Plecos are a very known fish as they eat algae. For those who want to fish, farming plecos is best for them. But they don’t know “Are Plecos Hardy?”
Yes, Plecos are hardy fish because they can maintain a range of water conditions. For beginners, aquarist plecos are best for farming. Plecos fish have become very popular in a community aquarium.
If you are looking to buy a peaceful fish for a community fish tank, plecos are a very good option for you. Plecos are effective for clearing algae, decaying plants, and fish matter from the aquarium.
Let’s read the article to know more which makes plecos hardy.
Are Plecos Hardy?
Generally, Plecos are hardy fish because they are tropical freshwater fish. And They can also survive in different water condition parameters.
Plecostomus is a member of the catfish family. They are basically found in fresh and brackish water. They are very peaceful fish and can be housed in little tanks.
Peppermint Pleco is a small type of pleco. They are best for small aquariums. They are omnivores, so they can eat everything. But they mainly consume algae.
Snowball pleco is the most beautiful and peaceful pleco. They are hardy because they can adjust in any aquarium.
Liposarcus anisette is the largest pleco species. You can easily do it if you want to keep farming the largest pleco in your aquariums.
What Makes Plecos Hardy?
Plecos are hardy; they are beneficial for beginners. Now discuss the reason why plecos are hardy fish. We found four reasons that make plecos hardy. The reason is given below:
1. East to Care
Plecos don’t need so much care because they can tolerate a different range of water.
Plecos need less attention because of their ability to adapt to a variety of environmental changes.
Plecos are resilient and can easily adjust to any situation inside a tank. So if you want to do fish farming, plecos are best because you don’t need to invest so much time in their care.
2. Non-Fussy-Eaters
Plecos are those types of fish that can eat everything. Plecos are excellent in clearing algae and decaying plants and plant detritus from your tank.
So, for this reason, you can choose plecos for your fish farming.
3. Adapt to changing water conditions:
Plecos easily adapt to any condition they face. Plecos can survive a variety of water conditions.
They can also live in brackish water. Plecos can survive different water temperatures and pH levels in tanks.
4. Live in a Variety of Habitats
Plecos are hardy; they can live in different conditions.
Plecos live in different ecosystems and environments, including rivers, streams, creeks, and estuaries. They also can adjust in a different tank setup.
However, if you want to increase the longevity of your plecos, you must ensure that the water level and pH scale are stable.
9 Common Factors That Affect Plecos’ Health Conditions:
Plecos are hardy, but their longevity is. It would help if you took care of them. Nine factors that affect plecos health conditions are given below:
1. Inadequate Tank Size
A small tank creates many problems for plecos. Plecos grow largely.
So tank size must be 100 gallons because it can accommodate large-sized adult plecos.
Plecos need space for their swimming and moving and hiding sports inside the tank. So it is the essential factor for plecos to grow large.
2. Stress
Plecos’ health is also affected by stress.
When you find plecos any signs of aggression, such as biting, fin nipping, or chasing other fish, it must be suffering from stress.
There are many factors behind plecos stress. These are overcrowding, poor water conditions, low oxygen levels, high ammonia levels, bullying by other fish, and sudden or drastic changes in water conditions.
3. Inappropriate Water Parameters
However, plecos can survive different water conditions. But for their life longevity, we need to have stable water temperature and pH levels.
The perfect water temperature range for plecos is 73°F to 82°F (23°C to 28°C), and the pH level is 7.0 to 8.0 for them to thrive.
4. Poor Water Quality
Plecos are also known as “Janitor fish,” for cleaning algae inside the tank. Most aquarists think that plecos can maintain stable water conditions.
But large plecos create a lot of waste, affecting water and changing water conditions.
Poor water condition also creates a lot of diseases, Like ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels, making the fish sick.
5. Incompatible Tankmates
Don’t keep the same fish in the tanks. Larger and more aggressive fish are dangerous for plecos.
If the feeder is faster than the plecos in the same tank, it directly affects the pleco’s food and stresses them.
Aggressive fish can easily injure plecos.
6. Overcrowding
Plecos don’t love overcrowding. When Plecos grow big or adulthood, they need lots of space.
If you kept them in a small tank, you would create stress for them. So you need a bigger tank for your plecos.
7. Overfeeding
Sometimes more feeding creates a big problem. Some aquarists love to feed but need to know overfeeding can be fatal for their fish.
Overfeeding also creates too much fish waste and leftover food in the aquarium.
8. Improperly Cycled Tank
Cycling is beneficial. It helps to create beneficial bacteria in the tank. These bacteria help to remove toxins from the water. These bacteria also help to break down ammonia.
9. Diseases and Infections
Poor water conditions and pH levels create diseases for plecos. Some of the common diseases that affect plecos are Ich, Fin Rot, dropsy, cloudy eye e.t.c
However, plecos don’t need so much care, but sometimes you need to give them appropriate water conditions and good care.
