Impulse buyer :(

Intravenous · Post by **Intravenous** » 15 Feb 2006, 12:11

Today I bought myself a 5 inch vampire pleco. He looked kind of lethargic and white blotchy (as they do when they're stressed) in the shop and I know you shouldn't buy fish because you're worried about them or feel sorry for them, but I couldn't help it

.

My tank is a 70 litre, I know this will be way too small when he's fully grown and I'm saving for a tank large enough to house him, but is my 70litre already too small for him? The guy at the shop was helpful and said he shouldnt be left in it for long, but how long is long?

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 15 Feb 2006, 12:18

I would say that you can keep the fish in there for several months - your tank is essentially big enoug for a fish that grows to aruond 6", and the vampire will grow bigger than this, but it's not a quick-growing fish.

Make sure you give it some meaty chewy food, mussles, snails or cockles for example.

--
Mats

Intravenous · Post by **Intravenous** » 15 Feb 2006, 12:22

Ok, thank you

, I really don't want to be being cruel to him by keeping him in too small a tank. I'll be prepared to upgrade the tank (hoping to get a 300 litre when I have enough money) and that should keep him happy.

pturley · Post by **pturley** » 15 Feb 2006, 16:30

Stressed out Loricariids should be kept HOT and well oxygenated. This will help keep them kicking and it gets them eating faster as well.

It is likely the fish was kept too cold in the store (pretty common occurance IMO).

Your tank temps should be at about 85F (at least) and increase the currents for the first couple weeks. After that, you'll want to keep the tank it's in at about 80F at a minimum.

Given the size of the fish, I'd suggest twice weekly water changes for a tank that size. You also didn't mention if there are any other inhabitants of this tank?

pictus_man_77 · Post by **pictus_man_77** » 15 Feb 2006, 16:40

Should all plecs be kept that hot? even Bristlenoses?

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 15 Feb 2006, 16:53

Captive bred bristlenoses are fine at lower temperatures, for sure.

Wild-caught ones will depend very much on where they came from.

I think pturley was not saying this generically, but rather referring to and closely related fish.

--
Mats

pictus_man_77 · Post by **pictus_man_77** » 15 Feb 2006, 18:37

OK, cheers

Intravenous · Post by **Intravenous** » 15 Feb 2006, 18:40

I thought plecos liked lower tempteratures, with a maximum of 80? Higher temperature doesnt go well with higher oxygen level, the lower the temperature the higher the oxygen concetration. My tank is at 82 at the moment. What is more important right now, the oxygen or the temperature?

He (I've just assmued) shares the tank with two adult guppies, two guppy fry and 11 glowlight tetra

pturley · Post by **pturley** » 15 Feb 2006, 22:00

Your tetras and guppies might possibly slowly disappear with a Leporacanthicus galaxias in the tank. These fish are carnivores.

Not neccesarily predatory regarding other small fish, but one thing is for certain, you'll never find a corpse should one of your other fish expire.

If I were you I'd try to avoid any further impulse buys for a while.
At least until this fish is moved on to a larger tank.

racoll · Post by **racoll** » 15 Feb 2006, 22:45

I thought pl*cos liked lower tempteratures, with a maximum of 80?

Some do, some don't. It depends on what type of habitat they come from. Read some of the articles in the "Shane's World" part of this site for more info.

A lot of the exotic plecs we see in our shops are from the Southern clearwater Amazon tributaries like the Xingu, Tocatins and Tapajos. During the dry season it is quite normal for temperatures of 34C to be recorded.

It's probably unwise to to keep them at this temp at home, but it illustrates the different conditions these fish live in.