Hi I’ve got a large Oscar fish and just ordered a young red spot pleco. With it being so small I’ve drilled holes through a large plastic container for water flow that will be placed in the aquarium to keep them separate till the pleco is a decent enough size to fend for itself. My question I’ve been googling and I can’t find the answer to anywhere is. Will my red spot pleco need to be in a container with the top of the container needing to be out of the water so pleco can surface and take gulp of air for buoyancy or would the container be fine sitting on the bottom of my large aquarium company submerged under water. I’d really appreciate some advice thanks environment
Advice please
- Thread starter Watery Fish
- Start date
Red Spot Plecostomus
The fish sold as a Common Pleco in fish stores is normally no bigger than 5-10 cm but this doesn't mean that it will stay like that forever. In the case of the common pleco, you should expect your fish to eventually reach a size of 30-60 cm
Plecos are nocturnal creatures that are quite passive during the day
Large adult specimens normally need at least 200 - 375 litres
It is important to cover the aquarium when keeping pleco because they are capable jumpers. In the wild, plecos can use this ability to escape to better conditions during dry periods. They can not really travel on land, but they are strong enough to wiggle their way from a shallow puddle to deeper puddle in a drying riverbed. To a certain extent, they are capable of absorbing oxygen directly from the air so they will last longer on land than many other fish. If you come home and find your pleco seemingly unconscious on the floor, you should put it back in the aquarium because it might not be dead yet.
The water temperature should be kept in the 20-28 degrees C (68-82 degrees F) range and rapid changes in water temperature should be avoided.
In addition to dry prepared foods, give your pleco some fresh fruits and vegetables. You can for instance serve cucumber, zucchini, squash and similar vegetables. Lettuce and other leafy vegetables are also highly appreciated. There is no need to boil of blanch fruits and vegetables. A practical way of feeding pleco is to get a vegetable holder for the aquarium or make one using a clothes-pin or similar, an aquarium where you keep pleco should always include driftwood since the fish needs wood to chew on. Wood is an importance source of fibre for plecos.
Here was what I was worried about if it didn’t have access to top on tank since I plan on keeping it in a plastic container till it’s large enough to defend itself and won’t be eaten by the large Oscar fish
Do not let the water go all the way up to the lid, because the pleco wants to be able to swim up to the surface and gulp air. The fish uses the air to control its buoyancy.
I’d really appreciate a answer in if it is ok to fully submerge the pleco container at bottom of aquarium with no air gap? Thanks
The fish sold as a Common Pleco in fish stores is normally no bigger than 5-10 cm but this doesn't mean that it will stay like that forever. In the case of the common pleco, you should expect your fish to eventually reach a size of 30-60 cm
Plecos are nocturnal creatures that are quite passive during the day
Large adult specimens normally need at least 200 - 375 litres
It is important to cover the aquarium when keeping pleco because they are capable jumpers. In the wild, plecos can use this ability to escape to better conditions during dry periods. They can not really travel on land, but they are strong enough to wiggle their way from a shallow puddle to deeper puddle in a drying riverbed. To a certain extent, they are capable of absorbing oxygen directly from the air so they will last longer on land than many other fish. If you come home and find your pleco seemingly unconscious on the floor, you should put it back in the aquarium because it might not be dead yet.
The water temperature should be kept in the 20-28 degrees C (68-82 degrees F) range and rapid changes in water temperature should be avoided.
In addition to dry prepared foods, give your pleco some fresh fruits and vegetables. You can for instance serve cucumber, zucchini, squash and similar vegetables. Lettuce and other leafy vegetables are also highly appreciated. There is no need to boil of blanch fruits and vegetables. A practical way of feeding pleco is to get a vegetable holder for the aquarium or make one using a clothes-pin or similar, an aquarium where you keep pleco should always include driftwood since the fish needs wood to chew on. Wood is an importance source of fibre for plecos.
Here was what I was worried about if it didn’t have access to top on tank since I plan on keeping it in a plastic container till it’s large enough to defend itself and won’t be eaten by the large Oscar fish
Do not let the water go all the way up to the lid, because the pleco wants to be able to swim up to the surface and gulp air. The fish uses the air to control its buoyancy.
I’d really appreciate a answer in if it is ok to fully submerge the pleco container at bottom of aquarium with no air gap? Thanks
Hi,
Of course, it would be better to know exactly what kind of fish it is.
If it is really a plecostomus (Hypostominae), it is the case that they generally breathe underwater. There are some that can also absorb atmospheric oxygen. They do this in emergencies, for example when there is too little oxygen in the water or when they have to migrate from one residual water hole to the next. Normally, the plecos do not have to go to the water surface.
You can place a sufficiently large box in the aquarium as protection. However, you have to make sure that it is flowed through with sufficient oxygen-rich water.
Greetings
Elko
Of course, it would be better to know exactly what kind of fish it is.
If it is really a plecostomus (Hypostominae), it is the case that they generally breathe underwater. There are some that can also absorb atmospheric oxygen. They do this in emergencies, for example when there is too little oxygen in the water or when they have to migrate from one residual water hole to the next. Normally, the plecos do not have to go to the water surface.
You can place a sufficiently large box in the aquarium as protection. However, you have to make sure that it is flowed through with sufficient oxygen-rich water.
Greetings
Elko
Hi the website lists it as a red spot plecostomus. Yes I’ve drilled about 50 large holes in every side of the container for water flow thank you for your help. It’s just for a month or two then hopefully it will be large enough not to be viewed as a meal by the large Oscar fish cheers
Hi,
on the picture of this site there is a Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps (L 165).
These plecos should get along with the box solution first. The water should also flow through the box. If in doubt, put holes also in the upward side and insert a air stone or take a pump that pumps the water into the box.
Later with these species it can happen that the fish swims on the back near the surface and eats the food from the surface.
Greetings
Elko
on the picture of this site there is a Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps (L 165).
These plecos should get along with the box solution first. The water should also flow through the box. If in doubt, put holes also in the upward side and insert a air stone or take a pump that pumps the water into the box.
Later with these species it can happen that the fish swims on the back near the surface and eats the food from the surface.
Greetings
Elko