Hey its adam, and problem with pleco

[vanhanz]

First time to a fish forum, but i'm a vet to forums and freshwater aquariums, although I never read anything about how to care for aquariums, I just kind of had a few for about 10 years, then after 2 years without one, i'm back at it again! Last tank was 2 5" piranhas in a 29 gallon, both died from some kind of disease.

Before that I had a terarium with frogs and salamanders, and a 29 gallon with an african clawed frog, a pleca, and an oscar, which all lived a very long time and grew to be HUGE.

Just unpacked the 29 galloner in my new apartment, set it up, filled it up, bought a new filtering system, heater, and probably new air pump since my old one wants to suck water in it. I put tap water and some water conditioner in it (I think I have hard, well water here), and let it all run for a day. So now I have a african clawed frog, a pleco, and a figure 8 puffer fish! The plecos keep dying though, I think it has something to do with my puffer fish, what do you think? I've gone through 2 plecos in 4 days now.

Just want to say hi and introduce myself, you'll be seeing me here often I think, because I get bored at work and tend to wander around the net. Thanks.

 

[Alisha]

Hi, and welcome!

It sounds like you have a really nice tank! Wow a puffer Fish, how neat. I honestly don't know why your plecos keep dying, sorry, I'm sure someone else will be able to answer that for ya! but I just wanted to welcome you...

 

[clunkster]

hi& have you cycled your tank ? cos reading your post it sounds like you have not if you have not then this could be the problem

 

[vanhanz]

oh crap. I've never cycled. I never knew about it and just read about it. Is there anything I can do now?

 

[mrV]

Change water to keep nitrite (NO2-) value low as possible (should be 0 mg/l) and if you live in USA try to find bacteria-product called Bio-Spira. It's only commercial product that contains usefull bacteria.

If there aren't no fish at all at this moment, do a normal fishless cycling then. It takes about 2-4 weeks.

And when you are buying plecos, remember that some of them can be as huge as 50 cm (20 inches!) when adults, so be sure that you buy plecos that are small ones! E.g. some of from Peckoltia sp. And many of plecos lives in warmer water. Before buying any, search information about them at first

 

[glolite]

Hi there and welcome to the forums. Just adding to above that if you know anyone else who has an established tank, ask them for some gravel and some of their used filter material. Stick that in your new tank and it will help cycle it.

 

[GSD]

hya and welcome
im laura
feel free to ask anything

just one thing the priaas proberbly died becasue the tank was too small

 

[Ami]

Welcome!

I've just completed a fishless cycle in one week - you cheat by adding some ammonia to the tank to start it off. There's a lot of information in the beginner forum and Tropical Chit Chat on this.

In the meantime, you could ask your LFS to store the fish in one of their establised tanks.

Good luck,
Ami