"small" Pleco To Complinment 2 Bn's

[Soup21]

I have a 55 gallon tank, and have just fallen in love with my bn plecos, thinking of changing around my stocking list and getting one more slightly larger pleco, any suggestions on species? something that would compliment the bn's would be preferred but what's your all's favorite >8 pleco?

 

[Missing Score]

A favourite, although expensive, is the zebra pleco (L046):

My own favourite, of course I'm biased since it's what I have, is the L002 -- it's an undescribed panaque species. It's been debated back and forth whether it deserves to be placed in a new/different genus. Often labeled as a peckoltia, but I don't think it is. Who knows! Here's a pic:

There are a lot with similar stripes and colour combos as this, leopard frog pleco is cool, candy cane pleco too.

Aaaaand this next one is the flash pleco. I really like this one for the long points on the caudal fin:

Here's a full list from the sticky, pop the names into google image search and see which one you think is the prettiest.

1. Flash Pleco, L204- 5.2" 130mm
2. Imperial Pleco, Zebra Pleco, L046, L098, L173- 3.2" 80mm
3. Clown Pleco, Ringlet Pleco, L104, L162, LDA22- 4" 100mm
4. Queen Arabesque Pleco L260~ 5" 125mm
5. King Tiger Pleco, Network Pleco, Scribbled Pleco, L066- 4.8" 120mm
6. Leopard Frog Pleco, L134 4.4" 110mm
7. Bristlenose Catfish, Common Bristlenose Catfish, L?- 5" 125mm
8. Green Pleco, Lemon spotted Green Pleco, L200- 7.2" 180mm
9. Starlight Bristlenose Catfish, L183- 4.0" 100mm
10. Para Pleco, L075, L124, L301, LDA02- 6" 150mm
11. Hypancistrus sp. ,L333- 6" 150mm
12. Butterfly Pleco, Flounder Pleco, L168- 5.6" 140mm
13. Hemiancistrus sp. L128- 7.2" 180mm (Apparently some have seen this plec. reach 9 inches anyone else want to 2nd that?)
14. Tiger ''Peckoltia'', L002, L074- 4" 100mm
15. Candy Striped Pleco, L015- 4" 100mm
16. Glyptoperichthys joselimaianus, L001, L022- 8" 200mm
17. Angelicus Pleco, Portel Angelicus Pleco, L004, L005, L028, L073- 4" 100mm
18. Chocolate Zebra Pleco, L270, L307, LDA76- 4" 100mm
19. Medusa Pleco, L034- 8" 200mm
20. Spotted Medusa Pleco, L255- 8" 200mm
21. Dekeyseria sp., Butterfly Pleco, Flounder Pleco L052- 4.8" 120mm
22. Pitbull Plec LDA25 - 2" 50mm
23. Brown Dot Peckoltia, L006- 4" 100mm
24. Leopard Peckoltia, L008- 3.2" 80mm
25. Ancistrini sp. L016-6" 150mm
26. Snowball Pleco (Hypancistrus sp.) L102- 6.4" 160mm
27. Spotted Orange Seam Pleco L106- 6" 150mm
28. Hypancistrus sp. L129- 2.8" 70mm
29. Spectracanthicus sp. L254- 4.4" 110mm
30. Panaque sp. L306, LDA64- 4.8" 120mm

 

[Soup21]

the bottom two species are absolutely amazing looking. they'd be a show piece of my tank, they wouldn't have any troubles with bolivian rams and a flag cichlid correct??

 

[Missing Score]

the bottom two species are absolutely amazing looking. they'd be a show piece of my tank, they wouldn't have any troubles with bolivian rams and a flag cichlid correct??

Nah, I don't think so but you know every fish is different even if they do have tendencies common to the species. I've never known a pleco be harassed too much by anything to be honest. I've seen youtube videos of oscars and gulper catfish trying to eat them when they're much, much, much smaller but I think that's the extreme case. They should be fine though is my guess. I'd happily defer to anybody with greater knowledge though.

 

[xingumike]

My Flash (L204, the last picture) was a nasty #71###ing fish, wouldn't tolerate any other plecos but I can't see it bothering with Cichlids.

i'd want something bigger than an L002 for a show piece fish, also perhaps something a little more omnivorous than a Panaque, L128 or L200 perhaps.

 

[Missing Score]

My Flash (L204, the last picture) was a nasty #71###ing fish

That's really interesting :> How bad do things get with aggressive plecos? I've heard people talk about plecos being very territorial and I used to have a young gibbiceps that I had to give up when I was relocating, but it showed some territoriality. Only when there was zucchini involved. He would try to chase away my bristlenose, but it was nothing more than awkward wiggling next to it because I suppose plecos aren't super mobile, I wonder how much damage they can do to each other? I suppose stress is something to be concerned about even if they might not be able to do physical damage?

 

[Mamba]

If it were me i'd get an L134 Leopard Frog mouth Pleco or if money was no object a Zebra but these Pleco do prefer warmer temperatures from the specs than the BN's. Other options would be a Candy striped Pleco L15. But in truth what I do is go down to my LFS and see what's available first, have a gander about and see what you like. Make a note of the numbers and come back to the sticky on this section of the forum which details basic specs etc for the Pleco. Then it's a case of choosing. You already have two voracious Algae eaters so it doesn't have to be an Algae eater either. Most seem to be omnivorous but prefer a meaty diet.
I bought a L008 Leopard Pleco. It's not bright coloured, it's supposed to be an omnivore but with a preference of a meaty diet but mine spends the vast majority of it's time on the glass of the tank and the bogwood!

 

[Soup21]

mmm i never knew that some species were omnivores! I have a better knowledge of cichlids than catfish but after watching my bn's swim around i might have caught the bug. I don't plan on buying online so i'd have to check my lfs' to see what stock is available. i remember seeing rubber plecos somewhere but they seemed quite plain, any info on them?

 

[xingumike]

'Rubber' will be chaetostoma, not a well suited community fish, they like the water cold, fast and oxygenated.

 

[Soup21]

mmm alright thank you for the heads up on that one, they had an interesting "face" structure, but i'll definitely be looking into one of the striped species, i think they would look good with the black skirt tetras, bolivians, and flag.