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So...In one of the classic newbie blunders, I bought a pleco when I started my tank, and did so without realizing that it was a common pleco, and would eventually grow into a monster fish. It is currently about 4 inches right now, and I realize that I would rather part with it now then wait for it to gradually outgrow hiding places. My question is, would it be sufficient to add to my present cory stock (3) maybe like 3 more cories, to make it 6 cories, and no pleco? Or should I hunt around and try to find a bristlenose pleco, or one that I know wont grow as much? I have a 29 gallon tank, it is cycled, and is over a month old.

Additionally, I have a few redfinned sharks. They get along fine, and actually like each others presence, so no territorial or personality disputes. They have plenty of caves and hiding spots as well. Ive had them for a week or so, and they look and act healthy. Thing is, I really cant say Ive seen them eat. I see them scrounging for algae a lot, but have yet to see them try to eat pellets, algae wafers, flakes, veggies, etc. My question is, is this normal, or should I try some other food? All advice is appreciated!

I would recommend buying more cories. They will be happier that way.
If your sharks are into algae, then they would compete against other algae eaters, anyway.

Just keep an eye out for interactions between all the fishes. The sharks might not be terroritorial now, but you never know what can happen when you add more bottom dwellers.
In the meantime, I wouldn't worry about the food, unless you notice some emaciation.

Only having them for a week could be the problem let them settle in a bit longer. If you can add a little stress coat this might calm them down a bit. Do you have plenty of plant cover as well. Contact your LFS and ask them what they were feeding them also how long had they been in the store?

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Keith

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Fishes are as individual as you or I - even the so-called "identikit" shoaling fishes ...

There are some that are obvious feeders, fishes that snap at the surface of the water with such lightning speed that you end up checking your fingertips to make sure they're still there. Then, there are the fishes that I categorise as "stealth feeders", that you have to watch closely in order to be convinced that they are eating, even though they've not only lived in your aquarium for some time but have grown in that time too!

For example, my Cardinals are very definitely "stealth feeders". When I bought them they were tiny - just 2 cm long. Well they MUST have eaten the food I've given them, because in two weeks in the quarantine aquarium they almost doubled their size. When they were added to their eventual home, namely my infamous Panda Fun Palace, they continued growing. If they hadn't been eating, they certainly wouldn't have lasted a year!

Then, of course, some fishes are active when it's dark. In this category we not only have the truly nocturnal fishes, but the crepuscular ones - the ones that are active during twylight. It's entirely possible that your Red Finned Sharks/Rainbow Sharks (call them what you will - they're still Epalzeorhynchus frenatus regardless of what common name they've acquired!) are feeding in the dark.

Incidentally, returning to my Cardinals, to give you an idea of the kind of idiosyncraies to look out for, I've had a cave dwelling Cardinal Tetra now for the best part of 3 months. Now I happen to know why it's a cave dwelling Cardinal Tetra (and I've seen some interesting behaviour on its part to reinforce this view) but if I relate this snippet to quite a few novice fishkeepers, they'll give me some very strange looks. I've also had Otocinclus that like to rest one on top of the other, piggy back style (and no, they're NOT eating slime coat off each other, for one thing they have more than enough algae to eat, plus a host of other treats, and they ARE just resting) and the infamous instance of the Panda Corys communicating to each other when one of their number had a Bloodworm stolen from its mouth by a Beckford's Pencil Fish - the "mugging victim" in this instance appeared to have told his pals what happened, and soon afterwards, ALL my Panda Corys took to sitting on top of the Bloodworm to stop the Beckford's Pencils from stealing it!

The textbooks will, at best, give you basic insights into "typical" behaviour for a species. They won't, in the main, cover the wackiness that some fishes can exhibit seemingly for the sheer fun of it (my Panda Corys have a brace of such foibles that they seem to delight in) with very few exceptions. Braz Walker used to include some interesting anecdotes in his textbooks, and more recently Dr Paul Loiselle has a style all of his own when writing about Cichlids, but beyond that, you'll find most books just ocver the "standard" behaviour types, and will neglect to mention the very basic fact that the fishes themselves quite often haven't read the textbooks!


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

well, its good that u are doing good with the research. Getting rid of the pleco was a good idea, and the RTBS, well these get VERY territorial, so i'd probably only go with one of these. Now, if you get rid of some of these RTBSs, then you can add some more corries and some other fish u like.

a few RTBS in a 29g? yes unload what you can and stick with one. I have 3 rainbow sharks (similar to rtbs) in a 150 and have no problems, but then again my tank is much larger and more places for them to hide from each other

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Hey jmaglich

I agree with Cali...but if your main purpose of getting the Pleco was the algae....you may want to try Otocinclus. They dont grow larger than 2 inches in size & they are hardy algae eaters, but they do prefer to be in groups.