Can comment pleco takes 88+ degree?

[IMCL85]

Hi all I have recently added an little pleco to my pure plants tank for eating algae on bottom. And for these week my area's temperature is about 40 minimum and aquarium inside my house even with out heater is always 84+. Specially my plants tank located right next to the window. Can pleco takes that kind of temperature?

 

[smithrc]

even if it is hot you should still run a heater - it'll stop the temp falling over night and causing big fluctuations in temp...

remove the lid and get a fan blowing at the surface of the water - this should help cool it.

To answer you questions he should be ok - but please make sure the temp is stable as the fluctuatios will be the killer.

What sized tank is it? (as smaller tanks raise and lower their temp quickr)

 

[IMCL85]

yea heater still there but it will never comes on during day as the temperature I set is 80 for most of the tank. He's ok right now just staying still on a rock guess is sucking algae.

 

[Snailguy101]

Isn't a 20 gallon too small for a pelco?

 

[IMCL85]

His very little right now like 1", I just want him to clear some algae grow on my substrate. It will be enought for him until I put him to my discus tank when he out grow this tank as my discus tank have no algae problem at all. So it would be a waste of food if I put him there as he doesn't have any algae to suck .

 

[MegTheFish]

Common plecos, not comment.

 

[sylvia]

Common plecs don't actualy like temps that high. If it regularly gets to 88+, think about moving the tank. Fish are cold blooded so those not adapted to high temps end up with an abnormaly high metabolic rate if kept in such warm water. Besides the warmth being perfect for bacteria to multiply in and higher temps allowing less oxygen in the water, the fish become stressed, use up more energy, need more food, produce more waste and, as a result, often end up sick and die. Discus also aren't usualy reccomended to be kept with plecs - especialy not large-growing ones like commons - because they are prone to having their tasty slime coat sucked off. Your best bet would be to, first off, move the tank to a different position. The algae is there in the first place because of direct sunlight and the high temp which speeds up growth in the algae just as it would in the fish) also shortens lifespan of fish as a direct result - something very obvious to see in guppies). Indirectly, the extra waste being produced and the extra speed by which things decompsoe in high temps mean more ammonia/nitrIte/nitrAte is ending up in the water and contributing to the algae's growth. If you were to take the time to empty the tank, move it to a different spot and then, prefferably, re-home the plec (or move it to a different tank), your problems should all be solved and you won't be risking any fishy lives. Also, with the algae, it's always better to identify the root cause of a problem and prevent it than to try to treat it by introducing algae-eating fish or whatever which can never be a permanent solution and may even have negative effects (eg incompatibility issues or by adding to waste, or by effectively preventing algae from using up excess nutrients in the water).