Habitat - Indoor :: Adding a Sucker fish

[the*ovenman]

My turtle is about 2 inches and algae has started growing in a few areas of his tank. Would it be ok to add a fish? I use the Zoomed Repti safe water conditioner and another product called Turtle clean, its supposed to help break down trhe biological waste. Would those two things kill a fish or do you guys think one would be ok and also if I get one what kind of fish di I get? I seem to read about Pleco's allot? Are they ok?

[sonyj]

You have to remember that any type of fish you put in with your turtle may eventually become lunch. I do have a pleco in with my turtle. They've been together almost a year now with no problems but that could change on a whim, just so you know it's possible to have to clean up a half eaten pleco at any given moment.

Be sure to keep your turtle's shell clean of the algae by using a toothbrush or soft cloth to gently clean him at each tank cleaning (at least). The algae itself won't hurt him, but it may hide any shell problems that develop that you need to be aware of.

[kneecole]

I think with Plecos you either get lucky or you don't. I have one in with my TWO turtles and it's been in there for 8 months or so now. But I could have just gotten really lucky and have big scardy cats for turtles. lol The Pleco leaves the turtles alone and the turtles do the same.

But I'd say it's worth the gamble to give it a try <b>once</b>. That is if you don't let yourself become attatched to the Pleco and are willing to clean up the mess, if it should become lunch.

Good luck.

[ninja_turtle]

it is definitely a gamble. i had the algae fish in my tank for about 2 months; both ninja and the pleco didnt bother each other. then, i came home from work last week and saw my pleco missing. i didnt see any remains of my pleco...

anyway, i still want a cleaner in my tank, so this week, i bought a water snail. it just stuck itself on the walls or floor of the tank. ninja sniffed at it, tried to roll it around but then gave up and left it alone. i also put a bunch of feeder fish in the tank yesterday. i hope ninja doesnt go after the snail.

i think the feeder fish keeps ninja occupied but in general, i think having feeder fish in the tank keeps the turtle's mind off of the pleco (now that ninja likes chasing after the feeder fish). before my pleco was gone, i only had one feeder fish w/ the pleco inside the tank. i think ninja mistakened the pleco as food. oh well...

[sonyj]

Actually, the snail will add to the waste load quite a bit not help clean it up. The only thing that I've seen mine help with is the bits of lettuce that float around the top of the tank. And I used to have two... but now there's only one. And I've already seen Koopa trying to get at the one that's left several times but he hasn't been successful yet.

[ninja_turtle]

sonyj, what do you mean "bits of lettuce that float around..."? the snail eats that? or the pleco? you have two of what? sorry, i didnt quite understand. thanks.

does the snail really add the waste load?? oh you know, i cant believe i could return my snail and get a refund at petsmart, given i have only 2 weeks from the purchase date. i'm just surprised...so it tells me that someone can return a sick animal and the store can resell it (i hope they dont do that). unlike chinatown, once you buy something, you cant return it for a refund.

[missibsu]

I believe Sonja meant that she had two snails, and now only has one. That it is the snails that eat the bits of lettuce that float around. That was my understanding.

I used to have a large apple snail, and I breed small cornucopia snails...the waste from them is awful...

[ninja_turtle]

oh okay...my brain isnt working today.

[sonyj]

Yes that's what I meant... two snails but only one now due to Koopa attacking it. And I do have a pleco that he's left alone for over a year. But it wasn't until I got the snails that the bits of lettuce (Koopa is a messy eater) started disappearing overnight. So I figured it was the snails eating them.

[TurtleBot]

Just make sure your Pleco has some size against your turtle. Mine all get a long fine. But I have a Pleco that is 8 inches long and one that is 4 in my tank with my turts.