Is there a way to speed up algea production

[ninja]

Hi

I posted a similar thread in the catfish section but I figured I'd get more help here about my algea question.

Is there a way to speed up algea production because my pleco wouldn't eat any food that I give him, such as sinking wafers and lettece, and he is really starting to get skinny. I have the hood light on alot(about 16 hours) so algea will grow.

Thanks

 

[Alien Anna]

Plecos are nocturnal so leaving the lights on may actually be counter productive. Besides, plecos only eat certain types of algae.

I am concerned your pleco is so skinny and isn't eating. Have you tried leaving him some bloodworms last thing at night, just after you've turned the lights off?

Also check your parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, temperature and pH). Can you tell us how long you've had the pleco, tank size, other occupants (if any), how long the tank's been set up etc. and then maybe we can get to the bottom of this.

In the meantime, you should have the lights on a maximum of 12 hours and actually I think a little less as that pleco needs to rest.

 

[ninja]

I just turned off all the lights and closed all the doors and windows and then feed him some bloodworms. I don't know if he ate any or not especially since I hardly ever see him move even when its dark in my room. I didn't test the water yet but hopefully by Saturday(birthday) I'll get a water tester, if not I'll just buy one. I had the tank set up for about a month give or take a few weeks. Its a 10 gallon ) ( I know, I know but he's only 1.5 inches right now so he should be fine until I buy a bigger tank(hopefully)). I bought the pleco 5 days after I had the tank set up and it already had a betta fish in it. Right now I got the tank divided either 2 to 8 or 3 to 7gallons because of the betta fish being highly aggressive. In the 7 or 8 gallon part I have 2 tiger barbs and an amazon sword. The tiger barbs show no signs of aggression to the pleco though.

Edit: I also have a big piece of driftwood in there, I heard somewhere that plecos like to eat the drift wood. Is this true?

 

[Alien Anna]

Sounds OK for the moment. Plecos do need driftwood - its kind of roughage for them. They can get constipated without it and in fish, constipation can kill.

 

[ninja]

thanks Alien Anna

 

[William]

Try some blanched cucumber or courgette (zuchini) in your tank and leave it in over night it should be eaten by the morning

 

[snowbirdmo62]

Try getting some algae discs at your Wal-Mart, I feed my pleco 1 a day, and also as a treat, some shrimp pellets. Don't over-feed though, as you will soon have way too much algae! That should satisfy your pleco until you get a good algae buildup going. Good luck!

 

[Kissifish]

Get your pleco a pleco friend(if you have room). Competition for food makes them eat better.

On another note, I have "heard" that some plecs stop eating algae from off of the tank when they get full grown. Mine stopped when they reached about 4 inches. Don't know if that was the reason or if they preferred algae wafers instead. After a while they didn't even eat those, they just cleaned up what the other fish left.

 

[odjbo]

If you still want algae... ?

Try adding 'Daily-Dosing-Drops' plant fertiliser, coupled with your lighting regimen, you'll have algae in no time...

Be carefull though, don't let it overtake your tank...



D.