Common pleco replacement

[senorkevin]

I'm going to replace my common pleco I'm about an hour. Any ideas what I should replace it with? I don't have much room in the tank. I was thinking Cory's but I think they need to be in 4s

 

[Brookster123]

Bristlenose Pleco! They don't get much bigger than 4/5"!

 

[senorkevin]

I was thinking about that. Do you anything about plecos?

 

[senorkevin]

How can I tell the difference between plecos so I dont end up with another common pleco?

 

[senorkevin]

Does anyone know anything about atabapo plecos?

 

[DragonFish71]

Does anyone know anything about atabapo plecos?

From what I found, not big on algae eating, more of a wood and small insect eater. Needs acidic waters, gets about 5 1/2 inches, doesn't do well with other plecos.

 

[LucidSardine]

Wait... what are you gonna do with the pleco you replace?

 

[senorkevin]

Anyone know what type this is?

 

[senorkevin]

Im changing the common pleco with another one that is smaller

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Is that a hill stream loach? Hong Kong loach/plec? Looks more like one of them than a loraciidae species. They are best kept in small groups.

Better pic would help.

See gastromyzon, pseudogastromyzon, beaufortia, there are other family groups.


Atabapo plec? Which one, get the L number.


http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f29/common-plecostomus-profile-144878.html read this

 

[senorkevin]

The bloke said it was a mantaray pleco. I will post a better picture when I get home

 

[skullminerteam]

The bloke said it was a mantaray pleco. I will post a better picture when I get home

Then thats a hillstream loach because of their side fins they look like rays

 

[senorkevin]

Ok thanks. Now just need to find out what type!

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Most likely p.myersi, that's the info I've managed to gather regarding my own recently acquired shoal, although I knew they were pseudogastromyzon the day after I bought them (I phoned the store for the Latin name)

They were sold as Pseudogastromyzon sp. (hill stream loach) but further investigation reveals that P. myersi are the commonly imported ones and it is highly unlikely to be another type. However yours may be from a different family group. The place you got it from should be able to provide you with at least the family name in Latin. Then it's a much easier job to acquire an almost 100% identity of species type.

 

[Coursair]

Loaches Online is another good source of info.

If it's a Hillstream Loach they require cool water with a good current for high oxygen. They require a good diet as well. You can grow algae on smooth rocks for them, plus Rapashy gel foods, and blood worms on occasion as treats.

They may try to guard their food but are typically peaceful shy fish.

 

[senorkevin]

Ok thank you for your help. Where I buy the fish is an hour drive and more on the way back! I have been going backwards and forwards for a month. I don't really want to go back unless it is nesesary!

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Feeding.

I can't get mine to eat anything other than aufwuchs, they don't seem to eat good quality algae wafers or catfish pellets, in fact all sinking type food I have tried gets wasted.

From my brief experience with these fish if it doesn't grow in the tank they are not going to eat it. I have not tried any frozen type preparations.

Basically I'm dosing a tank full of rocks with my plant food system so that enough food grows for the fish.