my mystery pleco

[sticky fish]

hey there

i'm brand new to this site and I just moved in to a new house.
The previous owner left a scum filled tank behind with a 91/2 inch pleco in it.
I gave the tank a good scrubbing and changed the water, is there anything else I should do to make him happy beside feed him and give him a hiding spot? any help would be appreciated

Ill try to get a picture up soon

Sticky fish

 

[Lucy]

HI sticky fish welcome to Fish Lore.

Wow, what size tank?
Did you use dechlorinator before adding the new water?
Does it have a filter? heater?
Do you have a test kit? If so what are the readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrates?

Do you keep fish? (other than the one with the pleco)

Sorry for all the questions, the answers will help the member get a better handle on your situation and be able to advise you better.

Good Luck.

 

[sticky fish]

ten gallon
used dechlorinator
filter, yes heater,not sure I live in san diego
should get a test kit

keep fish I have a 2 inch long pleco and 2 small goldifsh in another tank
also have 3 small fish in with the giant pleco, Jeff the Worm

Sticky fish

 

[COBettaCouple]

Welcome to Fishlore.

Sounds like you probably have a common pleco there. A 75-gallon tank would be recommended (or bigger) for him to be able to grow and have room enough to swim around.

He'll love slices of zucchinI and cucumber. I'd test the water with the API master Freshwater Kit and treat the water with Prime. If you can find Omega One or New Life Spectrum wafers, those are what we have and they're great for Plecos.

 

[sticky fish]

Thanks for the advice. We'll check our local fish store. Maybe s/he won't get much bigger....

 

[clinton1621]

The problem with that is... people assume that a fish that is supposed to be big, stays small if the tank isn't big... this is true to a degree, the fish stays small because its being stunted by not having enough room, then the fish dies because its organs become deformed

 

[sticky fish]

He's doing well right now and loves his algae wafers... will have to see about that bigger tank eventually.

 

[Osjugalo]

try craigslist for tanks...lots of people sell tanks for pretty cheap prices with everything included (sometimes fish like mine did) and you can talk them down sometimes too if you don't have what they are asking. I got a 75gal with a 8in and a 4in pleco and about 20 other random fish...2 filters...heater...hoods and lights...stand...2 air stones (although they don't work) and 2 air machines for 150.

 

[sticky fish]

Will have to try that site out. I need to finish unpacking the house before I get another tank Scary thought of unpacking