What's worse - leaving a pleco in a tank that's too small, or putting him in a tank that hasn't cycled yet?

Question

He's about 7 inches long and currently in a 5.5 gallon tank. I got him (in the tank he's currently in) from a friend. I have a 40 gallon tank that I'm setting up for him now, but obviously, it's a new tank and hasn't cycled yet. So, move him or leave him where he is for another few weeks?

Answer 1

i usually cycle tanks with very hardy fish.. ive never cycled with a pleco.. but the 5 gallon is way to small for him. use the bigger tank... put some starter bacteria in the tank and let him go for a week.. clean his excrement as he will a lot..

Answer 2

Move the filter and gravel, or at least the filter media from the 5.5 gal to the new one. That will move a lot of the cycle bacteria to the new tank and jumpstart things.

Then just leave the pleco and both filters running for a couple of weeks before getting any more fish.

Ater the new tank has settled down then you can put the small filter back in the 5.5 and use it as a quarantine tank for any new fish you buy (as long as they are small anyway).

Ian

Answer 3

Put him in the new tank. Plecos are hardy and pretty hard to kill. Just be sure to feed him algae wafers since its a new tank.

Answer 4

I agree with patches. Use the filter media from the old tank to help cycle the new tank. Put the pleco in the new tank.

Answer 5

I'd grab some of the filter media and substrate (if he's the only fish in that tank, take all of filter media etc)  from the 5.5 gal and use it to help the cycle of the 40gal.  If he's the only guy in there when it's cycling he will probably be fine as long as you keep up on your chemistry tests and water changes.

Answer 6

Cycle for AT LEAST 24 hours before adding the plecostomus.