# How many plecs



## Zippin (Oct 27, 2007)

I have a aquarium 24x12 15inch high ... Now would 3 plecs be good or 4 ? once i have them i am not adding any other fish for about a month or so...

Here is a link to a pic of my aquarium
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s14/reddragonuk_2007/100_0190.jpg

Thanks


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## tropism (Jul 21, 2006)

What kind of plecs? A lot of plecostomus species can get as big as 18 inches, and many aren't that great at eating algae (if that's why you're getting them).


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## tropism (Jul 21, 2006)

By the way, your plants look great! What is that small bunch of plants in the very center of the aquarium? (there's another bunch in the foreground at the left end of the tank) I'm not sure I've ever seen that plant, but it looks really neat!


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## evercl92 (Aug 14, 2006)

This certainly depends on the specie of plec you plan on getting, and why you are getting them (algae control, you just let plec's, etc).

Your tank looks nice, but you will get better growth from your plants if you un-bunch them, and separate them out.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

Actually, even with the smallest of Plec's (like the clown or bristlenose), 1 would be all I'd put in a tank that size. They add quite a load to any tank. 
If you're talking something like Oto's (even thought they're not plecs), then you could put 4 or so in there, though. 

Your tank and plants look nice and healthy, BTW.


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## Zippin (Oct 27, 2007)

Yes i was going to plecs for algae.. but as it is a new tank and i can not see any algae then i might not get them yet. 

Should i just get one plec now as the tank is 7days old and ready for a few fish to start of with OR just get a few other fish to begin with, i read that i should get a plec to start of with then a few weeks later get some more fish...

And the plant you are on about tropism tbh i not know what it is at moment !! nor did the shop  i am trying to find out myself when i have time... sorry i could not answer you question..

Thanks for the adivce and i have also moved a few plants out of the bunch on the left...

Cheers


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## Jman17H (Nov 9, 2006)

As mentioned by others, a pleco is probably not a good idea for that small of a tank. You would be much better served with oto catfish, shrimp or plant-safe snails! A common pleco should not even be considered as it will just be a plant dulldozer in the matter of a few months (not to mention it will get as big as the tank very quickly)!

Get your other fish first and in a few weeks or month (once algae actaully starts growing so they do not starve to death) get 3-5 otos, a dozen or so shrimp and or some ramshorn, blue mystery or MTS snails.


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## Zippin (Oct 27, 2007)

hmmm i thought that but then i got offered a healthy plec at half price so i took it.. i plan to upgrad to a bigger tank i would say in March 2008.

should it die with in weeks then i will be sad and have to hope it was not my aquarium as everything is at perfect conditions for fish..

Thanks


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## Cliff Mayes (Jan 29, 2007)

Just as a FYI the term Pleco which is short for Plecostomus is a particular type of catfish. I have seen many of them that are close to 24". One of the local LFS sells them cheap cause few hobbyists can deal with them. They are neat critters and are usually well behaved, by our standards, but they do get big.

Many years ago a new fish that was called a Bristle Nosed Pleco or Bushy Nose (BN) because it resembled a Pleco was introduced into the Hobby. So called common Plecos are actually a tribe and part of the same Family (Loricards) as the BN. The BN (which are a tribe too and now includes Albinos) is actually an Ancistrus which is close but different. The diet is a bit different (although it is hard to tell in a tank what is preferred as to what is usable) BN are usually thought to be Vegetarians while Plecos are thought to be Omnivores (or Detrivores) that need a piece of wood to rasp (chew) on. Confusing? Me too! You have to be a Taxonomist to really understand this stuff.

At any rate transportation and communication and the economy has changed such that the new catfish species from Central America (CA) and South America (SA) are being brought out in incredible numbers. New, unfamiliar, species of cats are given numbers until the taxonomists can mull them over, determine it is actually something new and finally give it a name , which may be changed. For example the, so called, common pleco is now a Hypostemus according to some. The tribe of ancistrus holds about fifty different fish and is thought by some to be the largest tribe. Now, there are many smaller Loricardii fish in the Hobby so your selection is greater although picking one can be a crapshoot.

So sometimes a deal isn’t a deal. A smaller species of “Pleco” can be an interesting addition to a tank while the “commons” can be a disaster waiting for a place to happen.

Looking at this it seems confusing, to say the least, but at least a partial understanding of the Pleco situation in the Hobby is useful.


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## Zippin (Oct 27, 2007)

:-s so should i get rid of the plec or keep it.. i am now lost with the info... and Cliff Mayes you speak to much sense IMO  which is good of course but not if i have to get rid of him  you mean man  . jking

damn my unknown need for a plec..


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## Cliff Mayes (Jan 29, 2007)

Depends.

Do you know what species it is? How big is it now? If you bought a big fish and only have a 20H you're in trouble. If you bought a small fish that can get big you will probably stunt it.

Good advice is do not buy anything until you are sure it fits. Either a bunch of reading or asking here is a wise choice. As always do not do anything without checking it out. Checking up front does not always work but it works more often than rolling the dice.


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## Zippin (Oct 27, 2007)

The species is a Bristle Nose (Ancistrus Pleco) and is at the moment just under 3inches this is the info i found on it :-

Origin: Brazil
Maximum Size: 4-5 inches
Care: Ideally plecos like clean water, slightly acidic soft water. 
Feeding: Plecos will eat a large variety of food, algae eating being one of their main reasons for many people to keep plecos. However even with a good supply of algae it's a good idea to feed addition food perhaps every two days and without lots of algae every day. The foods which you can use are: algae wafers, blanched cucumber/zucchini or lettuce. They will also eat standard flake and bloodworms and brineshrimp but in a community tank these rarely get a chance to hit the bottom of the tank where the plecos can eat them. 
Breeding: 
Sexing: Sexing males is easy as they will grow lots of bristles hence the name bristle nose plec, females don't have as many of these bristles. 
Comments: When buying a pleco, avoid any which have either a very swollen belly - a sign of an internal parasite or a sunken belly which means they haven't been eating, try and make sure that the one you buy has been eating in the store (most plecos are wild caught and so have not grown up in an aquarium), if you are unsure ask the fish store employee they can often help or look for remains of vegetables in the tank. Keep an eye on your pleco for the first few weeks to ensure they are eating well.


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## Cliff Mayes (Jan 29, 2007)

The ancistrus is a neat fish and should do well for you.

A lot of folk are breeding the ancistrus now and the albino form is quite popular.

I presently have about six juveniles spread around and they are a very nice fish to have. My buddy breeds them and there is no shortage of a market for them. The LFS will take as many as they can get. The prices are decent too but as with all things in this Hobby making money is not a realistic option, I only know of one guy who made money with Angels for a lot of years but he finally gave it up. I'm not saying you can't make a profit but it is not the norm.

Back to reality.

Good deal on the Bristle Nose! One should be enough (it should just aboout double in size.) Be prepared to feed some zuccini slices and other veggies (Algae Wafers are also nice) especially if it does a goood job of eating the Algae. Ancistrus live a long time even though you may not see much of it (although it is a bit more active than some of the other cats.) Nice fish, you will like it a lot.


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## Zippin (Oct 27, 2007)

Thanks for you help  i was thinking of getting another as it was not moving around much but i added 2 cory catfish and the plec seems happy now and is moving around alot some of the time anyway. 

I will give it veg sometimes and know how to prepare it etc...

Thanks for you time in replying to me


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## puttyman70 (Aug 7, 2007)

Plecos are really cool fish. This is a good forum on them

http://www.plecofanatics.com/forum/

There are so many different kinds with such amazing colors. I have a gold nugget pleco (L18) in my 29 gallon planted. He is our favorite fish. Your bristle nose should be a nice addition.


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## Zippin (Oct 27, 2007)

Ah  thanks for that website puttyman70


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

Whew, I'm glad to hear it's an ancistrus and not a common plec. 
It can work for you in the 20, especially if you plan to upgrade to a bigger tank in the spring, but you will need to stay on top of your water changes to keep the tank pristine. I would definitely not get a second one in this small a tank though.


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## Adragontattoo (Jun 3, 2007)

DO NOT BUY A PLECOSTOMUS..

The tank size is inadequate for a Pleco when it is full grown.

You should either get Otoclinus which are 2" (usually not even that big) algae eater or 1 Ancistrus sp.

I would advise AGAINST the ancistrus because if it gets spooked it can wreak havoc on a small tank (think bull in a china shop).

If you are going to buy Oto's please be sure to get more then 1 and preferably 3-4 as they are a group type fish and they dont do well solo. 

The last Pleco I had was the nastiest fish I have ever owned. He at 6" put an 18" red snakehead out of the tank.(snakehead was legal to own at the time) Plecostomus can get to 18"+ and they dont eat algae as often as you would think.


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## jaidexl (Jan 20, 2007)

I've never owned any ancistrus species, but keep in mind that many pleco species are moderately territorial, some more than others. G. scrophus and rubbernose, for instance, do not enjoy too many other bottom feeders or scavengers in their domain and will lash out in a constant display of dominance, this will be a bigger issue as the tank volume gets smaller as in your case. You should be fine with one ancistrus but I wouldn't add another, you might just be adding unnecessary stress to the tank if you do.


Adragontattoo said:


> The last Pleco I had was the nastiest fish I have ever owned. He at 6" put an 18" red snakehead out of the tank.


That's the typical pleco behavior I've experienced with a few species. Here's my bad apple...


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## moonstream (Oct 22, 2007)

the anisctsus I had was fine w/ discus, tetras, cories, rasboras, guppies, hatchetfish, and bettas, until he died a horrible death of unknown causes. he also never bothered the baby ram I had in his 29g tank for about a week. HOWEVER, the ottos I had did a much better job of keeping the tank algae free, and I dont plan to go back to plecos for algae control (my rubbernose didnt help either). also, all the fish but the discus and hatchets he lived happily w/ in a 20H. if you still see agae growth after you get him I would recommend returning him and getting a trio of ottos.


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