Clown plec - not much fun

[agnesf]

Went to fish shop to get otos as since the other 2 died a few months ago the algae has started building up. They didn't have any but somehow managed to pursuade me that a clown plec would do the job.

Also crumbled to DS pleadings. Gah! What a fool I am. Have now belatedly read up on internet that clown plecs like to eat wood not algae.

Anyway the said plec has installed himself under our piece of bogwood and appears happy to stay there forever. I have tried creeping up on him in the dark in the hope of seeing him out and about but so far (2 days on) - no action.

Have I bought the most boring fish in the world? Will he just stay therr until our lovely planted bogwood dissolve into sawdust and plec poo. Fish man told me to give him algae wafers but can't see how he'll ever find them while he's happy stuffing himself with wood.

PS After previous tales of woe with guppies and otos, we have had 4 very happy red fin tetras. Even the one who poked his own eye out seems to be quite content.

[EauRouge]

I'm the wrong person to reply to this, I think plecs are terribly dull

Bit that they sold you it as an algae eater. A lot depends on the type of algae and really the best way to get rid of algae is to scrape it yourself. If you're getting a heavy build-up then maybe check the nutrient levels- high phosphate, nitrAte and lighting can cause excess algae. Stuffing the tank full of fast-growing plants might help, floating plants can help too or you might need to get some phosphate removing stuff if it's really bad.

Your bogwood should be OK, they don't eat it that quickly.

But yeah. They don't do much. Some people get really obsessive about plecs but to me they all look the same and just sit there. I'm going to get called into fish-geek HQ now to have my badge taken off me.

[agnesf]

Algae isn't too bad but was much better when we had otos. They were lovely - sat about on leaves and adopted all kind of impossible upside down poses.

Plec is dull as ditchwater so far and doesn't even sit in a place we can admire him.

I am changing fish shops as think the bloke there is a bit useless and spends far too much time in his dark fish tank area to be good at customer service. In fact he is a bit like a human version of our own fishy Ronald McDonald.

[Marne]

Plecs are my favourite but have never heard of a clown plec only clown loaches, what does it look like?

[EauRouge]

Clown plec.

If you're a plec fan, there are many hours to be wasted looking at Planet Catfish

[Marne]

I want more plecs , I bought my male bn a lady friend but they are not interested in each other at all (one lives at one end of the tank and the other lives at the other end), have given them lots of caves and bogwood but no sign of and babies .

[agnesf]

Well Joey Grimaldi has gone back to the fish shop. I spoke to the owner and explained my disappointment with his lack of comedy antics and copious amounts of poo. Owner (who is different from fish room man) was sympathetic and happy to have him back & offered to swap him for some otos which are on order for next Tuesday. I can't wait - they are super cute and much more entertaining.

Marne if you like plecs a clown one is not to be recommded as you won't know you've got it apart from its poo. I can't understand why its called a "clown" - maybe its a mistake - it would have been better called a brown plec.

[Marne]

My male bn is a bit like that, spends most of the day hiding, my female is a lot more active and dashes around the tank.

Corys are more exciting if you like a busy fish, I had to rehome mine when I reduced my tanks down to one, I miss them .