Pleco fish issues

Question
I have 2 tanks; 1-3 gallon tank with 1 male betta and 7 female bettas, and 1 10 gallon tank with the smaller size tetras (neon, cardinal, glo-lite, black, and x-ray).  I purchased 2 pleco fish, on separate occasions (1st from Pet Smart, that went into the 3 gallon tank, and the 2nd from Wal-mart for the 10 gallon tank... he's tiny!)

Anyway, my 3 gallon tank looks GREAT!  I have no trouble with anything in it, and it stays pretty clear.  This is the second pleco I have added to this tank, and they both have ended up dead.  (Found the last one dead last night.)

When I set up my 10 gallon tank, my purpose was to move my bettas over, but the tank got really cloudy (didn't know about the bacterial cycle until I read up on it via the internet).  I did not want to move them with that happening; plus, they were quite happy where they were.  (You know the old saying; if it ain't broke, don't fix it!)  So, the bettas are still in the 3 gallon, and I tried to find something else I would be interested in for the 10 gallon, and came up with the smaller tetras.

I have added to them periodically (a few at a time) this week (started Sunday, I think!), and I have only lost 3.  (Think it was the Ph level.)  Once they were added, the water went through ANOTHER cycle of cloudy water; as of yesterday, it is now clear!

I read about the pleco chips to feed them.  So, I purchased them, but neither would touch them.  I'm worried about the little pleco in my 10 gallon tank, because I do not want to lose him, and the tank IS fairly new.  What can I do?

Again, as stated above, this is the 2nd pleco I have purchased for the betta tank; 3 gallon (they're larger than the little one in the 10 gallon tank).  I keep finding them dead behind the heater.  What can I do, or should I just NOT put an algae eater in that tank?  (It's not from lack of food, because there is plenty of waste at the bottom in the gravel, and I just found out yesterday that they make a gravel cleaner, and plan to purchase one of those this week!)

OK, I know that was long, and problem randomly jumping from tank to tank, but I was trying to type as I thought.  Basically, how can I keep my plecos from dying, and how do you lead a fish to food???  (Also, in the 3 gallon betta tank, should I just not get any algae eater, or should I get a different type?  Do you think it may be my heater which is lying sideways underneath the filter?  Again, that is where I have found both plecos dead; behind the heater.)

Thanks!

Answer
Hi Toni,

First of all, Plecos can grow up to 24", if properly kept. That's two feet! They need at LEAST a 50 gallon tank to live in! They will definitely die in anything smaller than a 20 gallon, from poor health, let alone a 3 gallon.

You have a major problem with your 3 gallon tank. Only one fish can ever live in a 3-gallon tank. A 3 gallon is tiny, and can accommodate only ONE Betta. 8 Bettas will not do well. You may be thinking, "They all look healthy, and are doing well". Wrong. They will live an extremely short life, and will die prematurely. If you want your Bettas to be healthy, please remove them from the tiny tank. I'm sure anybody you ask would say that the maximum number of fish you could have in a 1-3 gallon tank would be ONE, at MOST. It's not the heater's fault, but the Plecos are dying from high levels of toxins resulting in major overpopulation.

The rule of thumb is 1" of fish per gallon of water, at MOST. So, that means you should have only 3" of (full-grown fish size) in your 3 gallon tank. A full-grown Betta is about 3", so you could have one Betta. In your 10 gallon, you could have 10" of fish. Tetras grow only to about 2" each, so you could only have 5 or 6 Tetras in that tank. I'm rather surprised that you even managed to fit 8 Bettas in that tank.

You will need to return or give away some of your fish, if you want them to life a long life and prevent disease outbreaks and death resulting from an overpopulated tank. Or, you could get a larger tank, at least 20 gallons for all 8 Bettas.

Don't even think of keeping a Pleco or other algae eater if you don't get a larger tank. Plecos need at least 50 gallons. They eat algae, and if they are not touching your food, it's either that they are sick (in your case, from toxin buildup), or they are getting enough from the tank's algae already.

I hate to tell you this, but you will need to return the Pleco that's in your 10 gallon. It will die soon in the tank. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask me again!

Good Luck, and Happy Fishkeeping!