Do I need to separate these two guys

[Simonebrigham]

Hello , so I started my first tank like 8 months ago started with a 20 gallon and updated to a 55 gallon like a month ago so admittedly there was a lot of trial and error with what made compatibility tank mates and there is always a ton of contradicting info to research and some employees at petstore are not to bright for example I was sold a pleco when I asked for a catfish that stayed small but anyway I ended up having to run both tanks 55 and 20 to accommodate all personalities of the fishies I ended buying so in main tank the 55 I have 8 guppies 5 neon tetras 1 diamond tetra 1 glo fish tetra 2 African dwarf frogs 1 Chinese catfish and 1 now very big pleco and some snails and shrimp that I have no idea nonestly where they come from in the 20 gallon the time out bad boy tank I have 2 giant dannios 1 red tail shark and one platy that was for some reason a aggressive bully in the main tank and this has worked like this for a while everyone happy getting along happy the whole 8 months I have only lost a dwarf frog everyone else has been here from the start so my problem is now the past couple days my Chinese algea eater and pleco seem to be not getting along anymore I think it's mainly the Chinese he keeps chasing pleco off but I don't know what this could escalate too should I be concerned when do I intercept what do I look for to be like now I gotta separate them my poor pleco big self is hiding in a tiny tiny cave like he is scared to come out and the Chinese is making like aggressive turns when he swims like he is mad even when he is just feeding what caused this can I fix it if I have to separate who should go were pleco too big for the 20 gallon and I heard you can't put a Chinese in with a. Shark I can't give one back they have names I attached to my pets but what do I do

 

[GuppyNamedOscar]

Oof, I feel you on being attached and not wanting to re-home your pets. But... a pleco is going to need a much bigger tank than 55 gallons (unless it's a bristlenose). The red tailed shark needs to be in the 55, at least. And the diamond tetra needs friends; they stay in schools of 6 or more. I'm not familiar with Chinese catfish. I'd say do some research on each type of fish that you have, and see who you can keep happy. Then find an aquarium club near you or talk to your local fish store (not general pet store, but fish specialty store). Maybe you can find good homes for the ones you can't keep, so at least you'll know they're living their best life <3

 

[GaryE]

I really like fish, but in my wanders through the hobby, there are half a dozen commonly available fish I really don't like. Common plecos, because they get huge and crash water quality, Chinese algae eaters because they don't eat much algae and are nasty to tankmates, and red tailed and rainbow sharks, because they kill tankmates at night. Whoever advised you has stuck you with three of them. Either you take them back to the store, or you live with the mayhem they'll cause. It's unfortunate, and it happens to a lot of new hobbyists. I was in a storre yesterday looking at all 3 species you have in their tanks, and wondering how many people they would drive out of the hobby (and out of the short-sighted store's customer base) when they sold.

 

[sharkweek178]

Oof, I feel you on being attached and not wanting to re-home your pets. But... a pleco is going to need a much bigger tank than 55 gallons (unless it's a bristlenose). The red tailed shark needs to be in the 55, at least. And the diamond tetra needs friends; they stay in schools of 6 or more. I'm not familiar with Chinese catfish. I'd say do some research on each type of fish that you have, and see who you can keep happy. Then find an aquarium club near you or talk to your local fish store (not general pet store, but fish specialty store). Maybe you can find good homes for the ones you can't keep, so at least you'll know they're living their best life <3

Just to emphasize this point, the pleco grows to about 15 inches and can potentially grow to 24 inches.

 

[sharkweek178]

I really like fish, but in my wanders through the hobby, there are half a dozen commonly available fish I really don't like. Common plecos, because they get huge and crash water quality, Chinese algae eaters because they don't eat much algae and are nasty to tankmates, and red tailed and rainbow sharks, because they kill tankmates at night. Whoever advised you has stuck you with three of them. Either you take them back to the store, or you live with the mayhem they'll cause. It's unfortunate, and it happens to a lot of new hobbyists. I was in a storre yesterday looking at all 3 species you have in their tanks, and wondering how many people they would drive out of the hobby (and out of the short-sighted store's customer base) when they sold.

I don't know why fish stores even sell common plecos. Most people simply can't house a full grown one. They have become invasive species in some areas because of owners who dumped them in bodies of water or they escaped from fish farms. https://www.amazonasmagazine.com/2018/02/22/mapping-a-global-pleco-plague/

 

[Simonebrigham]

Just to emphasize this point, the pleco grows to about 15 inches and can potentially grow to 24 inches.

And they sold me this when I asked for a small one jeez

 

[Simonebrigham]

I don't know why fish stores even sell common plecos. Most people simply can't house a full grown one. They have become invasive species in some areas because of owners who dumped them in bodies of water or they escaped from fish farms. https://www.amazonasmagazine.com/2018/02/22/mapping-a-global-pleco-plague/

Yes he is big I can't believe they 5old me him as a small algae eater

 

[Rocky998]

And they sold me this when I asked for a small one jeez

They gave you a small one! Just not one that stays small lol.

In NC, especially my area it's really bad. They don't care for any of their aquariums really....

 

[sharkweek178]

And they sold me this when I asked for a small one jeez

One of the things you'll learn is that you can't trust fish store employees.

 

[Rocky998]

They gave you a small one! Just not one that stays small lol.

In NC, especially my area it's really bad. They don't care for any of their aquariums really....

And don't have much fish knowledge either

 

[Simonebrigham]

Oof, I feel you on being attached and not wanting to re-home your pets. But... a pleco is going to need a much bigger tank than 55 gallons (unless it's a bristlenose). The red tailed shark needs to be in the 55, at least. And the diamond tetra needs friends; they stay in schools of 6 or more. I'm not familiar with Chinese catfish. I'd say do some research on each type of fish that you have, and see who you can keep happy. Then find an aquarium club near you or talk to your local fish store (not general pet store, but fish specialty store). Maybe you can find good homes for the ones you can't keep, so at least you'll know they're living their best life <3

Ok I'll get more diamonds any suggestions on a good algae eater I think I'll try to re-home pleco at fish place and my cousin would probably want the shark I just hate to see any of them go

 

[Rocky998]

These are very expensive and rare but zebra plecos stay very small and look beautiful

 

[sharkweek178]

Ok I'll get more diamonds any suggestions on a good algae eater I think I'll try to re-home pleco at fish place and my cousin would probably want the shark I just hate to see any of them go

A bristlenose pleco only grows to about 4 inches or so. Otos are pretty small but you need to have a shoal of them. The snails and shrimps you already have will eat algae.

 

[GuppyNamedOscar]

How big is your pleco? 3-4 inches big or truly huge? (I'm hoping against hope it's a bristlenose)

 

[Simonebrigham]

And don't have much fish knowledge either

Agreed