Tropical Fish Forums

[dodge41ca]

hi I have started a shark tank with irredesent and albino sharks I have a bristle nose pleco in it but he doesn't seem to keep up with the algae I was thinking of adding a common pleco as well will they get along
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dodge

[TolkienGeek]

How big is the tank? It must be large with those sharks. Common plecs can get huge, like two feet, so you'll need a huge tank to keep it happy.
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Never sniff a gift fish.- Patrick McManus

"Would you eat poo?" - Said the Corydoras catfish...

[bluepixie]

Also, common plecos tend to stop eating algae once they get older, so probably not the best choice for a long-term algae solution.
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"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." ~ Dr. Seuss

[dodge41ca]

the sharks are still small yet I have them in a ten gallon plan on going to a 50 in a couple months
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dodge

[bluepixie]

Mmm... with a tank that small, temporary as it is, I think you'd have a heck of a time keeping it clean/filtered with two plecos in it. Veeeery messy fish no matter what they're eating.

What kind of algae are you having problems with?
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"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." ~ Dr. Seuss

[dodge41ca]

green algae growing on the glass, my bristle nose is almost full grown but I have 2 small plecos in another tank and was wondering if the common and the bristle nose were compatable
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dodge

[bluepixie]

Just to give your bristlenose a hand, you could invest in a magnetic algae scraper. They're really useful, IMO, and make for a quick-easy cleanup. Mine is a Magfloat (http://www.magfloat.net) and it wasn't very expensive. Very worth it. I don't mean to sound like a commercial, however.

I don't know about compatability, to be honest -- I have one pleco of indeterminate species, a very messy critter, who doesn't do too much about some types of algae but seems to keep other kinds under control, but I think it's mostly incidental as he's nosing around looking for other food.
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"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." ~ Dr. Seuss

[Cinder]

I believe the Common plec and Bristlenose will do fine together but I don't have personal experience with them so someone else may be able to give personal experience.
However, as already mentioned you are going to need a much larger tank than a 50 gln. for your Common plec and Iridescent shark. Common plecs easily reach 18 inches to two feet in length (as mentioned) and Iridescent's can grow up to three feet if they aren't stunted. By keeping him in a 10 gln. he is being stunted already. They also don't like to be alone and need others of their own kind to help them keep their calm. They've been known to slam into the glass of a tank out of fear and trying to escape.
If you aren't able to upgrade very quicky to at least 120 gln. tank IMO you should return the Common plec and the Iridescent shark.
Here's a good site with info on the Iridescent:[/url]http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/pangasius.php[url][/url]
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135 gln. freshwater tank
29 gln. freshwater tank

[dodge41ca]

I am new to the fish world my girlfriend has gad them for years I have done alittle research and read these forums, the fish I have I will get a larger aqarium very soon .I have 3 snall irredesents, been thru the stress stage. came out of it with a red nose on one I call rudolff, in with them I have an alibino rainbow shark he cleans the bottom, as well and I have a coblat blue lobster I was thinking of adding the other pleco because spike doest do windows
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dodge

[brett_fishman]

yes, instead of getting more plecos in there, get a magfloat algae pad...they are better than plecos for cleaning the glass...very easy too

-brett.
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10g with aquaclear mini:
2 pearl gouramis [going to 75]
1 sunset platy
1 yoyo loach [going to 75]