OK, here's what I want to do: I have a 30g with about 10 barbs(tiger, rosey, etc) and a very peaceful Ram. I want to move 3 kribs in the tank, so I can try to aclimate a pleco in to a brackish fish in the 20 gal. These fish have all lived together at some point with no problems, so not worried about aggression. I have a good filter and extra bubbles in the 30 gal. The Kribs mostly stay in their caves and plants, so they really aren't that active. My question is, do yall think that's too many fish for my 30 gal?
:thanks:

Im useless at volumes so i couldnt say, but what i am concerned about is tring t get a pleco into brackish water.

Ive never encountered one in brackish water, they arent found naturally in brackish water, and to be honest this would case illnesses such as kidney stones, dehydation, and quite possibley kill the bactearia in its intenstine, wich serves as a secondary respiratory organ, (allowing them to absorb atmospheric oxygen)

I wouldnt risk it, honestly i wouldnt! If you wanted a janitor for the tank go for some shrimps they can deal with the salinity!

Thank you for the info, I guess I should have mentioned the brackish tank I want to put the pleco in in a F8 puffer tank, so shrimp or snails won't work in that tank. They just become food for the puffers.
I am going to try it very slowly with a big common pleco I have, they seem to be pretty tough. I know it might shorten the pleco's life a bit, but there is nothing I can put in that tank to control the algae and it's annoying.
It's sort of going to be an experiment that someone told be they have seen it done before.
I'll start with fresh water and slowly add salt, just a little at a time. I'll keep a close eye of him and if I see him start to do bad I'll do a partial water change and go slower. I don't know if it will work, but I'm out of ideas on how to keep the algae down in the puffer tank.

Well i must point out that the puffer will attack the pleco, and cause some very real damage, itd probably go for the fins and eyes first, then just move on!

Also it can take huge chunks of flesh out of the pleco, think about it these puffers can bite through a snail, crab or shrimp, a plecos skin wont cause a problem!

Also i do find it a tad disheartening that you still persist in doing this even though you know your going to shorten its life or even possibly kill the fish, when as a responsible keeper you should be prepared to keep it for its 15-30 year life span!

If the algaes annoying move it out of the direct sun, reduce the amount your feeding, or simply clean it off with a scraper? i certainly wouldnt object to doing that once a week , and in fairness you should of known that you would of had to do that if you read up on it

Im not ranting btw, im just setting it out the way it is, so if im blunt, shoot me the truth is blunt in this instance

I don't take offense to your info at all,but also couldn't even imagine keeping a common pleco for 15 years either. They get so big I would have to have a 200 gal tank to keep it that long. If I mention dumping him in a lake or pond everyone criticizes that too. What do you do with a pleco that is getting to big for anything.
I understand keeping the exotic ones, but this is just a plain old common one. He's about 7 inches long already and growing. I already have another one that big in my 55 gal tank, so putting him in there will be quite messy.
My F8's don't even mess with each other, and I would assume, since I've had them a year now they are full grown. They are well fed in fact. too fat, see the pictures underneath.
A lot of pple put a bit of salt in all their tanks, which is suppose to be healthy for fish, don't do it myself, but I know a lot who do. If i start him with just a tad bit of salt then increase it very slowly(for months) and watch him, it could possibly work. If he starts looking bad I can give it up. Same with putting him in the puffer tank, if I notice the puffer's start picking on him, I can take him out and get him back to another situation.
BTW, the tank is not in a real lighted place and only keep the light on about 8 hours. If it were scrapping once a week, that would be ok, but it's an almost daily or every other day thing. I can only use the magnet scrapper on the tank because puffers will jump out of the tank if you take the cover completely off. I can't put any decor in the tank because it gets covered in algae with in days. I clean the tank regularly, have tried those algae control products, nothing works. I love my puffers, but it's so annoying to have algae all the time. Also the picture I'm posting was taken today, 2 days after i did a real good cleaning of the tank, notice the algae on the glass.
Picture was too big to attach, but you can see it here http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m18/pet...=Picture020.jpg

:no: Ok, so tell me, if you have to take him out of the puffers aquarium because of them being too aggressive (which I'm almost positive of) then you'll have to work months for him to get back to 100% condition, and what if the Puffers do more damage than is repairable?

I'm just wondering how you could say this. I mean, If you know that you'll not have enough room for a fish why buy it? AND, why toss it's life away. I agree with oddball 100% on every thing she has said in this topic.


If you feel like you don't want a fish any more, just ask if you can donate it back to a local fish store. I'm sure they'd love a 7" pelco. even if it is just a "common pelco"

People don't like you dumping fish in a local river/lake/pond because it could become possibly dangerous to native fish.

oh, and puffers, believe are supposed to be in an aquarium with like fish.


I don't mean to be rude or anything but, come on. if some thing you are going to do knowingly, is going to harm one of your fish, why do it? please just tell me that.

Okay, so you dont have enough space for a common pleco so in your mind its alright to risk its life because, hey, after your not gonna keep it forever!

So, i interject, why didnt you research your algae eaters and buy something like say, a bristlenose or bulldog pleco, that get to 6 inch tops and can be bought for about £4-10 dependant on size?

your friends add salt, thats their choice, and i garuntee its not as much as a full brackish set up!

you say you can reverse the damage by reducing the salt? what if you only notice the damage when its too late?

also you may be over feeding your puffers, they are very very messy feeders and leave scraps everywhere, this encourages algal growth, so does a high nitrate level, have you checked the water parameters?

Firstly, I bought him several years ago, when I was starting out in fish, and didn't know as much as I know now. Now that I know how big common pleco's get, I NEVER buy those anymore. I only buy ones that top out at about 5 inches or so. Mostly, just rubber lips.
As for giving it to a FS, yeah, I could do that, but only one store will take him, and they've lot tons of big plecos pple bring back, and it would not have a better life there, I know.
I gave them a convict once and saw him dump it in with a bunch of Pacu's, next time I went there, he was gone, I would like to think it was sold but I really doubt it. I'm assuming those Pacu's tore him up.
Right now he is living in a 20 gal tank by himself, because I took everyone else out, even if not doing the salt thing, how long do you think he's gonna last in that tank and do you he's gonna be happy?
My room mate won't take him and keep him in her 40 gal, because she says he makes too much of a mess in there. He was getting torn up in my 55 by the cichlids. Heck, she told me if I don't take it back she was gonna throw it in the yard to die. I'm not that cruel, so I took him back.
I do wonder about ya'll in this group, I'm not talking about a pet dog or cat, or child, it's a fish!!!! Not even some sort of rare or expensive one at that. All of ya'll have probably eaten fish or crabs or lobster's. People on farms raise and eat their cows and pigs. Do ya'll cry and morn your fish when they die? They barely have a brain. You are acting like I'm torturing my dog or something.
This group is a bit to sensitive about their fish, sorry to stir everyone up.
I'll make sure not to post here again, so ya'll can stay calmer.

lol, you must understand, It isn't about being mean, i wasn't trying to make any one mad, it's just...well, why do some thing if you know it's going to hurt it?

you are right, it isn't a dog, cat, or a pet that may, to you seem not very smart. however, it isn't our problem that you are being potentially hazardous to a pet. If it were up to it, i;m sure it'd rather stay in a 20g, rather that in a brackish aquarium, where it will get hurt or killed.

But, since you said that, "it isn't a cat or dog, or even a child" I take that to mean, "They can keep track of them selves because they are smarter" how irispoceable...I'm sorry that you don't want to post here any more, I tried my hardest to provide honest information.


and i happen to love Fish[to eat] but i would never think to eat one of my pets. :) i hope you have a good time asking other sites this question, and I assure you, you'll get the same reception.

:thanks: :sook: :dunno: :arab: :banghead: :drunk: :o :( :unsure:

Well... now that we've got that straightened out :cuss: :bitchslap: :pft:

Some people :)

Anybody tell him that they have pet cats and dogs in china and they eat them over there?

and why ask someones opinion if you dont like what you hear?

just an after thought, pacus are vegetarian

:laugh: I agree some people. I may have been a little hot headed, however it usually only happens a few times a year :P

good info guys, all we can do is offer our opinions and advice. if the recipient doesn't choose to follow it that's their choice.:)