Fish - Jack Dempsey - Help Needed!?

Question

My Jack Dempsey's ATE my 8" pleco! They were all raised together -but one day they turned on him. Now - I've got a problem with algae and need SOMETHING to eat the "trash" from the acquarium. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Hey Turtle! I was going to say the Same as what Phoenix said. You know She is a Wise Woman.

JASON from DD.  

Answer 2

Sis, get a couple of larger Plecos so that they can watch each other's back. Also a cave type structure for them to be able to get into but is too small for the Dempseys might be of assistance. ;)

I hate to hear about this. :(

Answer 3

If you've got a problem with algae, then you should try a magnetic algae cleaner/scraper.  It's much more reliable than a fish.  Here's a webpage with a nice algae cleaning tool for under ten bucks:  http://www.aquatichouse.com/Maintenance_...

The best part is since it's magnetic, you never have to get your hand wet when you clean your tank.

To clean the 'trash' from the bottom of the aquarium, a place where an algae scraper is of no use, you might want to try shrimp.  I personally just occassionally buy a dozen ghost shrimp from my local aqua culture store for a dollar every now and then and toss them in my tanks.  They eat the detritus on the bottom of the tank, and my fish occassionally munch on them.  It's an inexpensive solution to extra fish food on the bottom of your tank.

Edit:  I should have included in there that algae doesn't grow in high quality water.  If you're having an algae problem, you should try testing your water for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.  Consider doing more frequent water changes to boost water quality.

Answer 4

You can always try another pleco. If that one gets attacked, then go for some snails.

Answer 5

Never use snails, it will pollute the water and kill all your fishes. Pleco should not be eaten if it was one on one. If there are more than 1 jack in your tank, try not to buy plecos anymore or buy 3 big plecos.