# Plecos



## Round Head (Feb 28, 2006)

What are the best plecos for the planted tank?
I like something more active, eats algae, and stay pretty small.
Right now I have a small golden sunshine and he doesn't do much, just hidding all day. I don't think that he is even an algae eater. 
Any suggestions?

Thanks


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

Bristlenoses are probably the best canditate, but they don't stay small. In general, the smaller pleco's are usually carnivores. 

But I don't believe pleco's belong in a heavily planted tank for a number of reasons:
1) They require a sand substrate to rest on, they won't be able to do that with plants everywhere (Plecos on glass are stressed believe it or not)
2) Most are nocturnal and are only active when they are in a species tank (during the day).
3) They are clumsy and don't make good planted tankmates.

Thing you may want to consider.


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## jeff63851 (Feb 23, 2005)

Whatever type of pleco you choose, don't choose the common pleco. They don't really eat the algae...they kind of like the "processed" foods such as flakes, pellets...those stuff. They are also extremely clumsy. By clumsy I mean that they move the driftwood around, uproot plants... 

Well, it could just be my pleco...


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

jeff63851 said:


> They are also extremely clumsy. By clumsy I mean that they move the driftwood around, uproot plants...
> Well, it could just be my pleco...


No, it isn't just yours. My common Plec was about as bad as an Oscar when it came to rearranging the tank to his liking. He was a very efficient algae eater though.

As for Bristlenoses, it depends on what type you get as to how big they are. The temmincki is the biggest, and about 7" is their max size, which is still only about half the size of the common Plec. The females also stay much smaller than the males.

Some other smaller efficient algae eating Plec's are the Rubbernose and _some_ of the Peckolita's (usually referred to as Clown Pleco's). My little common Peckolita's are some of the best algae eaters in the house and they usually only reach a length of around 3".


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## Round Head (Feb 28, 2006)

Thanks guys.
So is it safe to say that an alternative to plecos would otos and siamese algae eaters?


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## jrvs23 (Apr 14, 2006)

One of the most attractive plecos I have seen is a golden nugget pleco. It is black w/ gold /yellow spots. Very nice looking and I don't believe it gets huge like the common pleco. Contrary to some people I like a pleco in my tank. I know they don't really eat algae, but I just like the prehistoric look of them. I have a shovelnose in my tank right now and it seems to have topped out at 4". The golden nugget pleco can be found on the www.sunrisetropicals.com page


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I have found that the Clown pleco is fairly active and stays small. Mine comes out during lights on and eats algae or when I feed him. On the other hand my Bristlenose stays hidden all the time and and is bigger then the clown. In my tanks the I usually keep a combo of Otto's, SAE's and a pleco.


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## raven_wilde (Nov 16, 2005)

If you do decide on getting a Clown Pleco, which definitely fits the bill for size requirements, and algae eating- some of them anyway, this trait seems to vary on a fish to fish basis, I know in previous threads APC members have compared their Clown Plecos and it seems that every fish is different- mine for instance, seldom seems to consume any algae. But the most important thing to keep in mind is that if you are going to keep these fish you need to have some driftwood in your tank, as believe it or not it is actually part of their diet, and you can actually observe them rasping away at it. Most species of pleco actually will benefit from having some driftwood present in the tank to rasp on so it is important to provide this. If for some reason you can't, you can purchase Pleco wafers from Sera that contain some amount of willow bark in them, specifically to meet this need.


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## infrared (May 1, 2005)

*Plecos for planted tanks*

I've had really good luck with my albino ancistrus bushy/bristlenose plecostomus in my 100g planted tank. They help keep leaves and everything really clean overall. I agree that they do get large - the parents of the five or so in my 100g live in my 180g with a bunch of geophagus and they're quite large. Their parents have spawned in the 180 about four times now and they continue to do so. I guess i have a sustainalbe and ample supply of small plecos for all my planted tanks!

..Peter


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## Dr.Zoidberg (Mar 31, 2006)

I'm have some otos in my 75 gal and a whiptail catfish. I hardly see the whiptail but it's a cool addition .


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