# Pleco for decaying plant matter



## thinkrevolutionx (Feb 14, 2011)

I have one tank that is constantly shedding leaves on stem plants. This tank gets exceptionally dirty due to the plant matter. I'm curious what plecos are known to eat dying/dead plant matter? Anything herbivorous, or only certain kinds?


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## TMuller (Apr 10, 2011)

thinkrevolutionx said:


> I have one tank that is constantly shedding leaves on stem plants. This tank gets exceptionally dirty due to the plant matter. I'm curious what plecos are known to eat dying/dead plant matter? Anything herbivorous, or only certain kinds?


This sounds too good to be true, but I am also curious!


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## SlammedDC2 (Jun 4, 2011)

I'd also be interested in an answer


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## thinkrevolutionx (Feb 14, 2011)

I can kind of answer my own question, but not really.

The tank i'm referring to is a 29 gallon. I also have a 75 gallon which is *much* more densely planted, and has absolutely no detritus on the ground. (You can look at my previous threads to see pictures of the tanks)

Now, the 29 gallon is just female bettas and oto cats.

The 75 gallon has a million fish. It's a growout tank. A few diff SA cichlids, BN pleco, 2x adonis(sp) plecos, clown loaches, roseline sharks, angels

Not only is the 75 gallon pristine without any intervention from myself, but something in there also eats poop. (No poop anywhere in tank, despite heavy bioload sa/ca cichlids) I just don't know what.

So yea, it exists. I'm just not sure what.


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## garfieldnfish (Sep 25, 2010)

None


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## thinkrevolutionx (Feb 14, 2011)

garfieldnfish said:


> None


You sure ? Did you read my post above yours?


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Most herbivorous pleco's would indulge themselves on decaying plant matter but there are no fish that I am aware nof that eat poop.
Been keeping freshwater fishes for nearly forty year's and have yet to see any "poopeater's".
Nerite snails,amano shrimp,malaysian trumpet snail's,would be less likely to increase bio load in 29 gal and would do a fair job of consuming plant matter you speak of .


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## JasonG75 (Mar 1, 2011)

Trumpet Snails IMO work best.


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## TMuller (Apr 10, 2011)

Your plants are eating the feces.


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## adamprice271 (Jun 10, 2006)

I hope you have a place to go with one of your adonis plecos later. When they get 10" or so, they get SUUUUPPPPERRR territorial, especially with each other. They also get 14" or better, and will destroy that tank.

Adam


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## thinkrevolutionx (Feb 14, 2011)

Yea, with the adonis I actually plan to sell them once they grow out. They are only 1" right now.

Two things:

One, i know for a *fact* my roseline sharks eat poop. Every single time my oscar would poop (before he got his own tank) they would eat it. 100% of the time. They may be doing it to the rest of the fish in that tank. I know plants do consume poop, but not ingest it. There is never any visible poop in the tank unless I wake up at dawn and turn on light while all the fish are inactive. It's a mystery =x

I also just was watching my otos eat a dead plant leaf. 

A number of plecos , upon research are known for eating decaying plant matter, foremost of which it seems is the royal pleco.

Snails are a cool idea, i've been on the fence about them. My tank tops arent totally secure and I don't want them wandering everywhere haha


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## SlammedDC2 (Jun 4, 2011)

thinkrevolutionx said:


> Snails are a cool idea, i've been on the fence about them. My tank tops arent totally secure and I don't want them wandering everywhere haha


I've got MTS, pests that have hitch hiked on my plants and nerites. I have yet to see one break the surface let alone leave the tank.


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