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Amazed by Plecos...its a long one.

3K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  TheBoss 
#1 ·
So if you have read any of my recent posts (not that I expect you have :wink: ) you know that I had a pretty major brown algea problem. Well I tried everything. I have done 10-15% water changes on my 47 gallon tall tank once a week for the last 3 weeks. I have used a product called "Algea Destroyer" which helped very little.
So Last night my friend (who knows nothing about fish, by the way comes over and we discuss the algea problem. He notices I have 3 small mystery snails in there and says they are dumb (after my experience I would have to agree that they look cool but are actually dumb) So anyways, he brings up his "PLECO" obsession. He never has had anything bigger that a gallon fish bowl but he desperately loves plecos just because they look "awesome". He tells me that I should buy one and put him in there because "they eat algea". I tell him that I very much doubt one pleco would make a difference and I just had to wait the algea period" out. So we make the bet...buy 2 plecos and if they clean the tank up in a week I have to buy him a 10 gallon and help him set up his very first tank.
The bet is on, I cruise to my local wal-mart :x (the lps was closed) and carefully observe their tanks. I ask the gentleman there if I could please get the two plecos in the top-most tank (they looked pretty healthy). He looks at me and asks if I have to have the ones in the top tanks.....I say yes (I work as a tech guy at staples and if someone sks me for something I don't tell them I don't want o get it down off a shelf...I expected the same at any other store)...back to the story. The gentleman fishes out my plecos rather roughly and hands them to me. Then the power at al-Mart goes out. So I do what any other disgruntled customer would....I go to the checkout and pay for my fish (you thought I stole them).
So back at home I get the plecos acclimated and me and my buddy crack open some drinks and play some videogames. Hadn't given the fish a thought for a few hours. We ended up passing out and woke up around 9 this morning. The first thing he did is check the tank. He turned around and smiled this giant, stupid grin. Turns out I owe him a tank. There was not a bit of algea left this morning. The plecos were happily stuck to the glass and seemed like they knew what just happened. Then an there I had to name them....Sacco and Vanzetti

So there it is...my amazement with plecos. Kind of anti-climactic ending for such a long story, sorry.
 
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#2 ·
:nicefish: How about that!! I don't have any plecos but they sure did their job. Good for you!! Now you will not have to concern your self with the algae problem again. Hope your frien enjoys his FIRST real aquarium and I know you will enjoy helping him set it up. :D
 
#6 ·
They do a really good job when they're small at keeping the tank clean. That's why I bought one in the begining also. He did an awesome job and I never had algea. We named him Plucky. He's still my fav fish I've ever owned. After about 2 years he was 10 inches long and outgrew my 55g tank which is probably why Flashy said that. They get like 18" big and poop ALOT! You should be ok for a few months in your tanks but please consider rehoming them when they get too big. You can alaways find a local fish store who will take them and trade for a smaller one. Once algea is all gone, they'll eat algea wafers or put of piece of cucumber in the tank and see what he does to it in a few hours!
 
#7 ·
i appreciate the input (even you fashy....however curt it was) and I did about 4 hours of research on the pleco befre I bought him btw. Anyways like I said...one is leaving shortly nd the other one will probably move to the large tank I intend to buy (around 125 gallon)
 
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