Is my 10 gallon fish tank crowded?

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Michael P

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In my classroom I have 13 neon tetras and a clown pleco. They've been in there for a few months and quite happy so far. I change 25% of the water every 2 weeks and have a filter suitable for up to 30 gallons. I barely see the pleco, should I replace him with a more visible,less wasteful algae eater?
 
A 10 gallon tank is a bit small for any pleco, even a clown pleco, which doesn't get very big. A 20 gallon would probably be better for the pleco, but with only him and 13 neon tetras and a regular water change schedule, I'd say you're doing ok. You might want to up your water changes to once a week, or even just get a turkey baster and remove the visible pleco waste more frequently. Any species of pleco becomes quite shy and nocturnal as an adult although the babies are more active by day. The fact that you're seeing a lot of waste means your pleco is still doing its job and eating lots of algae.

If it really bothers you that you never see the pleco, you could trade it in for a younger model. Other varieties of algae eaters tend to have similar problems. Many are very shy and like to hide, snails are big waste producers, and others become large and aggressive and stop eating algae as they get older. Shrimp are fun to watch and can help with algae control, but they won't eat as much as a pleco, tend to hide a lot as well and are quite fragile if you have a strong filter.
 
IF you go to a pet store they will tell you what to do.... they may just tell you that you need a stronger filter for that type of fish.
 
I would reccomend a larger tank for a pleco, they are poop machines (seriously) i love my bn pleco but he is in a 30 gall with 5 female betta so theres not an issue with waste.
 
With the strong filter and weekly water change I think you'll be alright, but it may be best to put the pleco in a bigger tank.
 
Well the 13 Neons are fine, it really is just the Pleco. Even though a clown only grows to about 3.5", it still needs around a 20 gallon tank minimum. So, what I would do is maybe get 3 Otos, or 3 Cories. Even though they also prefer a larger tank, they would probably be good in a 10 gallon. Even though I don't have any experience with Oto's, I'm pretty sure they're better cleaners then the cories, but the cories are pretty cool and have a lot of different types. I have 4 Cories in my 14 gallon, and they have been a live for about 6 months, but are soon going to be going into my 26 gallon!

Good Luck with whatever you choose
 
Plecos need a lot of space. Plecos are generally shy fish, they do most of their work at night. So I wouldn't replace him. He will get bigger though. If you really want to replace him, be sure to try to give him to someone, being dumped or flushed is not a nice alternative. For a smaller pleco, try the bristlenose. Not the prettiest thing in the world, but its small. You should still think about upgrading to a larger tank if possible.

http://www.fishpondinfo.com/bristle.htm

Other than that, you should be okay.


Here are more small fish that eat algae:

http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_algaeeaters.htm
 
yes the tank will be crowded once or if they are a couple of years old. A general rule of thumb is 1 inch fish per 1 gallon of water.

dont replace the pleco unless u have a really good home for him. it's not his fought u chose a fish without knowing there behavior. If u decide to replace the pleco, mayb u could get a snail or an otto. Both small enough to be happy in a 10 gal tank. your clown pleco will prob max out at 4in if he hasnt already. But seriously im a huge clown pleco fan. They are awesome algae eaters.
 
ask your question on this website he answers my questions with in 24 hours. :)
look on the website
http://petanswers.webs.com/

hope this helps
 
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