What should I know about with my Plecostomus?

Question

I just got a Plecostomus (A small one) Saucey and she is in a 10 gallon fish tank with my Goldfish Halpert. Do I need to have a sort-of needed amount of algae that Saucey will eat from? I have hiding places so she can make her "permanent home." I read that they can get up to two feet, if they have the adequate tank size, so do I have to worry about her growing too big for the current tank to be healthy? Should I leave the filter running like I usually do, or leave it off for Saucey to have more food?

P.S.

I don't know how to tell and I don't know what gender they really are, I just think of one to keep calling them because I think it's mean to say "it." o.0 I don't know if that will make a difference...

Answer 1

I have a plecostomus in a 29 gallon tank with a filter and a goldfish so I just give him an algae pellet every other day.  

Answer 2

Have a read through this site:

Http://www.planetcatfish.com

10 gallons is too small for both goldfish and plecos. Really they shouldn't be together at all, plecos are tropical fish. Plecos are also known for sucking slime coats of slow moving fish just like goldfish.

No fish sold as a pleco is suitable for a 10 gallon. Chances are you were sold a monsterous one, there are over 700 species of pleco growing anything form 2" to 24" or more. The only one that can fit in a 10g is the otocinclus, tropical and unsuitable for goldfish tanks, they have to be kept in groups and quite sensitive to water quality.

Goldfish alone need at least 20 gallons.

Edit: Petsmart staff would sell their own grandmothers to keep with your goldfish. Aquatic Supermarket staff advice should be taken with a pinch of salt and you should do your own research. These are minimum wage staff, don't take their advice as gospel!