Pleco opinion

[bunebop]

Hey everyone. I'm gonna get a pleco for my tank and I want a fairly small one, so I'm thinking about either a clown, bushy-nosed, or rubber pleco. What are your opinions? Which one should I get. It's going to be in a 10 gallon tank w/ a betta and 2 cory cats while I'm cycling my 50 gallon, but once that's ready to go they will be moved into there.

 

[lmw80]

I have a rubber-lipped pleco in my 10, I love him to death. However, if I was given the choice now for a pleco to go in a 50 gallon, I would definitely go with a bushy-nosed one. I love their look, and I think they bring something extra to the tank.

 

[bunebop]

Yeah, when I get the 50 gallon going I will problably get more than one. THis is just for now in the 10 gallon. I'm planning on trying to find a clown pleco for the 50 gallon, but I'm having troubles finding one at the moment. I might go up and get a bushy-nosed pleco today, either that or something get a rubber pleco. I haven't decided yet.

 

[Keeper]

My fiance just put in an order for a Queen Arabesque. A beautiful pleco(little pricey). Only grows to 4-5" if I remember correctly.

 

[Orca]

I have Rubber pleco in a 75 gal tank. He did a great job of wiping out a large amount of algae that had started to grow, and keeps the tank algae free all by himself, and he's less than 2 inches!

I almost never see him though.

 

[bunebop]

I ended up getting a bushy-nosed pleco. He's pretty spiffy.

 

[lmw80]

bunebop....pics? We wanna see him!

 

[bunebop]

I know. My dad has our digital camera in Shanghai and he's not coming back till next month :'( As soon as he brings it back I'll pos pics of all my tanks... but until then I have no way to do it Sorry. He's fairly big already (about 5") and he has some really unusual colors. I promise I'll get pics of my 3 tanks once he comes home!

 

[pkremer]

I just got a clown pleco for my 38 gallon tonight! Picked him up for $10. For the first few hours, I noticed him cruising around the sides and around one of my decorations. Now, though, he is hiding in the middle of my decoration and I only catch a glimpse of him every once in a great while!

After some reading, I find he is a wood eater, so I'm going to buy him a piece of driftwood, and position so hopefully he will have some "hiding" places where I might still be able to see him at least once in a while! Too bad such a great fish is so shy...

Any ideas on how to feed him? I imagine there will be some algae for him to eat, but the chinese algae eater goes to town all day every day and I don't know how much he leaves over. Also, if I drop an algae wafer, shrimp pellet, food hits bottom, etc, the swordtails and yo-yo loaches chow it down pretty quick. How can I make sure he gets an adequate amount of food? Will the driftwood sustain him if I can't make sure he eats what I put in?

Paul

 

[bunebop]

I'm considering getting a clown pleco as well once the 50 is ready. A clown pleco was what I wanted for my tank to begin with, but the store did not have any in stock when I went. But I'm sure a 50 gallon is big enough for 2 plecos.

I'd recommend putting in engouh algae wafers to make sure he gets some and taking whatever is not eaten out after 12 hours. Right now mine has just about nothing to compete w/ the algae for, so he has it all to himself. But if I get the second pleco I think that is what I will do. You can also try some live plants in there, which shoudl help the algae quite a bit, and should ensure everyone gets something.

 

[Menagerie]

I have both a Rubber Lip and a Bristle Nose in my 50 gal. Plecos will eat algae wafers, peas, zucchini, cucumber and I have heard of feeding them other green veggies.

 

[patryuji]

Not sure how aggressive the clown is but my rubber lip quickly established its territory (less than 2 months) and while the loaches always try to snag the food I put in for it, the pleco quickly batters them away and sits on top of the wafers/pellets.

 

[bunebop]

haha wow. My pleco is not aggressive at all.. for the most part he seems to try and get away from the catfish etc...

 

[powderbluetang]

id say to put in clown or bushy nosed they both look soo cool and whould love a 55

 

[pkremer]

Hrrmm... everyone here is saying that a 55 should be big enough for both of those guys. I have them both in there now in my 38. They are both so tiny right now, so I am assuming right now shouldn't be a problem.

I put a piece of real Malaysian driftwood in there for them, as I read both of them will eat the wood? I'm hoping they will both share it and won't be territorial (clown and bushy nose). I love them both! Unfortunately, the clown only reveals himself once in a while, and I just got the bushy nose yesterday. He was pretty active last night, but I haven't seen him yet today either.

I just put the driftwood in a few hours ago, so no suprise they haven't discovered it. Any ideas on what to expect from them? Should they be OK with the wood or should I make a concerted effort to feed them?

Paul

 

[bunebop]

I would say if you have other plants in there, then you shoudl be ok w/o feeding them. However, if all that is in your tank is the driftwood, you may want to consider some algae wafers every other day or every 3rd day because they may not be getting enough to eat. You may also want to consider a larger tank... depending on what else you have in there. If you just have the plecos and/or 1 or 2 other fish, you should be fine, but if you have it pretty packed it'll prolly be a problem. My bushy-nosed is already about 6-7inches (incl. tail) Hopefully he won't grow anymore, when I did my research they weren't even supposed to get that big. 8O Right now he's in my 10 gallon, but going into my 50 as soon as the freakin' fishless cycle is finished (I'm so impatient). Anyway, good luck!

 

[pkremer]

Oh no! I was wondering why I hadn't seen my bushy nose pleco since the night I put him in, and I found him 2 days after I bought him in a small corner under a decoration all white...

I scooped him out and brought him back to the LFS where I got him, and when they went to get the other one they had ordered, he was dead in their tank too, so I wonder if shipping and moving around was just too much for them? All of my tank parameters are normal (Ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 10), so I don't think it was that. He did look pretty stressed out when I put him in...on a happier note, I see my clown pleco almost every night now about 5 minutes after the lights go out!

I am curious what people's opinions are on getting another bushy nose pleco when the LFS gets their next shipment. Would two plecos be too much for a 38 gallon tank?

Also, I think I have come to my decision on what to keep in my tank and then not add any more...man, it filled up quick!

4 Green Swordtails
2 Yo-Yo Loaches
1 Chinese Algae Eater
1 Clown Pleco
1 Bushy Nose Pleco (?)
1 Blue (Three Spot) Gourami
6 Cherry Barbs

Any opinions? Thanks!
Paul

 

[jackwagon]

Yoyo loaches like to be in groups of 5 or more and aq advisor says they reach 10 on rare occasion so that's just something to keep in mind

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Since this thread is from 2004 I'm sure they know that by now.

 

[absolutangel04]

Since this thread is almost 8 years old, I have a suspicion that the situation worked itself out.

Oh, Elise is a ninja!