CB3100 CB3100
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  • Posted on: 11/11/2013 19:00
Plec Poop #1
All of my fish are now nice and happy in there new home, during the week I went to my LFS and they gave a large amount of sponge from there filter system, it seems to have cycled after only week after rehoming it!

Also I bought a new Jewel unit light and now the plants are perking up, got the new unit and 2 new T5 tubes for ?60 + A dragon goby and red tailed shark. I need to know a good value for money plant fertiliser?

Now to my main problem, Phil (The common pleco) is leaving very large stringy poo all over my sand, its a nightmare to keep clean and the filer is not able to lift and suck it up as there so big and heavy, I am using my vac to clear most of it but it takes time and effort. Is there any other way around this? If I get a load of snails eat it?

Thanks

CB
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Fishlady Fishlady
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  • Posted on: 11/11/2013 19:30
Re: Plec Poop #2
Plec poop - tell me about it No way round it but syphoning unfortunately. Snails don't eat poop.
CB3100 CB3100
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  • Posted on: 11/11/2013 20:27
Re: Plec Poop #3
#OOPS# one week in and its already annoying me!

Also I was wondering why he wasn't eating the cucumber I put in there, I don't think he's had fresh food before do you have any idea's how I can get him to eat healthy?

:)

CB
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Coralline Coralline
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  • Posted on: 11/11/2013 20:57
Re: Plec Poop #4
Try courgette instead, more nutritious and the flesh is a little less watery.
Sometimes with new food, it can be just keep trying with a fresh bit each day til it gets noticed. Once they know its there and edible they will love it.
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Violet Violet
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  • Posted on: 11/11/2013 21:03
Re: Plec Poop #5
I use one of these for removing poop from the fancy tank inbetween water changes and it can be used each day, if you need to. It filters out the poop but returns the water to the tank. Battery Driven and very useful

Don't be put off by this eye watering price on the link I've posted too - this is just so can look at the kit.

If you shop around you'll find much cheaper. Mine was about ?25 ish (new) from Ebay.

Eheim Sludge Buster:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Eheim-Quick ... _Fish&hash=item33587a81c0
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Fishlady Fishlady
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  • Posted on: 11/11/2013 21:50
Re: Plec Poop #6
Quote:

CB3100 wrote:
#OOPS# one week in and its already annoying me!

Also I was wondering why he wasn't eating the cucumber I put in there, I don't think he's had fresh food before do you have any idea's how I can get him to eat healthy?

:)

CB


As Coralline said, try courgette and give him some every day for a while (take the old piece out and replace). When I first tried Hermione on fresh food she didn't know what it was, but now she's on it as soon as it hits the water!
CB3100 CB3100
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  • Posted on: 11/11/2013 22:13
Re: Plec Poop #7
Will grab a courgette from Tesco's after work tomorrow, I was wondering if I sliced it up and froze it then defrosted as and when I needed would this work, as I think if I bought them fresh I would waste at least half?

Also that Eheim in tank filter thing looks the business! I think I may have just found something for Santa to bring ;)

Will it still work with sand as substrate?

Suey is kindly sending me some MTS snails to mix up my sand, I've read in some places these eat poop, I also heard rams horn snails do too. In fact just a quick Google search gives you half of each answer ahah!
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Fishlady Fishlady
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  • Posted on: 11/11/2013 22:34
Re: Plec Poop #8
Freezing works - that's what I do though she gets through about 1/4 of a courgette at a time these days.

Nope, they don't eat it - MTS may drag it into the substrate as they move around and other snails may break it up investigating it, but they only actually eat left over food, algae and so on. Fish poo needs removing. If it gets buried it will decay and produce masses of nitrate.

Even if the snails did eat it, all that would achieve is the plec poop being turned into snail poop. Either way poop = nitrate at the end of the day if it isn't syphoned out.
Violet Violet
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  • Posted on: 11/11/2013 22:43
Re: Plec Poop #9
Yes, the Eheim Sludge buster works with gravel (dig it in and have a good rootle around) or with sand (just swish it over the surface) as you would with any substrate hoover.

Marketing blurb states that's batteries last for approx. 4 hours, but a general tank clean up - 3-5 mins max to suck it all up - so mine lasts for ages TBH, before you need to replace batteries

You can try pre-blanched broccoli/cauliflower too as well as courgette. My Bristlenose plecs loved that too. You can freeze most veggies for when you are ready to use.
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CB3100 CB3100
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  • Posted on: 11/11/2013 22:51
Re: Plec Poop #10
Excellent will give the veggies a go, might even try some myself ;)

Thanks for all the great advice and I will be needing a poop buster or it will be a poop with a hint of sand substrate!

One last question what is the best all round liquid plant fertiliser?

CB :)
One who cannot love her smallest creations, cannot claim to stand before Nature - Takashi Amano