smallest Pleco

[shuhu]

Hi

I was wondering which one is the Pleco that stays smaller when fully growned

is it the common Pleco?? I'm about to get 2 of these (I'm getting a bigger tank btw)

Also, if you are thinking in "Otocinclus", please mention another one since I really don't like him, he doesn't look like most Plecos.

 

[black angel]

well common plecs can grow to at least a foot, and some get to 18 inches and more.
for a small plec the bristlenose is a good choice.

 

[bunjiweb]

Some of the smallest plecs are..

Rubberlip (Bulldog Plec)
Clown Plec
Network Plec
Queen Arabesque Plec

There are many more smaller ones including Bristlenose, but if you have anything under a 20G tank then a plec is not suitable!

Ottos are small loricariidae NOT LOACHES! and if you have a tank smaller than 20G then a group of 3-5 of these would be MUCH better suited to your requirements.

Ben

 

[wrs]

in your 10 gallons ottos would be the best choice.

though I do have to add, yor tanks are pretty much fully stocked as they are, and you shouldnt be putting any other plecos in there if one is really needed.

but if you have algea a nice algea scaper would do the job just a good, and quicker than the fish.

 

[shuhu]

thanks, I also found these ones (in case someone else is wondering), all smaller than 5" :

Bushynose/Bushymouth
Butterfly
Smoky Peckoltia
Tiger

Hope I find one of these at the LPS

Ever since I got my first 2 Common Plecos (which died because of the new tank syndrome ) I feel like I gotta have one in my tank

if anyone knows of other ones, please tell us

@wrs:
like I said before I'm getting a bigger tank in a couple of months, probably 50 to 75 Gal.

 

[wrs]

thats good then! A commen is okay in the 70 plus tank.

oh, and butterfly plecos are not really plecos, they are hill stream loaches, cold water fish, and should not be purchased unless you have a coldwater tank, as higher temps kill them.

 

[Philtre]

Some small plecos that you could try are the parotocinclus spp.

Check out two species here

The one in the background is Parotocinclus jumbo LDA25 and the other is Parotocinclus haroldoi.

 

[shuhu]

yea, probably but since I want to have at least 2 Plecos, aftert thinking about it, maybe 2 common Plecos will be a lot even for a 75Gal tank, no sure thoug, it depends on the width of the tank, I'm still tihnking on getting a custom tank or a standard size

besides looking at some pics made me re-consider about the common Plecos (some were huge), and I don't want to end up having to give it/them away.

@Philtre

thanks that gives me more choices, those are pretty small

 

[bunjiweb]

oh, and butterfly plecos are not really plecos, they are hill stream loaches, cold water fish, and should not be purchased unless you have a coldwater tank, as higher temps kill them.

Sorry but this is not correct, Hillstream Loaches are sometimes known as "Butterfly Suckermouths" but they are not usually confused with Butterfly Plecos (L168).

See here on Planet Catfish:

http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loric...yser/706_f.phpv

We have them in at work, apparently they are good algae eaters but i havent seen them browsing much so they must be fairly nocturnal.

I would wait until you have the new tank and then you can just get whatever nice plec you want! Just go for the biggest tank you can afford.

Ben

 

[SirMinion]

The smallest plec is the common otocinclus, they stay very small but do best in small groups.

 

[wrs]

wow, I never knew that. All the places I go to see the loaches as butterfly plecos.