# Pleco with the soil and gravel?



## CheshireCat (Jan 6, 2010)

I plan on using 1" of top soil capped with 1" of aquarium gravel, but I also have a pleco I'd like to house in this tank. He doesn't dig in his current tank, but should I be concerned that he will disturb the substrate?

Also, the gravel I bought seems very fine. The shop had large cobble-type stones, medium "beach pebbles", and then the finer gravel which I bought. I haven't used it yet because I read that gravel should be a certain size. What is best?

~He is a hifin spotted plecostomus with an adult size of roughly 18"; I didn't buy him he was left at a pet store because no one wanted him ) : He is currently only 7" and will be moved into a 40 gallon once I have an aquascaping plan for it. I was thinking I could have a triangularly shaped aquascape so that all the plants are on the left side and then have driftwood and open space for him on the right. I would wait about a month before adding him to give the plants some time to take hold.


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## Valley (Feb 28, 2007)

What kind of pleco do you have? Some stay small and are fine, others just get too big for a home planted aquarium. A common pleco, even if it doesn't dig, will rip plants up just trying to move around. Not to mention they get too big to turn around in most tanks. A clown pleco, on the other hand, only gets a few inches long and do just fine.


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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

Gravel size shouldn't be too big an issue; many people use a mix of gravel and sand, and some just sand. When using more dense materials go with less depth to prevent anaerobic conditions. Plecos are not much a problem IME, but I have not housed one that large before either. I have a bristlenose that is close to 4 inches with no issues.


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## Jark (Feb 6, 2010)

I have a 7 inch rubber pleco. I have similar conserns as you. I want to move him to a planted tank but am afraid of him knocking things around. He won't get much bigger but he is already big enough.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Gibbys can disrupt things just with their size. At 7" they are big enough that when they put on a burst of speed they can stir up plants that are not well rooted. 
Sounds like yours is not a digger, so no worries there. 
Mostly they are rather sedentary. Giving the plants several weeks or longer to root is a good idea. 

If you can arrange a somewhat more open area, and always feed him (or her) in that area he may stay there. Of course, he might think he is safer hidden in the plants. 

Finer gravel works well. Down to almost a coarse sand size (1/8") would make a nice cap, and the finer it is the nicer it looks, IMO.


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## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

I'm concern about pleco in any tank with soil. If it's small, my concern is lesser but bear in mind that it will grow. If the plants are already well rooted (1 month old planted tank is not long enough) and the pleco is small, I think it's alright. If the pleco is huge, I will think twice about adding it into a planted tank.

I have Kribs and Kuhlii Loaches digging my soil and messing up the tanks. So, I am very careful these days.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I'd think twice about this. I have a gibby who is 7" or so. He does dig under some of my rocks to make a cave for himself. I have even supplied a "cave" that he uses on occasion. As Diana K says, he can disrupt the soil just taking off quickly. I can't imagine what might be disturbed if he were twice that length. My tank is a 125g with AquaSoil. I'd never have a pleco that would be 18" as an adult. I love plecos and have about 7 of them, all smaller variety.


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