Please Stop Calling Plecos "algae Eaters"!

I think the biggest one for me right now is betta heram or sororities in small tanks. Someone actually said you can have a male and 2 females in a 5 gallon tank. They seen it on YouTube. Yea I could put mine in a small tank too and they would probably play nice for the time it takes to make a quick video. I bet it would get all kinds of views. Sustainable nope!

 

I think the biggest one for me right now is betta heram or sororities in small tanks. Someone actually said you can have a male and 2 females in a 5 gallon tank. They seen it on YouTube. Yea I could put mine in a small tank too and they would probably play nice for the time it takes to make a quick video. I bet it would get all kinds of views. Sustainable nope!

Yes, I totally agree! And we could go on and on about all the terrible things we see again and again in this hobby. The bad advice given over and over, and bad decision making and stubbornness.

I guess the algae eater thing has just slowly risen to the top of my pet peeve list due to the sheer frequency of it!!!

But as I just discovered....I do think the "my fish get along just fine" comment from folks with juvie fish is right up there at the top of my list!!

 

I have to agree with that as well. It seems there are a lot more newbies on here lately who are offering advice that they probabaly shouldn't be. And young people who ask questions and are too stubborn to take the advice they asked for.

I don't want to come to be known as someone that does nothing but correct others but when I see something I know is completely wrong I have a very difficult time not coming back with the correct information.

Folks are coming here for help and bad information isn't going to help. One example, the tannins from drift wood are dangerous and will kill your fish. I couldn't let that pass without saying something. There are others that I let pass and then feel guilty because the person that is coming here for help isn't actually being helped.

I know there are lots of ways to do many things but then there are some things that have to be corrected. One person reads that about tannins and before long others are passing along that misinformation because they read it here on the forum.

Heck, I have been in the hobby for 6 years and breed heavily and have 18 tanks and have learned a TON over the years. and I STILL use phrases like "in my opinion" all the time. And I try and avoid black and white answers because there are too many gray areas.

I do try to let folks know that my way isn't the only way. It is just what has worked for me. I too avoid black and white answers.

And to stem off of that....I guess I do have one other pet peeve that is equally as high as the one I started this thread about......
People insisting incompatible species can live together just fine because it has worked for them for months WITH THEIR JUVINILES!!! ya, come back and talk to me when they are sexually mature adults!!!! ugg

I couldn't agree more with this one.

 

I love all my algae eaters

 

Honestly when someone says they have an algae eater I think nerite snail. Lol. Sadly its never the case.

 

and I am going to add to the hijack. What is a BR pleco? I have been in this forum a fairly long time and can usually figure out the initials but this one has me stumped. Elbert over there in my avatar is a Bristle Nose Pleco and anytime I mention him I call him just that so there is no confusion.

BTW (by the way) bizaliz3 I couldn't agree with you more and I think it is a fair rant. I guess if I was going to rant about something it would have to be the lack of reading comprehension I see so often and the wrong and sometimes even detrimental to the fish advice thrown out so casually

I’m so sorry! I meant bristle nose pleco! I’m writing a paper and I guess my brain got fuddled up. It seemed apparent to me at the time
BR-istle nose
Ps I think your pleco has a very dignified name. Mine is called “Mr Grumpy Pants” .

 

Honestly when someone says they have an algae eater I think nerite snail. Lol. Sadly its never the case.

My algae eaters include L128 blue phantom, BN plecos, otos, SAEs and shrimp. I feed them too well so they don't really eat a lot of algae.

 

What's the absolute worst to me is throwing out info on fish meds when clearly they have no idea. I've seen flat out wrong info. I have been just stepping out, but feel so badly for the poor OPs who are getting false info and ESPECIALLY the fish! It actually deters me from the forum when I see that. Wish there was something to do about that.

 

I was told we can't have a dislike button.

 

Yeah, I hate to be the one disagreeing, but even I find info from reputable sites and ppl act like I never posted, I feel there's nothing I can do. Mostly I try to give the info, if they take it , Great! But still upsets me when false info is just written there for all to see AND repeat it!

 

Yeah, I hate to be the one disagreeing, but even I find info from reputable sites and ppl act like I never posted, I feel there's nothing I can do. Mostly I try to give the info, if they take it , Great! But still upsets me when false info is just written there for all to see AND repeat it!

I know exactly what you are saying and it seems to happen more and more. I guess we just have to accept the fact that we can't hep everyone and it is like beating ones head against a brick wall trying.

I was actually accused of being someone that just likes to contradict. That isn't at all true but I can see where it would seem so because there is so much incorrect information being posted. For everything I try to add the correct information too there are bunches I just don't say anything and of course feel guilty because I didn't.

I know there is no one way to do everything when it comes to the aquarium hobby but certain suggestions are just myths that have been posted so many times it has become fact to some folks. Something, although not true, said often enough it is soon believed to be true.

I’m so sorry! I meant bristle nose pleco! I’m writing a paper and I guess my brain got fuddled up. It seemed apparent to me at the time
BR-istle nose
Ps I think your pleco has a very dignified name. Mine is called “Mr Grumpy Pants” .

Ah ha, I can understand how the BR came to be Poor Elbert spent the first few months of his life being called Ellie Mae. Once he started growing his bristles a name change was in order. He just looked like an Elbert to me.

 

As for bad info. How about the 4 quick ways to cycle your tank. The one, just buy a goldfish, throw it in the tank and poof 2 weeks later your cycled. Just dispose of the fish after.

 

As for bad info. How about the 4 quick ways to cycle your tank. The one, just buy a goldfish, throw it in the tank and poof 2 weeks later your cycled. Just dispose of the fish after.

yep, that one was a train wreck just waiting to happen I spent my time just today helping with a fishless cycle only to learn that fish were added, it seems, while we were talking or had already been added because someone some where said it was alright to do so.

 

Now I'm not against fish in cycles. Its what I do. If you test your water, keep up on water changes and only have a few fish I don't see anything wrong with doing them. I couldn't have an empty tank for a month or 2 I'm too impatient. But I have been doing this for 20 some years so I'm past the learning curve of a first time fish keeper.
I seen a few of those posts and seen who was helping so I figured it was under control. Lol

 

I am not sure what my point of this thread is...I just wanted to vent because I am seeing it WAY TOO MUCH lately.

They have a name. They are plecos. They are a type of catfish. And one of many different types of fish that munch on algae. They don't deserved to be named as such!

I have to say that this has slowly become one of my biggest pet peeves in this hobby. People calling plecos "algae eaters". And it isn't only the fact that I don't like that people buy them only to eat algae. (often beginners) Its because I just don't feel they should be NAMED algae eaters. They are not algae eaters. Algae is not their primary diet!!! They snack on it, but it isn't their primary diet! And they often won't even touch it if they are given the food they prefer and thrive on.

In summary....I am sick and tired of them being purchased primarily as tank cleaners and algae eaters. But even MORE bothered by the fact that people DONT EVEN BOTHER TO LEARN WHAT THEY ARE!! They just call them algae eaters. Even after they have purchased it and taken it home and had it for months. They still don't bother to learn anything about them. Not even their name. And this is the norm!

Ok vent over. Sorry. I don't usually do venting threads, haha

Hello biz...

The plecostomus, also called "pleco" or "suckerfish", is a type of freshwater catfish. You're 100 percent right! They're colorful and active. They're called "sucker fish," a name that comes from the fish's eating habits. They'll eat vegetables and even a little meat. But, my Plecos spend most of their time attached to the sides of my tank scrubbing the algae off. When they finish there, they go for the algae on the driftwood and even the large roots systems on some of the plants. Algae and decaying wood fiber are the most plentiful food source for these fish in their natural habitat. They're the best tank cleaners and really are primarily algae eaters.

Sorry,

Old

 

Now I'm not against fish in cycles. Its what I do. If you test your water, keep up on water changes and only have a few fish I don't see anything wrong with doing them. I couldn't have an empty tank for a month or 2 I'm too impatient. But I have been doing this for 20 some years so I'm past the learning curve of a first time fish keeper.
I seen a few of those posts and seen who was helping so I figured it was under control. Lol

I am not either. As a matter of fact it is my preferred way of doing it. In all of my 35 or more years of tending to tanks it never even crossed my mind to take care of one with no fish in it

I will help someone that wants to do it fishless though. Even though I've never personally done it as long as there is an ammonia source the cycling process is basically the same.

I have to admit that I was a bit put off though in this situation because my answers would have been different had I been told ALL the facts up front.

 

Ok this thread has wandered way off the original topic.
If you feel advice given is wrong then by all means give your opinion on that thread but remember that we’re here to help & advise, not to belittle or point fingers at others.
We were all newbies once, we probably made the same mistakes & repeated less than ideal advice so let’s be a bit more magnanimous.
Thread closed