Pleco Help??????????

Question

IN my 10 gal tank i just got a pleco i hear they bottom feed well and are very fracefull but will it outgrow my tank??

Answer 1

Yes, he will. Please don't throw him in a lake, canal, river, pond, etc. when he gets big. There are already too many foreign species in our waters.

Answer 2

If it's a common pleco or one of the related species, yes it will outgrow the tank. Mine is outgrowing a 50gal tank!!

Great fish - but they grow BIG.

Ian

Answer 3

yes it will out grow your tank it should be in a tank double that size(20 gallons) however if you keep it in their for the first year of it's life than upgrade to a larger tank your pleco should be fine(my pleco started out in a 10 gallon for a year but now lives in a 29 gallon and he is  2 years old)

Answer 4

If it's a common pleco (the type sold in most pet stores) then yes.  I have two in a pond in my backyard that are over 12" long.  But it will probably be okay in a 10 gal for a year or two.  But keep in mind, they are very dirty fish.  You will need to clean your tank a lot more often once he gets to be about 3-4".  You will also need to supplement with algae tablets, as a "normal" aquarium won't produce enough algae to keep them fed as they get bigger.  

edit:  In response to a few comments about pond plecos, I just wanted to clarify.  My plecos are in a concrete koi pond, not an actual pond.  I bring them inside into a 120 gallon tank every winter because they will not survive in water temps below 65 degrees F.   I agree that you should never release exotic species of fish into ponds, lakes, etc.