Best Setup For Common Plecostomus

johnw · Jul 21, 2011

Please advise me on this. I have about 140 litre tank. It's got dark sand as substrate it used to have a layer of black gravel covering this sand. The black gravel started loosing its black and showed white. I removed the gravel leaving just the sand. I have searched about impaction in fish from sand but found only one article about a suspected case in a betta fish.
I keep chameleons and lost one to impaction and know that impaction from sand is a real concern to lizard owners. Is the same true of bottom feeding fish? Is the digestion tract significantly different between lizards and fish? Should I put l layer of gravel back over the sand? I think the pleco may have been happier.

kevinjames · Jul 21, 2011

best advice is dont get one as that tank is far too small.

Tokis-Phoenix · Jul 21, 2011

Concerning the sand issue, over time anoroebic bacteria can breed in the sand creating pockets/bubbles of sulphorous gas in it. But this bacteria hates being disturbed and so the best way to keep it at bay is to simply give the sand a stir every now and then (like once a week). Grittier/larger grained sand is less prone to getting bad bubbles in it than softer finer sand, but softer finer sand is better for more bottom dwelling fish.

Ultimately sand has a massive positive point of not trapping lots of waste (fish poop etc) in it like gravel does and so is more hygenic for aquariums. Some fish also need sand substrates, and plants tend to grow better in sand rather than gravel.

You should perform maintanence on your tank once a week either way (partial water change with dechlorinator) so its easy to incorporate a bit of quick once weekly sand swishing into the regime. The anoerobic bacteria is not dangerous to fish itself, but rather the gas pockets it creates- if too much of the gas is released at once it can harm the fish (though you would have to let it build up to a serious amount to do this as it dilutes in water very quickly etc).

Having said that long term a 140 liter tank is too small for a common pleco long term either way- the pleco will eventually need a tank in the region of 5ft long. If you haven't got the pleco yet or are planning on rehoming it in the future, there are many other much smaller growing plecos more suitable for a 140liter tank

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Mowbz · Jul 21, 2011

I doubt the plec cares what substrate you have, but he might want more room to "stretch his fins" so to speak (And bogwood to suck on!). He'll need a fair length of tank to move around comfortably.

If sticking to sand, Corydoras are most commonly suggested for their ease of care, and they they LOVE playing in sand, and will happily spend all day rummaging through it. This often negates the need to disturb the pockets of Sulphur Hydroxide that builds from the anaerobic breakdown of waste. The gas, even if it escapes is widely considered harmless to fish, but having Corys sifting the sand all day often stops these build ups all together.

Having said the above, its never considered wise to make stock decisions based on tank "issues". (ie getting an assassin snail/loaches to irradicate small snails)

Sorting problems is the keepers job.