Pleco Newbie

[missigfunk]

I bought my first plec (BN) the other week and I think he is just fantastic!

I've been on a few Aussie catfish forums and I have the chance to buy some Peppermints and Orange Spot plecs.

How well will these 3 types be together in a 3ft tank?

It's my community tank for the moment which contains:

2 x opaline gourami
2 x angels
1 x panda cory
1 x albino shark
4 x platys
1 x bumble bee goby
2 x mollies



I know there seems like a lot in there, but I have no problem in getting rid of some of my fish (giving them away or selling them) as I've kept tropical fish for many many years and now I want to get right into plecs.



What do all you guys think?


TIA!!

 

[Colin_T]

The 3 species will be fine when they are young. But when they mature the male bristlenose might hassle the others in that size tank. Considering the price of orange spotted and peppermints I would be inclined to give them a tank of their own away from common b/nose catfish.

Corydoras prefer to be kept in groups so maybe get some more of them.

Bumblebee gobies can be hard to feed so make sure they get something to eat otherwise they will starve. They sometimes nip fins on fish like angels and male Bettas.

Mollies can be a problem in soft acid water or if the hardness is low. If they are local bred they should be fine but monitor them for problems. If they start to have issues then increase the hardness and check the PH.

 

[JenCliBee]

as colin says very young 1's will be fine 2 gether but as they get older the males will fite for torrotory and often fite till 1 is seriously hurt casuing death so basically unless u plan on selling on future males or rehousing them in other tanks i wouldnt really bother



jen

 

[raptorrex]

just a point, are bumblebee gobys not really a brackish, that's if they are correctly identified in the first place?

 

[missigfunk]

Thanks for your replies guys!


I have a 4ft tank aswell, but it isn't set up yet. It's in storage at my grandparents house until I (hopefully soon) move out and get my own place.

If they are ok when they are young, then it still gives me some time to get my 4ft all set up and ready. So I could keep my BN in the 3ft tank with a few other various fish, and put the Peppermints and Orange Spots in the 4ft tank, heavily planted and lots of cave stuff.

Would that be ok?


How fast do they grow? Slow or quickly?



Oh and as for the Panda Cory, I bought him as an impulse buy which now I know I shouldn't have. I will get some more friends for him soon, just need to save my pennies for these plecs! lol

 

[Colin_T]

yep, the peppis and orange spots will be fine in a 4ft and the common b/nose can have the 3ft
Peppermints and orange spots are pretty slow growing. They should reach full size (about 4-5inches) in a year. But it will take the whole year to get there.

For boboboy
bumblebee gobies are brackish but will live in freshwater as long as the PH doesn't go acidic and as long as there is some hardness in the water.

 

[missigfunk]

Sounds like a plan then!

YAY!!!


As for the bumble bees, I don't know what they are, but they have been living in my tank for almost a year now. I originally had 3, and one died a few months after I got them, the second died after about 8 or so months, and I still have my 1 little fighter in there. I think he is my fav. I check for him everyday and make sure he gets some bloodworms when I feed them to my community.

I need to buy him some more friends too.

 

[raptorrex]

Sounds like a plan then!

YAY!!!


As for the bumble bees, I don't know what they are, but they have been living in my tank for almost a year now. I originally had 3, and one died a few months after I got them, the second died after about 8 or so months, and I still have my 1 little fighter in there. I think he is my fav. I check for him everyday and make sure he gets some bloodworms when I feed them to my community.

I need to buy him some more friends too.

take care buying these guys, the scientists say they are virtually impossible to identify, with real accuracy, without a microscope. i have been offered many fish as bumblebee's, indeed they may well have been, but as their environment and requirement varies so much, after the first attempt i gave up!

 

[missigfunk]

Really?

Wow, I've never heard of that.


Well whatever they are, I'll still buy them coz I think they are really cute lol

 

[Syphoniera]

Sounds like a plan then!

YAY!!!


As for the bumble bees, I don't know what they are, but they have been living in my tank for almost a year now. I originally had 3, and one died a few months after I got them, the second died after about 8 or so months, and I still have my 1 little fighter in there. I think he is my fav. I check for him everyday and make sure he gets some bloodworms when I feed them to my community.

I need to buy him some more friends too.

Hi, missigfunk,
complete edit by a complete insomniac working w/out benefit of brain...
I don't know, but I think you're being warned that there's a high danger of being sold fish that can't survive in your tank.
You'd think sellers would be able to track them from their source, and I'd like to know why they can't.
Aren't they either caught in some specific area/environment or bred in one?
Does anybody know why something so essential isn't done?
It's only paperwork to the exporters and purchasers, and, one would think, typically done, if not outright required.
Does this sort of thing apply to other fish as well?