T.R Bushynose Plecos question

[dragon14]

So today we were at the petstore and we saw these cute, tiny about a 1/2" long, probably baby, albino and T.R Bushynose plecos. We were talking w the fish guy about our lovely brown algae issue and we noticed the little cuties. Both kinds (different tanks), were busy doing lots of algae cleaning. We were more interested in the bushynosed ones. The fish guy said a local person breeds the plecos (both kinds, I think) and brings them in when they are big enough. He told us they only get about 2" long and don't make too much waste. We were thinking about getting 2-4 of them, and when they get big enough, moving over to a 20g tank for everyone (we want a 20g eventually anyway). A friend of mine said that sometimes fish bodies stop growing but their insides don't stop, and that's painful, and esp can happen to fish like goldfish and plecos that are often kept in tanks too small for them. We def don't want that to happen.

No right-then-and-there creature buying for us, so we went home and did a little research. According to the internet, I think live aquaria, they get up to 4" long, and should be around 2" when they're sold.??

Also, he told us Nerite snails are good little cleaners too

Thoughts? We both love algae eaters And they're cute. But... if they get too big we don't necessarily want them, or if there's something we don't know about them, we'd like to find out before we got them.

I tried to take pictures... (attached). Taken with a iPod touch 4th gen, so, not the best quality

 

[fishy14]

They can grow up to 5 inches mine is 2 1/2 now. What size is your tank now?


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[dragon14]

10g tank.

 

[Mcgolg76]

I would not get them. Will get too big and are poop machines. If you get them I would do cause you like them not for algae control. They like veggies and mine loved shrimp pellets. Maybe look at ottos for a tank your size.


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[dragon14]

We do like them . They wouldn't be primarily for algae.

Do they care about being together? We kind of want to just get one tr bushynose pleco. And when he got bigger, upgrade to a 20g.

Do they play nice w little Pygmy catfish and Amano shrimp? And guppies?

I like ottos! But it wouldn't be fair to get one or two. Our tank is almost complete I think. Id want at least 4-6 so they'd be happier. Plus I've read about the fragile state they're usually in when arriving at the pet store.

 

[Mcgolg76]

They are fine by themselves. Mine plays very nice. At feeding time he comes out from hiding and will aggressively grab a shrimp pellet. They really like driftwood. I would definitely not buy it for your ten gallon. And while not active they poop a lot. If you say you are almost full in your tank then the bristle nose will push you way over. I could be wrong but even a 20 is a bit small when full grown. Would really limit what else you can put in tank. 6 Otos would have a smaller biolode. You are right about initial fragility of the ottos


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[dragon14]

Thanks. We've decided against it. They're so cute though. Esp when they're babies

 

[Aliray]

What does TR bushy nosed pleco stand for. If the other is an albino bushy nosed pleco, you can keep one in a 10 for now and then put him or her in the 20. The Albino BN pleco stays smaller. If it is a regular albino sailfin or pleco then it would be too big. I have 2 BN plecos in seperate tanks 1 young lemon ,Blue eyed BN female? and an albino BN male who is about 4" from nose tip to the end of his tail. I have them because I was Smitten. They do not do that great with the algea for me because I keep them too well fed. They get algea wafers, shrimp pellets, and a good sized chunk of fresh vegetable , which I replace every 24 hours. They are growing well and have cute fat little pleco bellies. They are my favorite fish in my tanks. Alison

 

[dragon14]

They have both We liked the regular non-albino ones a little better, but maybe we could get an albino one. They're a half inch long right now. Adorable!

 

[Aliray]

What does the TR stand for? I love my plecos. Alison

 

[dragon14]

I will ask them today when we go over there to get our 20 g tank. I was wondering the same thing.....

 

[ImACoolguy]

Snails are never a bad addition unless of course there's a puffer in there lol, puffers love snails. I keep a snail or too in each of my tanks because I find them interesting to watch and they do some cleaning with excess food.


Caleb

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[dragon14]

I like snails too


TR simply means tank raised. A local couple raises them

 

[Aliray]

Dragon 14 , a short lesson in pleco. If you want 2 in a tank then make sure they are both females. Two adult males will get very terratorial and defend their own territory and can cause some fighting between them A male and a female together will give you more babises thsm you want to deal with as they breed very easily. IMO one albino BN will be fine whether it is a male or female. You can't sex them till they get bigger and start growing their bristles . you can keep 2 females together without a problem. They each need their own cave My lemon blue eyed pleco, Buttercup, who started my love affair with plecos, I bought from a member of this forum Her name is KAMA 55 and if you look for her in the last 2 or 3 pages on the classified adds ,she still sells and breeds them. You will fall head over heels like i did. They are a lemon yellow color, with beautiful blue eyes, and grow to 4 inchs and can be kept in a 10 gal tank,. I want another female as the one I have is female and I would like to have two females in the 29 gal tank that I am getting in April for my birthday..Look her up and look at her picture of my Buttercup's father, and tell me your heart doesn't melt. I lost all common sense and reason and had have one. Alison

 

[Aliray]

Tank raised just means they are not wild caught. Just make sure which ever one you get that it is a bristle nose pleco, or bushy nosed pleco, same thing. They will not get that big and can be in a 20 gal. Alison

 

[dragon14]

Thank you Alison!!

We like the darker colored ones a little better. We may get one . So cute

But the albinos don't get as big?