Pleco's

[Jefft]

Talk to me about plecos I am not interested in "Common" as they get so freaking big. I am interested in something that stays small and presents no threat to fry and perhaps that is interesting to look at. Any ideas?

 

[Tony]

http://www.planetcatfish.com/

 

[halak]

Any Hypancistrus species would fit the bill. Just be aware that when they are young, they may eat soft-leaved plants.

 

[verbal]

I think you probably would be best to start with one of the strains of common BN plecos. They get to 4" or 5", don't prey on fry and eat algae.

 

[Hawkman2000]

I like bn's and abn's, but I am also very happy with my clown pleco. You could also go with starlight or peppermint plecos.

 

[verbal]

I like bn's and abn's, but I am also very happy with my clown pleco. You could also go with starlight or peppermint plecos.

The peckolita and pangulous genera have some good options. Once acclimated they are pretty hardy.


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[jonclark96]

I am a fan of fancy plecos (currently keeping L-066 group, clown pleco group, L-029, L-075?, and and L-202?), most are not the most active residents during the day. I've got my L-066 and clowns together in a 20 gallon growing out, and out of the 8 plecos, I usually can only see one or two at a time. Same with the L-29, he's every bit of 6" but likes to stay in a makeshift cave between a piece of driftwood and some rocks. My two questionably identified plecos do come out a bit more, but are not always out in the open.

My advice is to find one that is affordable to start with and see how they work out. Remember that a lot of the pecoltia (sp?) and other smaller types are not algae eaters and will need to be fed specifically, which was a challenge for me at first keeping them in with grow out cichlids.

 

[b considine]

What Jon said. Not all loricarids are algae eaters. Do your homework before plunking down $ for some of the more exotic types. PlanetCatfish is an excellent resource.

Blaise

 

[leisure_man]

I keep and breed L66, L134, L183, L201, L260, L262, L340. Other than L183 that requires vegie diet and wood, the rest are mostly meat eaters, with L66, L134, L260 would need an occasional fresh vegie. If you like small plecos, L340 would be a good choice and they even start breeding at around 2" in size. Obviously their spawn size are much smaller than the other larger pleco.

As for tank cleaning like grazing on algae and such, your best choice is the common BN or ABN.

 

[hollyfish2000]

If you're coming to the meeting in September, I'll have a pair of M and F long-finned albino BNs that are quite lovely if I do say so myself, in the auction. I also expect to have a mustard spot pleco (not sexed) in the auctino as well. They are a very lovely pleco with long trailers. They don't do much/any algae though and need wood.

 

[festaedan]

I like bn's and abn's, but I am also very happy with my clown pleco. You could also go with starlight or peppermint plecos.

If you want a small, cool looking pleco longfin albino bristelnose are hard to beat, clowns and regular bns also do great with fry and look cool, I currently have a clown pleco in my fry tank.