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Pleco Recommendations?

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  • 14-02-2021 7:58pm
    #1
    alan0387
    Registered Users Posts: 247 ✭✭


    Hi all,

    Long time stalker of these forums,

    My name is Alan, I have a Fluval Roma125.

    Stocking is a bit sparse at the moment, 4 cardinal tetras, 3 amano shrimp and 8 panda corydoras. I have 2 juvenile panda Cory's I raised from eggs just before Xmas in a seperate tub inside the main tank. That gets a daily 10% water change. Main tank is usual 20% weekly. Running on a Fluval 207 canister filter and Fluval Aquasky LED Bluetooth lighting.

    Before lockdown last year a friend had an explosion of guppies in his tank, and I acquired 24 however despite my care, they all passed away over the last year. I had several of my own cardinals die from a weird cotton mouth type illness that couldn't be identified by Seahorse Aquariums where I bought them. They offered to take back the cardinals and replace them but knowing that would probably mean culling, I decided to keep them and try give them the best life I could.

    Anyway, I have the aquarium in my kitchen, in a dark corner away from as much natural light as possible. I still get significant algae build up between weekly cleanings, and have spent the last year testing different light spectrums, dark periods etc. I think a single pleco may be the way to go. However I want to know which one would live peacefully with Cory's, amanos, cardinals. I also have a plan for maybe a 3 angels or rams as centrepiece fish.

    Any advise is appreciated. Water testing using strips and fluids shows good quality, a little on the hard side due to my local supply, almond leaves used in the tank, helps soften slightly. Anubias regularly Pearl so confident I have a good solid system running. A family matter last year left the tank for approx 8 weeks without any care other than once daily feeding. After 8nweeks, water quality remained, no fish loss and even nitrates within safe limits, so I believe I have a degree of anaerobic bacteria within the sand substrate too.

    Thanks folks.


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    #2
    smyth79
    Registered Users Posts: 24 ✭smyth79


    Hi Alan,
    I have a Bristlenose Pleco in my tank which is the same size as yours. I haven't had any problems with aggression towards my corydoras. Definitely don't get a common pleco as they grow way too big for your tank. The Bristlenose only grows to about 4 inches long.


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    #3
    Alkers
    Registered Users Posts: 6,815 ✭✭✭Alkers


    What sort of algae do you have? Generally, I have never noticed any significant reduction in having a pleco or not


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    #4
    alan0387
    Registered Users Posts: 247 ✭✭alan0387


    smyth79 wrote: »
    Hi Alan,
    I have a Bristlenose Pleco in my tank which is the same size as yours. I haven't had any problems with aggression towards my corydoras. Definitely don't get a common pleco as they grow way too big for your tank. The Bristlenose only grows to about 4 inches long.

    Thanks, I'll have a browse now and see if anyone local to me has one!
    Alkers wrote: »
    What sort of algae do you have? Generally, I have never noticed any significant reduction in having a pleco or not

    I did have some hair algae that has gone away since I stopped using a fertiliser for the plants. Other than that its the usual green sheet on the glass and coating the wood decoration. But if I miss it one day it gets very stubborn to remove!

    Thanks for the replies, much appreciated :D


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    #5
    bogman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,327 ✭✭✭bogman


    Are you using tap water, do you leave it stand overnight before changing it, only replace 1/4 of your water every few weeks, I don't even do that much but have two external filters in a 450l tank, I have a large water butt and collect rain water, its supposed to be PH neutral, Aldi have them from time to time, they are a great job and you will have plenty water available for other uses like gardening during dry spells.


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    #6
    alan0387
    Registered Users Posts: 247 ✭✭alan0387


    bogman wrote: »
    Are you using tap water, do you leave it stand overnight before changing it, only replace 1/4 of your water every few weeks, I don't even do that much but have two external filters in a 450l tank, I have a large water butt and collect rain water, its supposed to be PH neutral, Aldi have them from time to time, they are a great job and you will have plenty water available for other uses like gardening during dry spells.

    I recently did up the garden and was just thinking a water butt might be the way to go :)

    I do use tap water, but treat with Seachem Prime and stands for maybe 10 mins. This is purely because I have nowhere safe to leave it with the dog and kids! Never had an issue with any tank crashes. I could drop to 10% weekly, the canister has a foam filter on the intake and the inside of the canister does be mint.

    I've been considering Fluvals UV inline steriliser recently ;)


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    #7
    alan0387
    Registered Users Posts: 247 ✭✭alan0387


    Thank you for the help, I got 2 Bristlenose plecos (actually a male and female) and already significant algae removal had occurred!

    Picked up a matched pair of Apistogramas too, they brighten the tank up and have made everyone else in the tank less shy too!


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