# plecs in planted tanks?



## martin day (Mar 2, 2006)

hello
ive read on a couple of sites that you should stay away from plecs in a planted tank is that right if it is whats the reason for it ,i would like to add a gold nugget plec but thought id ask first 
thanks


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## Scoutmaster Steve (Jan 12, 2006)

I have several bristlenose plecs in my planted tanks with no problems. My LFS convinced me others get to large and are rough, even dining on plants.


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## standoyo (Aug 25, 2005)

keep small plecs. gold nuggets are nice but 
large echinorodus may get damaged by it.

in general plecs poop a lot so they are not suitable for white sand tanks.

other thing is that they may uproot some plants that haven't taken root properly.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I've keep Common, Bristlenose & Clown plecs in planted tanks. Never had a problem with the Common or Clown plec, but did have my Bristlenose munch on a unknown plant.


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## jude_uc (Feb 7, 2006)

I have a common plec, and while he never ate any of my plants, he got to be so large, just his passing by would uproot most stem plants and my vals. He got big enough that I got him his own tank. Also, when they get big, they start getting lazy about cleaning the glass.

-Adam


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

The Gold nugget should be just fine in your planted tank. They are also omnivores, so they aren't going to look to chow on your plants if the food souce is scarce. Of course with that said, be aware that they aren't going to be the algae eaters many other Plec's are.

I've never had a problem with any sort of Plec in my planted tanks, but some of the bigger ones can be clumsy and uproot some of your plants, so I'd stay with the smaller ones.


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## Gumby (Aug 1, 2005)

I always had problems with my bristlenose destroying my larger leaved Echinodorus. And if you want to plant new foreground plants... plecos will tear them right out. I'm not a fan of them because of how clumbsy they are.


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

It depends on their dietary habits; some might like to have driftwood once in a while, while others will eat some of the more tastier plants (ie. Daonoi). Be sure to keep in mind most plecos can grow quite large and as everyone suggested are rather clumsy. After all they are ground dwellers and they aren't used to obstacles such as plants in there natural environment; even though you might seem them hanging on glass panes, in reality that behavior usually indicates they are stressed.


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## jeff63851 (Feb 23, 2005)

The pleco that I used to have in my planted aquarium was very clumsy. He kept knocking down the driftwood and uprooting the plants. Before, when it was small, it was pretty useful, he liked to eat the stuff growing on the aquarium glass.

So with common plecos, that smaller ones don't mess with your plants and rocks, but larger ones knock down driftwood and uproot plants. I guess there kind of like us boys...we were good when we were little, but when we grew up to teenagers, we were rebellious and destructive...  

Just my two cents...

-Jeff


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## RTR (Oct 28, 2005)

Pleco is such a broad brush as to be meaningless. Sailfins and the big Panaques certainly do not belong in planted tanks anymore than large SA and CA Cichlids do. If nothing else it a matter of scale. You don't put the big swords in nanos, or Jungle val. Same for the suckermouth cats - know what you are getting and you can match the fish and the tank.


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## vancat (Nov 5, 2004)

My small plecs scrape the heck (until transparent) out of any sword plant I try to put in there, even though I've got loads of driftwood. They don't bother any other plant. So I've just given up on swords in that tank.


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