# how long can a pleco go without algae?



## Mari (Jan 24, 2005)

I am posting this one because I unfortunately lost my pleco, and I am trying to figure out what might have caused it. I recently upgraded my tank to a larger one...I cycled for a little over a week and also put some live plants in as well as some of the plants that were in my old tank and just a little bit of gravel in from the old tank as well to establish some bacteria. however, the only algae in there when I put the fish in was the algae that was on the plants that were in the old tank. I thought this might have been enough for the little bristlenose pleco i had, and I figured in another week there would be enough algae in there for him to eat. about 2 or 3 days after they were put in the tank, I tossed in an algae tablet that was supposedly specially formulated for plecos so he would have something to eat. However, I never saw him touch it. 

the only other problem that I had with the poor little guy, was that his hiding place in his old tank (it was one of those cool rock things) broke when I accidentally dropped it as I was fixing the tanks, and he had no actual hiding place, though I made sure he could hide from view during the day behind some plants in the tank: made it so the other fish couldn't see or get at him.
on day 5 of him being in the tank without a hiding spot (I was not able to go beforehand) I went and got a hiding spot, which I figured he would go in as soon as I put it in the tank. He didn't however, and the next morning I wake up and he is dead. there were no wounds, no fin marks or anything of the sort to indicate that the other fish had bugged him, and I am afraid it was entirely my fault he didn't make it, because I put him into a brand new tank like that.

Wow, I have rambled on a lot...sorry about that 
I am sad though, he was my favorite little guy.


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## flamingo (Nov 5, 2005)

Ok, sorry didn't read a lot of it but i'll answer the ? in the topic sentence.

In my experience I have hadd all plecos and plecoy things survive in a tank without algae, most I didn't even offer them algae tabs.

But I really think that they should have some algae tablets, especially like ottos, at least once in a while.


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## garfieldnfish (Jan 18, 2005)

One week is not enough to completely cycle a tank even if you seeded it. How many fish did you move into the new tank and how large is the tank?
Well fed fish can live up to 7 days without any food. So it does not sound like starvation to me. Did he eat algae wafers in the old tank?


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## flamingo (Nov 5, 2005)

I would have to disagree, most healthy well fed fish can go for weeks without food.

Sorry If I answered the question wrong up above lol.


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## Mari (Jan 24, 2005)

nope he never did eat the algae wafers in the old tank, but that's because there was usually algae in the tank and I only put them in there cause the tiger barbs liked them. The other fish were perfectly fine in the new tank and are still doing ok. The tigers didn't get at the wafer either because I made sure they were fed prior to me putting the wafer in. 

flamingonhot: you did answer the question I had, not a problem
and I did ramble a lot  sorry

what could have happened? could he have gotten stressed out?


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## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

garfieldnfish said:


> One week is not enough to completely cycle a tank
> 
> This may be your answer. Have you tested for ammonia?


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## wildtiger (Jun 8, 2005)

Yes the stress from the move as well as not having his favorite hiding place could have been a problem. However, as was previously stated, we don't have enough info on the new tank. How many fish did you add, what size is the tank, did you use your filter media from the old tank? 

A little bit of gravel would have a little bit of bacteria on it, as would the other items that you transfered from the old tank into the new, although without the seeded media you may have a least a small cycle going on.

Do you have any test kits? Did you test your tank before adding the fish?


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## lochness (Jan 10, 2006)

garfieldnfish said:


> One week is not enough to completely cycle a tank even if you seeded it. How many fish did you move into the new tank and how large is the tank?
> Well fed fish can live up to 7 days without any food. So it does not sound like starvation to me. Did he eat algae wafers in the old tank?



most likely what gar said


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## micstarz (Oct 22, 2005)

yep I think it is a differ in water chemistry that killed him/her


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