Sailfin Pleco Poo question?

[Dave001]

Hey everyone,

First off, a bit of background info. I've got a 125g planted community tank, with the following young inhabitants:

8x Discus (3 inch)
1x Black Ghost Knifefish (2 inch)
10x Cardinal Tetras (1 inch)
10x Glowlight Tetras (1.5 inch)
10x Black Neon Tetra (1.5 inch)
2x Clown Loach (2.5 inch)
6x Kuhli Loach (2 inch)
1x Sailfin Pleco (5 inch)
1x Bristle Nose Catfish (1.75 inch)
10x Shrimp

I do understand the tank will be overcrowded when the fish mature, but I plan on moving fish to other tanks as required.

I run a wet/dry filter (20g), Amonia/Nitrites stay at 0, Nitrates hover around the 15 ppm with 50% every second day water changes, fish are extremely healthy, beautiful colours in all. The fish get fed a varied diet of , Beefheart, Tetra ColorBits, Flake food, live Brine Shrimp (hatched my self), live Guppies (bred my self) Algea wafers, Zuchini, Green Peas.

Now onto my question. The Sailfin Pleco poo's a lot, and I mean a lot, I took the picture below this morning, I done a gravel vac, 50% water change last night, there was no poo in the tank then. To give you an idea of how much poo that is, the hollow log you can see on the left, is about a foot round.
Is this normal? When I researched the fish, people mentioned them poo'ing a lot, but I figured with water changes every two days, I'd have no problems keeping on top of it.
It can't be healthy for the other fish to have so much poo in the tank can it?

Any replies would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Dave

[kalebjarrod]

as long as your nitrates stay at 0 i see no problem with it other than asthetics

just keep up the W/C and you'll be right as rain :wink:

[dreamer]

pleco = poo machine

[goldenpigeon]

that is perfectly normal. i have 2 of them that are about 20cm and ther is always pooies everywhere.

[Dave001]

Thanks for the replies, they're much appreciated.

Dave

[Ben]

Believe it or not it is a great sign your pleco is eating well!

food+pleco= lots of pleco poo!

[Merrilyn]

Your pleco and your bristlenose catfish both eat a mainly vegetarian diet. Lots of vegetables = lots of fibre = lots of poos.

Bet you don't have an algae problem :lol:

[Dave001]

Just some follow up info for any one that's interested.

My Pleco poo problem seems to have sorted itself out.
The Pleco has started really chowing down on the zuchini, him and the Bristle Nose are now going through a quarter of a medium sized zuchini each night, where before, they'd only eat around a tenth of that in a night. Poo production has slowed considerably, I'm only having to clean the gravel every second or third water change.

Thanks again for all the replies,

Dave