're good weak points and very damaging to loose. I remember someone on the forum telling how his oscar bit both the eyes off his arowanna (and arowannas aren't cheap either) __________________ It is only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything

10-13-2005, 08:25 AM	#9
crf9 puffer love Join Date: Oct 2005 Age: 20 Posts: 12	I obviously researched gsps before i bought her. She is in a 10 gallon because I am at college and she is only 2 inches long but when i go home in a few months she will have a bigger tank. I have been feeder her snails and frozen brine shrimp and blood worms but she doesnt seem to like the frozen food that much. Shes spits it out. I thought I read somewhere that they can have a tank mate if it was too fast for them but I don't think I would risk it for the poor other fish.

10-13-2005, 08:56 AM	#10
fishboy Custom User Title Join Date: Feb 2005 Age: 16 Posts: 1,656	sorry i didn't want to seem like i didn't believe you had knowledge of the fish, i just wanted to make sure. Good idea to not add a tankmate __________________ It is only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything

10-14-2005, 11:08 PM	#13
Pufferpunk Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 34	Please tell me which species? They have been known to visit BW, but not stay there & thrive, as far as I know. Certainly not species that are commonly available to most aquarists. Does this mean you don't want me as Mod now??? =o(

10-15-2005, 01:44 PM	#14
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,100	No of course not, you have a better knowledge of brakish fish than me, and probably most other mods here at fishforums. I think the species found in brakish water was hypostomus plecostomus, well that's what they look like, I must double check. There are so many plecs that look the same though. __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers.

10-15-2005, 11:15 PM	#15
Pufferpunk Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 34	Hypostomus plecostomus is the common pleco--strictly FW & will not thrive but will suffer & have a much shorter lifespan in BW.

10-16-2005, 04:25 AM	#16
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,100	Oh, it was probably one that looked like one then, I'll try and find it for you. __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers.

11-27-2005, 03:06 PM	#17
heatherhoge Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: broadview ht ohio Age: 33 Posts: 98	plecos are scaless and will die in brackish water. There are some snales that can handle brakish but I don't know much about types of snails. We had an apple snail in our brakish but I was to paranoid to leave him in the brakish so I put him in another tank. I had him in their for about 2 weeks. After I moved him I had millions of snail babies and had to clean them all out.

11-27-2005, 07:13 PM	#18
awesome kid Huh? Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: I'm right behind you, hahahahaha Posts: 268	Cichlid Man and PufferPunk, i thought i read something about plecos living in brakish water. was it down near florida? no that was something else, sailfin mollies i believe in full marine. anyway, back on topic, im pretty sure that there was some kind of pleco living in brackish....now where did i read that? I dont remember! geez, i thought i'd be older before my memory went. __________________ Here are my virtual pets! 55 mbuna 29 community clueless cat even more clueless dog Last edited by awesome kid; 11-27-2005 at 07:16 PM.

11-27-2005, 08:09 PM	#19
heatherhoge Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: broadview ht ohio Age: 33 Posts: 98	I heard of bushy noses and rinos being able to tolerate a low solinity but I have yet to hear of a true brackish pleco. The bushy and bristle nose however are true freshwater. I asked about every retailer when I started the hobby of brakish water and they all told me plecos can't handle the salt very well due to being scaleless and the salt burns them per say. They can handle small amonts of salt for treating ick persay. If you find any plecos that can handle higher brakish say solinity around .08 please let me know I would be very intrested to find out. I have been researching plecos for 2 years and have about 30 diffrent spiecies in my collection from everyday seen to extreamly rear and yet to find a good one for my brakish. I did lose a phantom in a brakish because some one told me he is good for brakish and to find out he wasn't and died so I research it more and to find out sales people will say anything to make a sale. lol.

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