# Pleco and Betta okay?



## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Okay I have been hearing some conflicting information. What is the minimum tank size for a Candy Striped Pleco? Also known as Tiger Plecos, scientific name is Peckoltia vittata (L015). They reach about five inches and can be kept lone. I have one in a 20g high (CYCLED) with one male betta, four guppies, five teeny Red Dwarf Rasboras, a few snails and cherry shrimp. They have all been getting along perfectly. I was told this is okay, am I completely off the mark here lol? I really hope I haven't been hurting the pleco or the betta, or any of the fish really . 

I have a 20g long I could move the pleco into, if the height makes a difference. 

Am I totally over stocked? I have lots of live plants. Please help! 

BTW I have two large pieces of aquarium driftwood in there. She hasn't moved from one of the pieces in about a week, is this normal? 

SO worried, I feel like there is not much info out there for specific types of plecos.

The reason I post under Betta Care is because if the pleco is acting odd, then could something be wrong with my water? I haven't seen my male make a bubblenest in a few days (put then again I did take out a few plants for my sorority), so I am wondering if the pleco is trying to tell me that something is wrong in my tank? My betta seems fine right now, but maybe plecos are more sensitive.


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## karlhague (Aug 9, 2010)

Most Plecos Tend to grow HUGE.

Plecos and most other catfish do seem alot more sensitive to the water.


Try do a small 10-20% water change and see if his behaviour alters.


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

This is a candy striped/tiger pleco so the info says they only get to be 5-6 inches, but I will definitely keep my eye on it just in case. I will try the water change now.


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Just changed out about four and a half gallons.


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## Canuck Fins (Oct 5, 2010)

How is the temperature in the tank?


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

A steady 80. I could turn it down to 76 though.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

The 20g is fine for your pleco...that the smallest size I would go with that species and good that you have wood-they need it to rasp on to help digestion....did the water change make any difference in the pleco...did it move any...it may need time to adapt too or it may need to rasp for awhile on the wood...lol.....may not have had any for a while.....love to see a pic.....


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

The water change didn't make too much of a difference, she wiggled her tail a bit lol. I got her like two-three weeks go, could she still be adjusting after that long? They did have wood in the lfs store where she was kept.

Here is a picture of her, the has been upside down like that for days! The red is the effect of my camera, I don't have anything red in my tank lol.


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

Cute plec! I have one of those (in my 75 gal. tank w/African Cichlids) and, TBH, there have been times I haven't even SEEN it for so long I figure it must have passed away and the other fish took care of it. Then, all of a sudden, it's there - LOL!!!


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## Pekemom (Jan 27, 2011)

I used to keep bristlenose plecos in my cichlid tanks and I just loved them - and miss them!! They are adorable - and generally not too active. Remember that they don't have scales and are sensitive to water quality and any medication that may be in the tank. What are you feeding him? Mine loved the algae wafers and also munched on zuchinni slices. 

http://tinyurl.com/5seej7y


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

I feed him algae wafers three nights a week after lights out. Have to do it that way or the cichlids would eat it all! 

About a year ago I invested in an LED "moonlight" so I see him more now. It was kind of pricey, but I am SO glad I spent the money!!!


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Lion Mom said:


> I feed him algae wafers three nights a week after lights out. Have to do it that way or the cichlids would eat it all!
> 
> About a year ago I invested in an LED "moonlight" so I see him more now. It was kind of pricey, but I am SO glad I spent the money!!!


Does he really come out more? And how bright is the moonlight?


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## Goomba3 (Jan 20, 2011)

My mom had a 30 gallon tank and always kept a pleco. I absolutely adore them, they are awesome. Her's, she had for like a decade, and he got HUGE. Eventually he just died and was eaten by the other fish in the tank. I ended up buying her another one, which started out very small and over the next 5 years grew to be 8 inches! He kept hiding in all the same spots as he grew, but he forgot his tail was longer and would always be poking out from underneath the eaves of the house decoration in the tank, it was funny. He would hang out upside for days as well, so that seems to be normal.


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

That is so cute, that he didn't know you could still see him lol! Hopefully once she adjusts more I will start to see more of her personality.


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

turtle10 said:


> Does he really come out more? And how bright is the moonlight?


Yes - I have 3 nocturnal fish in that tank. Not super bright - it doesn't keep anybody from sleeping. It isn't the entire length of the tank - I have it set up in the middle of the tank so the far sides are dark. It's bright enough to see in a darkened room. :-D

TBH, even if I didn't have any nocturnal fish I would be happy I bought it since it's so cool lookin'!!! 

Oh - and the algae wafers I feed are the Tetra Veggie/Algae ones.


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## LolaQuigs (Mar 28, 2010)

Cute! I didn't realize there were pleco species that stayed so small! I may have to reconsider my plans for the bottom feeder in my future 30 gallon community tank.


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

I really want to try the moonlight now! I always wish I could look at the "night life" in my community, but of course I would need light and that would defeat the purpose lol, so moonlight seems perfect!


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