# needing a safe pleco



## default (May 28, 2011)

hey, i've considering getting a decent show pleco for a planted tank, but something that dosent require a huge amount of extra work but also not destroy everything in there. anybody have any suggestions? or does that even exist? lol
i have otos, but everything i decide to get more from bigals, they have a short life spread out over a couple days.. i've had them before but bigals just dosent seem to be working out for any otos -.- so im gonna past on them now.
was also considering farlowellas. but doubt i'd ever see them at all in my tank. (pretty much half the tank is driftwood)
also wanting to avoid bushynose at the moment.

any suggestions would be much appreciated. cheers!


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## Jackson (Jan 30, 2009)

default said:


> hey, i've considering getting a decent show pleco for a planted tank, but something that dosent require a huge amount of extra work but also not destroy everything in there. anybody have any suggestions? or does that even exist? lol
> i have otos, but everything i decide to get more from bigals, they have a short life spread out over a couple days.. i've had them before but bigals just dosent seem to be working out for any otos -.- so im gonna past on them now.
> was also considering farlowellas. but doubt i'd ever see them at all in my tank. (pretty much half the tank is driftwood)
> also wanting to avoid bushynose at the moment.
> ...


What size is the tank and what else lives in there?


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

with the wood in there, you will rarely see the pleco also.


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## vrb th hrb (Feb 20, 2010)

yeah as the two plecos pros above me have said, it depends on the size of your tank, and your willingness to never see them lol. a happy pleco is a hiding pleco, I usually only see my guys at night when its feeding time, with the exception of my adonis, and unless you have alot of space you dont want one of them.

my L14 can be social at times, my L273 as well.


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## default (May 28, 2011)

the tanks a 45 gallon. i wouldnt mind having a nice show pleco even if he is invisible most of the time lol. the inhabitants at the moment, are large cardinals/neon and other tetras, mixture of rasboras, apisto. cacatoide, rams, otos, and very large amano shrimps and fan shrimps, rainbowfish as well. i know most carnivorous plecos wont probably go too well. but anything nice looking that would also chow on algae would be great.


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

The major genera of plecos you can easily find are:

Ancistrus: many stay small, eat some algea (not really when they grow up), and many come in black background with white/brown spots. (im not talking about the common BN, but instead things like the brilliant BN, starlight and white seam). Generally they are omnivores with a preference for vegetation.

Hypancistrus: IMO the most attractively patterned in the pleco word. Stays small, have both spotted and striped patterning. Since you dont want carnis, this would not work.

Peckoltia: another popular group, with their star being the Peckoltia compta (L134). They are small, active (still hides), and omnivorous. Most will have a yellow background with black striping.

Baryancistrus: Ominvores again, and most will get large (9"+). So the problem with them is that they will redecorate, though with size, comes less shyness (still not super outgoing, but better than the smaller ones). One member here you can look into the Baryancistrus version of the L200, which stays around 6".

Hemiancistrus: Most common versions are the L128 and L200. Both stay small as they are medium sized fish, and to my memory, both omnivores.

Pseudacanthicus: a def no no here, they are large fish and carnis. So they will def redecorate.

Panaque: assuming you would want to keep your driftwood, its also a no no (dispite them having L204 in their group, which is a nice small sized fish).

Scobinancitrus: again large, but attractive fish. 

Look into planetcatfish for more details.


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

Just so you know, the Bristlenose / Bushy plecos reach a size of only 5 - 6", and dont bother or attack the slime of any fish, ever in their lifetime. Some plecos may do so on slow fishes such as Fancy Goldfish when they become adult. Also, if you only have 1 male, they wont bother each other either.

Mine is a baybe and never ever showed up (except in complete darkness). I was considering returning it as it takes bioload and thus removes the maximum capacity of fish i can put (well, when it groes up anyways). I was going to get real siamese algue eater. But then, i guess it must have perceived my thoughts, cause at the same time, it decided to show up more often, even in day times in some occasion (not always), eating algue. It went from showing up in complete darkness only to showing up almost every night / evening even when i have the lights on. It is so cute, and i love its natural brown, white dotted colors, so he/she is a keeper for sure, and i am very happy to have him/her. I have enough algue, i believe, but it wont eat algue wafers, even when i leave it in a cave where my goldfish cant access it. I dont know why though.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

How about a group of tiny plecos? Menagerie has been getting in some nice different species of Otos - a small group of them (which stay under 2") might be a nice addition to a planted tank too.


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## default (May 28, 2011)

awesome thanks for the info!
i love otos, had them for along time, but recently i cant seem to find any that would live longer then 2 weeks. they always say theyve had them in stock for about 2-3 weeks, bring them home everythings alright and a few days later my amanos are chowing down on them. i have one oto from the first batch i have from about half a year ago, great looking fish, long fins nice stripes, but cant seem to find one strong like that anywhere anymore.
like my buddy bought 10 otos and lost all 10 within a matter of two days, people need to start breeding these little guys locally so we dont get weakened stocks. >.<
but hitch, does menagerie carry the giant or zebra otos? their stocks are usually more trustworthy than most other places.


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

Igor told me Otos are lazy and dont eat much algae. Never had them mylsef, but wanted to try them in a shrimp tank one day. Can tell you that the BN Pleco will for sure eat your algae, they dont stop....but they are messy and as others have mentioned, dont always show up. I am fortunate at the moment that mine isnt always hidding anymore. Another option is the real siamese alga eater, but they get to 6in size, and apparently become lazy once they grow big.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

If fed on other things often enough, all fish get lazy despite what they're 'supposed' to eat.

Menagerie's otos are the best I have ever seen. Of the batch that I had bought (zebra otos) all of the survived for at least the first 6 - 8 months. I don't want to say too much, but it'll be worth your while to visit next week


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

it also depends on what type of algae you mean. They are great for green algae grown on leaves and glass, but they wont do anything for hair, BBA etc.


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