Attention Common Pleco Owners

[Fishbros]

Hey there my fellow Common Pleco pals!

My pleco is about 10 " now and loves his 125 gallon tank.  I am wondering if when you guys vacuum your tanks if you have found a vac that can actually suck up the dense poop they give out or if you end up scooping it out.  I have tried several and some will start to go up and then fall back down eventually.  I don't really have the water pressure for one to do that way. Any ideas? Links are so welcome!  

[Gwallace]

When I kept Commons I used a large gauge hose siphon off the poop directly into a bucket.  Then I would finish my water change using the Python. 

[Tanked]

Leviathan eventually grew to 16", but except for the occasional boat rope, excess manure was never a problem. Is it possible that your pleco is over fed?

As far as cleanup, the gravel vac was always adequate for breaking up the extra large portions.  

[Guppy Guy]

I don't have a common pleco, but I may be able to answer your problems. I know I saw it somewhere on youtube years ago, but I can't remember who the original creator is.

Basically, just take a small water pump (I use a second hand marineland maxi-jet 1200 I got for $5) and a small to medium siphon (the smaller it is, the more sucking pressure you will have) and connect them together with a small length of tube so the pump sucks water through the siphon. Them take some foam and shove it up the tube. Its done! Now just plug in the pump, and the pleco waste will be sucked up and trapped in the sponge, and the water will return to the tank. I don't use this often, as my fish aren't as dirty as a common, but when I do use it, it works really well.