Question for Common Pleco Owners

[philfreenode]

How do you keep a pleco from eating holes in the liner on a bare liner pond?

 

[addy1]

pleco? like what we have in fish tanks? I think they suck more than chew. They are more of a vegetation eater, I don't recall teeth when I had some good size ones.

They like romaine lettuce and spinach (boiled)

 

[lauraleellbp]

They have bony plates and rasp, and I suppose it's possible one could chew through a really thin liner over time if it kept at the same spot, but I don't see one chewing through a good liner.

 

[koiguy1969]

i keep a pleco in my ponds and have yet to have a hole "sucked" thru my liner! hes about 17" at present,

 

[bsr8129]

Not a chance

 

[Shdwdrgn]

koiguy - you keep plecos in outdoor ponds in your zone? I thought a common pleco couldn't take temperatures less than 60's? I sure hope I'm understanding you correctly, because our pleco is getting way too large for the 120gal fish tank, it would be nice to be able to give him a bigger home!

 

[philfreenode]

Mine seems to only eat Zuchinni, he loves gnawing/rasping the skins off and then hollowing out the pieces I give him. I didn't think to give him lettuce but i think he needs some variety because all i have given him is zuchinni. I leave them in for 2 days max. He is about 5 inches long. I tried giving him yam and he didn't do much. Sometimes I see him gnawing/sucking whatever it is at the walls of my aquarium that's what makes me worried about liner, but hey if yours is 17 inch koiguy and hasn't damaged your liner im going to trust that mine wont. He's going in the pond (indoors) that I am building cause the aquarium is too small. Obviously I don't want a leak, but it sounds like this wont be a problem.

This is the liner I bought, the site says it is 40 mil https://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=5163+5181+9213&pcatid=9213 I guess keep him well fed and he'll stick to the food i put in and not whatever is growing on the liner.

 

[lauraleellbp]

I make sure to feed my herbivore fish mostly dark leafy greens like romaine and kale, and reserve white veggies like cucumbers and zucchini only as occasional treats.

The leafy greens also don't foul the water as quickly as white veggies will.

My BN plecos will eat carrots, though I've had some other plecos that wouldn't touch them.

 

[koiguy1969]

Mine is indoors now as of yesterday (friday) spent the last few days in temps of 55* and less. My basement pond stays around 60*. He travels indoors and out with my koi. Ive seen no signs of health problems with him and its been a few years now. My outdoor ponds water was 52* when he came inside.

I WILL SAY THAT I AM BY NO MEENS RECOMMENDING THIS IS AS PROPER TREATMENT OF A PLECO.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

koiguy - ah ok I gotcha. Would certainly be nice if I could provide a larger home for my pleco, but my pond does approach freezing through the Winter, and I was pretty sure they were a tropical fish.

 

[DrDave]

Please add your location to the UserCP. With this information we can better help you.

 

[philfreenode]

pleco? like what we have in fish tanks? I think they suck more than chew. They are more of a vegetation eater, I don't recall teeth when I had some good size ones.

They like romaine lettuce and spinach (boiled)

I added spinach to my tank by spearing it with a fork, he is shredding it. Thanks

 

[addy1]

You are welcome.