# Plecos in a brackish tank?



## Guest (Aug 12, 2005)

I've heard that plecos will do fine in a slightly brackish tank....say 1.005-1.008. Is this true ? If so, are there varieties of plecos that would do better than others ? Thanks. 

Alden


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## cucci67 (Aug 3, 2005)

I heard plecos can not take any level of salt in their tank.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Some may adapt but its not something I recommend trying. There aren't any species of pleco that is a brackish species.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Basically yeah, a fish that has evolved to adapt to certain water conditions is not going to take lightly to water that is completely different from the water it's used to. Obviously a small amount of salt is no problem, but the more salt you add, the worse the plec will get.


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## starrfish71 (Jul 6, 2005)

In south florida hypostemus plecos are living wild(yes, and breeding) in the brackish canals. They are the common type, they get huge. I worked at a pet store down there for several years and people would frequently bring in an 18" monster they caught out of the ditch to trade for something, and one of the guys would toss it into the koi pond in the back, and I had to net a couple out dead, because they water was too fresh after the canals.
The canals down there basically are "fresh water" but get tides and flux from the ocean everyday. The water is very salty to the taste. I never checked the salinity level, but I could TASTE it.

In other words, it might be possible to do this, since the fish are doing it on their own in the wild, but, who knows how it would work out in an aquarium situation.


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## starrfish71 (Jul 6, 2005)

Just had a humorous thought- maybe you should travel to West Palm Beach and catch some out of the canals- they've been breeding there for years, so have "micro-evolved " to live in brackihs water... just a thought...


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## solar-ton (Aug 15, 2005)

try adding like 1.001 salinity a day until specified level that should be okay. i was gona make saltwater oscars by doing that with the babies but my oscars never mated cause i didnt have the right stuff


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## Lara (Sep 4, 2005)

Three words: no, no, no. Sorry (that makes four).


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