How long will I be able to keep my Plecostomus in my 10 gallon tank?

10 gallon is to small for BOTH of those fish. Calico common goldfish needs 75 gallons minimum. Fancy needs 30 minimum. You got a common pleco. Walmart does not sell anything else. They get 2 feet and also need 75 gallons minimum.

You also did not cycle. Have fun with the fish getting ammonia poising and having burning gills. You should take back everything asap. You will not be able to keep them either way. In a 10 gallon they will both stunt. Stunting is where the fish does not have enough room to grow, and the organs out grow the body. It is a very painful way to die.

If you have the receipt, take them back. If you do not, then donate to Petco. I don't know if you can, but you really need to get them out of that 10 gallon. On top of that, pleco's are tropical and goldies are coldwater.

Thank you for doing your research before buying.

10 gallons is TOO SMALL for any of these two. Common plecos and common Calico goldfish need 75 gallons minimum. Fancy Calico goldfish need 30 gallons minimum. You have a common pleco, they grow to be over 2" long meaning they will outgrow your tank. Donate your pleco to a pet store or to the zoo or get a 75 gallon fish tank. If your goldfish if a fancy get a 30 gallon tank. Remember, common plecos do NOT do a good job cleaning the tank, instead they will get the tank messier. The common pleco also sucks the slime coat off the goldfish an it will kill the goldfish.

What species is he? A common pleco will need a 75 gallon within a few months. A bristlenose will also need to be moved in a few months, preferrably sooner, to a 20-30 gallon.

The goldfish will also outgrow your tank, needing a 20 gallon if he is a fancy and 55+ is he is a shubunkin. Calico is a colouration rather than a species.

If the petshop tries to sell you any other fish as suitable to live with goldfish, please ignore them. Plecos are tropical - all catfish are. The only good tankmates for goldfish are other goldfish.

Good luck with the rehoming! :)

How longs a piece of string.

There is no sure answer as plecos and goldfish are so hardy that with good care they can "Survive" for years in poor conditions. I rescued a Sailfin pleco that have lived in a 15gal for 3 years!!! Sure the tank was well cared for, but the poor fish should have been a foot long, not 6"... It's a foot long now, 7 years later, but it should be about 18" by now, so it's somewhat stunted.

Anyway the other posters a correct. 10gal tanks are for SMALL fish. White Cloud or Rosy Red Minnows if it's cold water. Guppies, platies, small tetras if you have a heater. Not some monster fish that should be a foot long in a couple of years.

Ian

It depends what type of pleco it is some such as the common pleco can get to 30cm and Smaller species such as the bristlenose can get to 12cm but either way a 10 gallon is way to small I would say at least a 20 gallon for a 12cm pleco. If your pleco is about 5cm or less a 10 gallon should be ok but you will have to move him once he gets bigger.