Big C
Aquarium Advice Freak
I'd like to get a pleco to do some algae clean up... Is there any kind of pleco suitable for my 30 gal tank?
Thank you!
Thank you!
Any small plecos out there???
- Thread starter Big C
- Start date
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RogerMcAllen
Aquarium Advice Addict
There are several. My first choice would be a Dwarf Bristlenose. They stay relatively small and do a great job on algae.
Teej
Aquarium Advice Regular
You might also want to consider the Butterfly Pleco (louch). They look very cool.. sort of look like a sting rey.. and stay pretty small.. always eating the alge...
Fluff
Aquarium Advice Addict
There are lots of small plecos. Some of the more common ones are the bristlenose, rubberlipped, clown and pitbull plecos. I agree with Roger, the bristlenose would be my first choice as well.
zilla870
Aquarium Advice FINatic
clown pleco are wood-eating pleco and can get up to 4ins
Fishyfanatic
Aquarium Advice Addict
I just bought a clown Pleco tonight so I don't know how well of a job they do on tanks. But, I have a little Rubbermouth pleco that keeps a 29 gal tank clean of algae. He does one heck of a job and stays small.
SteveM
Aquarium Advice Activist
I'll second the recommendations for bristlenose and rubberlip plecos - I've had both and they did a great job on most forms of algae.
Not technically a pleco, but you might also consider otocinclus - they are very small (2" max) but eat lots of algae.
Not technically a pleco, but you might also consider otocinclus - they are very small (2" max) but eat lots of algae.
G
Guest
Guest
Queen Arabesc... (I don't know how it spell it) Plecos look amazing and only grow to about 4". Thats what I will get if my Royal every outgrows my 55g.
Big C
Aquarium Advice Freak
Thank you, guys! I'm going pleco shopping now!
G
Guest
Guest
Big C said:
What are you going to get? I wish LFS carried a better selections of plecos, if I ran one I wouldn't even carry common plecos, I would have 3-4 of the best looking smaller plecos and 1-2 of the better looking larger plecos.
pitt420dude
Aquarium Advice Addict
do clown plecos eat algea in addition to wood?
Fluff
Aquarium Advice Addict
From what I understand, they do eat some algae but wood is the main food source. Here is what planetcatfish says about them....
Husbandry
Feeding A wood-eating fish, the tank should be decorated with several different types of driftwood. These fish really like to have something to chew on and squash, cucumber, and other vegetables should be readily available to them (yams are a favourite). Supplement two to three times weekly with frozen foods.
Compatibility A peaceful fish well suited to the community tank provided it has driftwood. The tank must have good mechanical filtration as these fish produce lots of waste from their steady diet of wood.
HTH
Husbandry
Feeding A wood-eating fish, the tank should be decorated with several different types of driftwood. These fish really like to have something to chew on and squash, cucumber, and other vegetables should be readily available to them (yams are a favourite). Supplement two to three times weekly with frozen foods.
Compatibility A peaceful fish well suited to the community tank provided it has driftwood. The tank must have good mechanical filtration as these fish produce lots of waste from their steady diet of wood.
HTH
G
Guest
Guest
Fluff, I just realized you have 13 tanks! How do you stay on top of all that?!?
Fluff
Aquarium Advice Addict
My husband helps me some and I work on at least two tanks a day. It's so routine, it's not so bad. 
G
Guest
Guest
Good for you, thats really something.
On another point, Royal plecos are supposed to eat wood also too, aren't they? I don't have any wood in my tank but my royal seems to be doing fine, is it going to be a problem?
On another point, Royal plecos are supposed to eat wood also too, aren't they? I don't have any wood in my tank but my royal seems to be doing fine, is it going to be a problem?
Fishyfanatic
Aquarium Advice Addict
I read on another site that Clowns eat Algae, and the guy at the lfs told me the same thing. Ugh. Do I have to have a piece of driftwood in the tank for my clown? Its going in the 150 and I'm trying to up the pH for the Africans. Will adding a piece of driftwood (preferably a small piece) effect the pH too much?
pitt420dude
Aquarium Advice Addict
No fishy fanatic, a small piece of driftwood in a tank that size will not affect the ph at all (especially if you prep it extra well.) If it does it will only affect it a tiny bit.
Fluff
Aquarium Advice Addict
I don't know about the ph but I would definitely have wood available for him, even if it's a tiny piece. Mine never leave the wood.
Tony, all plecos appreciate wood. I keep wood in all my tanks just for them but, my sister has an 10" pleco that she's had for 3yrs in a tank with no wood so, I don't know. The only thing I'm certain of is that everything I've ever read on clowns is that wood is their main food source.
Tony, all plecos appreciate wood. I keep wood in all my tanks just for them but, my sister has an 10" pleco that she's had for 3yrs in a tank with no wood so, I don't know. The only thing I'm certain of is that everything I've ever read on clowns is that wood is their main food source.
megladonsharky
Aquarium Advice Freak
my pitbull cleans everything... and so darn cute
G
Guest
Guest
Fluff said:
I have a huge fake wood structure that my pleco constantly lives in, but obviously hes not eating it. I read on planetcatfish that they are not sure if Royals will eat wood, so I think he will be okay. He has been so far at least. I'll put a pick of the wood because it sounds really stupid looking but actually looks really cool.
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