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Plecos and Driftwood?

10K views 27 replies 4 participants last post by  diablo13 
#1 ·
Hello All, I just got a new BN Pleco. I know they need driftwood for digestion and I have a decent sized peice in his permanent tank, and I have a small slice in his QT. I don't think he's rasping on it, so how long can he go without driftwood? Would he be fine for a week?
 
#4 ·
My suspicion is that the smaller the pleco, the greater the need to access to wood. Having said that, I think your pleco would be fine for a week, but I always try to keep at least a little piece in the tanks with my BNs. Some of my 11 BNs stay on wood almost constantly (I have Mopani and Malasian driftwood in my tanks) and I rarely see others ever on the wood. If you have multiple plecos, you'll want to spread the wood around the tank since they may set up territories.

If the wood is in a dim or shaded part of the tank, they will hang out on it more during times you can see them. Remember they are active at night so they could be rasping then.
 
#5 ·
Ok, he's( assuming it's a he) just slightly below 2 inches long, so he's a little thing. He's eventually going Into a 29 gallon community, it has a nice(8") piece of Mopani Wood. Is it odd if he's clinging onto the Airstone in his QT? He's moving around it, but he's like obbsessed with it. And a couple more questions, sorry. I'm getting sand next weekend, so instead of removing all the gravel, could I just take out all the plants a my school of danios so the sand is completely covering the gravel?or could he still like burrow or something?
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#6 ·
They won't "burrow" as such, although they can shift it around as they feed. Over time, quicker than you might think, the sand will work its way beneath the gravel since it's a smaller particle. Best way is to completely remove the gravel and replace with the sand. I don't like replacing with sand while fish are in the tank in case new sand's is not washed as well as I thought I washed it! I don't know if suspended fine sand particles would bother the fish in any way, so I just avoid the issue.
 
#9 ·
I would not mix substrates of different sizes/materials. As another member noted, the smaller particle will go to the bottom leaving the larger on top, no matter what material. Law of gravity (or something:)).

As long as the existing material is smooth and not sharp, the pleco should be OK. It is any sharp material that can scratch the soft underside of substrate fish that must be avoided.

Byron.
 
#11 ·
Based on size, I'd guess the fish is about 3 months at least, but are you measuring the actual body or total length (body + fins)? It makes a huge difference with the longfins, obviously. Since the BN lifespan is about 12 years, the exact age, plus or minus a few months, won't make much actual difference!
 
#12 ·
Im pretty sure he isn't longfin, his fins are a little tattered, though, but I'm still pretty sure. 3 months? Aw, I got a baby <3 he can be fed the normal stuff, not more than usual, right? I give him 1/2 an algae wafer after water changes and 1 whole one after the last waterchange before I go to sleep.
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#13 ·
One More Question: I really like this little dude, so when I can figure out what gender it is, I'd really like another. I've looked it up, my filter can handle it and I'll get more plants, just in case. But anway, I know males can't go together, but can females? And if I just had a pair, would the male stress out the female too much? Thanks!
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#14 ·
One More Question: I really like this little dude, so when I can figure out what gender it is, I'd really like another. I've looked it up, my filter can handle it and I'll get more plants, just in case. But anway, I know males can't go together, but can females? And if I just had a pair, would the male stress out the female too much? Thanks!
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The answers to both questions are in our profile of this fish.:)
 
#17 ·
Ok, now I know that 1 male and 1 female can be together. But I didn't see anything about the 2 females?
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My fault, I tend to make assumptions and forget that others may not think that way.;-) If a tank will house a pair, it will generally house two females of most species. Two males is a very different thing, if the species is one in which males are territorial. As pleco are.

Byron.
 
#18 ·
Ok, if it's a male he'll just stay alone, but if it's a female I definately want another :) I keep forgetting to thank you, you wrote most of the profiles I get my info from :)
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edit: If I'm right, as the profile stated, females has short bristles just around their mouth and males have long bristles all over their face, right?
 
#19 · (Edited)
Ok, if it's a male he'll just stay alone, but if it's a female I definately want another :) I keep forgetting to thank you, you wrote most of the profiles I get my info from :)
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edit: If I'm right, as the profile stated, females has short bristles just around their mouth and males have long bristles all over their face, right?
Yes, if you can discern them. Mature fish are pretty obvious, but the juveniles one often sees in stores are not easy.

I have three Farlowella vittata that have spawned many times, and I have fry from some of them; one male and two females. I still cannot see the male's bristles.:roll:
 
#20 ·
Lol, so you just don't tell? Or do you have a guess as to which one is the male? Or is there some other way you tell? Wait, those Farlowella Vittatta......aren't those the ones with the really long snouts? I love those :D
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#21 ·
Lol, so you just don't tell? Or do you have a guess as to which one is the male? Or is there some other way you tell? Wait, those Farlowella Vittatta......aren't those the ones with the really long snouts? I love those :D
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Yes, though I spelled it incorrectly before. Farlowella vittata, its in our profile. Must have soft acidic water though, being wild caught.
 
#23 ·
Lol, I love those guys. I also like Spotted Driftwood Cats. Darn, I need more space. Are Hikari Algae Wafers a good staple for my pleco?
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Yes. Hikari foods are good, also Omega One. And others have mentioned New Life Spectrum.
 
#25 ·
Ok, just wondering. Oh, and seeing as you made the Spotted Driftwood Cat profile, do you think just 1 could go in a 10 gallon?
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Yes, but this is not an easy fish. It never, and I mean never, comes out during daylight; it is strictly nocturnal, so you never see it. It also needs wood with a tunnel, and a decent current from the filter. The latter does not suit all fish, so in a small tank one would be limited.
 
#26 ·
Hmmm, ok, I'll continue thinking about it. I have a couple airstones I can add, and driftwood won't be a problem. In the profile it said they can be baited out with worms, is this just for sone fish or do they usually do that?
 
#27 ·
Well, mine once settled seemed to learn feeding time, as indeed most fish will. They disappear again as soon as they swallow the bloodworms.

Airstone won't do it, this is a fish that needs an actual current running into the tank, such as with an external filter or an HOB. The other thing is that many other fish do not like this, and will be stressed. In a large tank like a 4+ foot it is possible to have the filter outflow at one end with a standing piece of bogwood for the woodcats, and the flow dissipates as it goes down the tank so it is not too much. In a small tank this is not feasible.
 
#28 ·
Hmm, ok then, I'll continue thinking. I realize I just made a horrible mistake, I didn't have any spare heaters, but I thought plecos could be in a colder temperature short term, but he's at room temperature( which is like -2 for water temperature?) so he's in like 70 degrees. Should I just add him?
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