Plecophobia???

JumpMaster

Member
Apr 7, 2014
15
0
1
Israel
I have a few friends that are addicted to and keep plecos. There are some awesome looking plecs out there. Here are my fears(please don't ban me from the forum):
1. I may not correctly identify a plec and will have a plec that is not suitable for my tank.
2. I have heard they are messy.
3. I have heard they can be destructive to to aquascaping
4. They may not get along with my favorite fish
 

Mol_PMB

Member
Mar 26, 2014
66
1
8
Manchester
I don't think I'm eligible to respond to this as I am one of the aforementioned...
You're right to do your research before you buy. But if you're not sure, take a pic of what you're being offered and compare to what it should look like on the species profiles, and if you're still not sure, ask :)

They do generally poo a lot.

They do like to dig. But I find that they prefer to dig in my areas of open sand, and don't disturb my plants. Maybe if you have plants everywhere they will have no choice but to dig them up?

Some Plecos get on better with Cories than others. I don't have problems with my L128 and my Cories. The pleco will chase away my ram and my tetras but is happy to share his food with the little cats :)

And the Cories can help with the poo problem by breaking it up and lifting it into the water column where it will end up in the filter.

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Mol_PMB

Member
Mar 26, 2014
66
1
8
Manchester
An Oto! :)

There are quite a lot of plecs around the 4"/100mm size. Some of the online resources allow you to search by size.
You need to be aware of their water and food parameters and the sort of decor they like; they are by no means all the same. But if you understand that and provide what your species needs then most aren't too 'difficult'.


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Mol_PMB

Member
Mar 26, 2014
66
1
8
Manchester
Not really! You know your Cories like sand substrate, a certain temperature range, some good protein-rich foods with a bit of greenery for variety, and some hiding places. And you provide them and the Cory cats are happy :)

So understanding the pleco's needs and providing for them is no different. The online profiles on both plecoplanet and planet catfish tell you what you need to know for the species you are likely to come across. There are also some good books on the subject.

I guess you may be limited on what is available but have a look and see what the options are :)


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JumpMaster

Member
Apr 7, 2014
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Israel
This may not be a uniquely Israeli problem, however, since I am weak at identifying fish I am afraid of going to buy a certain type of plec and getting something else. Shops, quite often, are not familiar with the fish they are selling
 

bigbird

Pleco Profiles Moderator - RIP FRIEND
Sep 9, 2010
6,306
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36
Sydney, AUSTRALIA
most plecs are easy to keep if you the the correct research and offer them the hidding spots, caves and food. It is like any animal, do the research , look at what they like etc and then this keeps the, happy. The common bristlenose is keep generally in each community tank. It is true some do poo a lot, but these are mostly the wood eaters, but each problem can be solved. You also have to be careful not to buy too many species as some can interbreed with each other and that we do not want with these beautiful fish. I have never had problems with my plecos and tetra mixed community tanks. Tetras, rummy nose, cardinals etc, generally also like higher water temps and thus also get along well with the plecos. Be wary some get very large. If you wish to buy one, take a phot, then download it for us to have a look at and identify it, so we can help you and give you feedback. So good luck with your quest. cheers js :thumbup:
 

JumpMaster

Member
Apr 7, 2014
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1
Israel
At the most I will be looking for the smallest and cleanest plec that will live and breed in a community tank. They also need to get along with corys
 

Lornek8

Member
Apr 21, 2009
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Hawaii
Most plecs will get along with corys.
If you can provide specifics on your tank setup it'd help determine suitability. For instance, a 5L community tank will be suitable for far less plecs than a 100L or other tank. If you're looking for somthing relatively small that wont be troubled with the corys higher protein diet then I'd say go with Hypancistrus. They tend to be a bit easier to care for than some of the more herbivorous plecs. Ancistrus like a Common Bushynose is a great beginner pleco though they can be messy. Generally the more vegetative matter they consume the more solid waste they'll produce.
 

JumpMaster

Member
Apr 7, 2014
15
0
1
Israel
I have a 400l tank that is heavily planted. It contains LOTS of corys (they won't stand still, therefore uncountable). There are dwarf cichlids, rummy nose tetras, killifish. and pearl gouramis. the temp ranges from 22º to 26º