Pleco for a 30g

[BLUElobster99]

Ok so i want a cool looking pleco for a 30g


Im just going to set a price cap at $40 before anyone suggests a zebra pleco or something

Btw i already have an electric blue and a mexican dwarf crayfish in the tank but both are surprisingly docile towards my common pleco (which i will sadly have to say goodbye to) ive had him for 5 years, i bought him when i was first getting into aquariums so i had no idea how big he would get

 

[SuperGourami]

The more common plecos for a 30 gallon tank are bristlenose plecos, pitbull plecos, ad clown plecos. But there are hundreds of species of plecos out there. I'm sure someone else will add to the list.

 

[armymp327]

i like this one myself, and im sure they have it cheaper somewhere else, or at a local store

Tropical Fish for Freshwater Aquariums: Gold Nugget Pleco (L-18)

 

[BLUElobster99]

Thats actually really funnt because my brother has a gold nuget in his 55g

He got it fir $40

 

[armymp327]

i like them, a colorful slightly more exotic species that does not get too big

 

[BLUElobster99]

Yeah im worried about getting something TOO small or docile because i have two crayfish in the tank

 

[armymp327]

well i would not say plecos are docile, they will defend themselves if need be. and both crayfish and plecos are nocturnal so i think it would be ok.

 

[Alyxx]

Yeah im worried about getting something TOO small or docile because i have two crayfish in the tank

I would definitely advise getting one that is close to full grown. During hurricane Issac I had to move a still young marbled crayfish into my 56 gallon as the 5 gallon my crays were in crashed and I lost all but the one I still have. At the time she was maybe two and a half inches long, maybe smaller, and she ended up killing and eating my favorite of my baby bristlenose plecos, my longfin albino. The plec was maybe an inch and a half long at the time, and very slender. She was the smallest of them. However, I got my plecos smaller than most that you will find in a fish store because I got mine from a breeder on aquabid and they were still very young. Just use caution and common sense!

 

[Cactuspixie]

I bought a 2nd hand tank with, among other things a common pleco, a gibbiceps and two blue crayfish. The crayfish weren't as big as the plecos, but they claimed every cave in the tank, and continually nipped the plecos tails and fins. The poor plecos got no peace, so the crays got rehomed.

 

[PolyptRus]

Here are some i really like.

Sunshine pleco



Blue phantom




Red fin royal pleco


Green phantom




Dragon fin pleco



Whiptail catfish




Titanicus pleco




Mosaic zebra pleco


Spotted medusa pleco



Albino longfin bristle nose



Queen arabesque pleco




I guess it turned out to be more than a few haha but they are super cool

 

[BLUElobster99]

I agree very cool indeed but what are the prices and availability of those guys ?

 

[PolyptRus]

I agree very cool indeed but what are the prices and availability of those guys ?

The phantoms, medusa, Whiptail and Albino i have seen all under 40 not sure how much the others cost you could always search it online

 

[BLUElobster99]

Would the phantom fit in a 30gal?

I also have two crayfish but they are actually rather docile and have not bothered my past plecos but would the phantom hold its ground?

 

[PolyptRus]

Would the phantom fit in a 30gal?

I also have two crayfish but they are actually rather docile and have not bothered my past plecos but would the phantom hold its ground?

Ya it would be fine might get a bit too big eventually there are some dwarf sized plecos if you would prefer a smaller one

 

[Koikeeper99]

Both the phantoms get be about 8" so no you would need at least a 55 gallon tank for them.