I've had two plecos in the past year and a half and both have died. One lived about seven months, then he died. I think he just got too cold. I bought him in the winter and put him in the indoor tank with our pond fish. He was just a little guy and terrified of the big fish (they were all over four inches). He lived through the winter and when summer came we put him outside with the fish in the pond. The pond is 100 gallons and we had six goldies in it at the time. The pleco did great all summer, he grew about six inches in just two months. When the weather started getting cooler I didn't even think about bringing him in, I thought plecos were tough (my sister has had one for years, and EVERYTHING of hers dies, shes terrible at taking care if animals), I thought if my sister could keep one alive I could do it no problem. The water in the pond was always kept clean, we would change about 60% of the water 2-3 times a weeks. I don't think the water quality was a problem and I know he got plenty to eat, the only reason I can think of is the water just got too cold for him. Does anyone else have any ideas?

About four months after that pleco died I got a new one that was really tiny, only about half an inch, I put him in with the baby's of the pond fish that the previous pleco lived with. This guy only lived about two weeks. I gave him those algea disks and I changed the water out often enough. I don't know what I did wrong there.

I'd like to get another pleco but I'm almost afraid to, I don't want to sentence one to a death, thats what I feel like I'd be doing. I absolutely love pleco but I don't want to get another one until I figure out what I've done wrong with my others. Does anyone have any ideas or hints on how I could solve my pleco problem. Right now I feel its better for the fish if I leave it at the pet store, at least until I figure out what I need to do different.

Do you have driftwood/bogwood in there?

No, do they need that? Why?
I didn't know that they would need that. What does it do for them? Forgive me if my questions sound dumb but I want to get everything right this time.

What else do plecos like??

They eat it. They tend to starve without it. It also helps them make territories.

Mine also like zuchinni, cucumber, bloodworms, shrimp, and krill.

Oh, I didn't know tht. I'll have to try it, I really want a another pleco, this time I'll take care it right.

One other thing, if its a goldie tank, then dont get common plecos. They dont work so well. Bristleosed and rubberliped plecos are the two most common compatible.

I didnt think driftwood was that important until I took mine out to put Java moss on it. My pleco is not a happy camper at the moment...poor guy.

You may want to keep a better eye on water quality too.I also noticed that when you do change out water,they're big amounts,2-3 times a week.Start testing those pond params and see what you find.You may be causing the pond to go thru mini cycles..Are you matching temps to the temps that they're in? Are you using dechlorinator?Depending on the Pleco type,some are more touchy about PH,and water reading levels.

I do match temps as best I can and my water doesn't have any chlorine so I've never used a dechorinator. I never really thought about the idea that I might be changing the water too much, I didn't even know tanks had to cyle before a couple weeks ago. The reason I changed it so often was that I had a lot of big fish in too small a space (six 4-7 inch goldies in a forty gallon tank) Since the fish are only in the tank a couple months out of the year and money is tight we haven't gotten a larger tank. I'll make sure to get some testing supplys this winter.

If I do get another pleco he won't be in with the big fish. It'll be with my babys and I don't change their water nearly that often, they are in the right size tank and I have testing supplies for them.