So many Pleco choices! Suggestions?

[carligraceee]

Hello everyone!

I am on the last stretch of cycling and am starting to look for stocking. I already found my schooling fish.. now I would like to know everyone's opinions on plecos! What pleco is best for cleaning up biofilm and even fish poop (if possible, I know its rare for fish to actually eat fish poop)? I was looking at the Spotted Rubber Lip Pleco, Bristlenose Pleco, and the Para Pleco!

For reference, I have a 37g aquarium and my budget is around 0$-25$ but I would prefer it less than 12$.

 

[FF_Member146894]

some people will say the rubber lip is better, and some will say that the bristlenose is.
i'd personally go with the bristlenose because i think that the rubber lip is a bit more carnivorous. they're both about the same price though, so it's your choice.
a para pleco? i wouldn't put a 10" fish in a tank that small.

 

[Gypsum]

Rubber lip plecos, Chaetostoma formosae, are fussy creatures that require very specific conditions to thrive -- high flow, hard water, low 20s sort of temperatures, and a very established tank, not one that's just finished cycling.

Bristlenoses, on the other hand, are fairly hardy, adaptable fish. They would prefer an established tank which is producing algae (they won't eat poop, and you have to supplement their diet with fresh veg and algae wafers), but they can withstand a wide range of conditions, and you don't need to blast the daylights out of your tank with powerheads.

 

[ThatFishGirl6231]

bristlenoses are small enough for a 37g tank and mine was only like $7. also they are very hardy and adaptable. also they are very cute.

 

[carligraceee]

Rubber lip plecos, Chaetostoma formosae, are fussy creatures that require very specific conditions to thrive -- high flow, hard water, low 20s sort of temperatures, and a very established tank, not one that's just finished cycling.

Bristlenoses, on the other hand, are fairly hardy, adaptable fish. They would prefer an established tank which is producing algae (they won't eat poop, and you have to supplement their diet with fresh veg and algae wafers), but they can withstand a wide range of conditions, and you don't need to blast the daylights out of your tank with powerheads.

Okay thank you guys. So, now I have to choose between an albino and regular bristlenose pleco. I think the reg. one is a bit more expensive but they both get to the same size. I am leaning to the the albino pleco because he is so unique, but can the reg. bristlenose and albino one live in the same tank?

 

[Colin_T]

What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Fish don't eat fish poop. If you have lots of waste in the tank, use a gravel cleaner every week when you do a water change, and clean the filter once a month.

 

[carligraceee]

What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Fish don't eat fish poop. If you have lots of waste in the tank, use a gravel cleaner every week when you do a water change, and clean the filter once a month.

I have my tank dimensions at roughly 30.4 inches tall, 12.5 inches wide, and 26 inches long. I have moderately hard water!

 

[Avel1896]

Hey
Most Plecos and related need a minimum 6 months old tank before being added.
Most of them are getting bad-tempered when aging, are very (too?) fertile, territorial/protective to spawn, need strong current, and, according to me, way too large for your tank

 

[anewbie]

BN pleco can get quite large but some of the colour morphs are more likely to stay small (large is close to 6 inches small is closer to 3). Sex doens't seem to impact this i've had both males and females stay small or get extremely large.

I personally have a liking for L204 which can be inexpensive if you can find it locally. I got one from a chain store for $10 last year but since the panademic started i've only found them via mail order and they are usually around $25-$35.

clown pleco are fairly common at your chain store. They stay small - mine is a couple of years old and sub 3 inches.
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All of the above require wood and all eat biofilm - no pleco i know of eat poop but i've heard some snails will eat poop but they produce more poop than they eat.
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Avoid plecos like L333 as they are meat eaters. There are many nice pleco (including l333) that are mostly meat eaters but they eat less biofilm which seems to be your objective.

 

[GuppyBreeder180604]

What pleco is best for cleaning up biofilm and even fish poop (if possible, I know its rare for fish to actually eat fish poop)?

for biofilm go with a mostly herbivorous pleco like the common bristlenose.
no pleco species feed on poop unless they are extremely malnourished and in dire need of food.

Para Pleco

I think they can be a bit more demanding than bristle noses or rubber lips so maybe wait until you have more pleco experience.

I am on the last stretch of cycling and am starting to look for stocking

plecos should only be added to aquariums that are well established and way beyond their just finished cycling state.

other pleco considerations are that:
plecos will never solve your algae/biofilm problems.
they poop a lot so they can mess up your tank with their bioload if there are not enough bacteria (another reason to avoid them in the early aquarium stages).
depending on the species you would need to do an 80% plants 20% meat diet, a 60%meat 40% plants diet, or a 60%plants 40% meat diet (for my bristlenose I go with the 80%plants 20% meat one) and you will need to feed them at least 2 times per week, if you don't they will starve and suffer, since algae just isn't enough.
you should never buy a fish with the intent of it ridding you of your chores, you should buy it because you like it and because you know you can take care of it.

so don't buy any pleco to clean biofilm and fish poop buy it because you love it and remember to feed it and do water changes, no matter what the fish store tells you a pleco will not solve all your problems, in fact if you buy it with that intent it will make your problems worse and add new ones.

 

[carligraceee]

for biofilm go with a mostly herbivorous pleco like the common bristlenose.
no pleco species feed on poop unless they are extremely malnourished and in dire need of food.

I think they can be a bit more demanding than bristle noses or rubber lips so maybe wait until you have more pleco experience.

plecos should only be added to aquariums that are well established and way beyond their just finished cycling state.

other pleco considerations are that:
plecos will never solve your algae/biofilm problems.
they poop a lot so they can mess up your tank with their bioload if there are not enough bacteria (another reason to avoid them in the early aquarium stages).
depending on the species you would need to do an 80% plants 20% meat diet, a 60%meat 40% plants diet, or a 60%plants 40% meat diet (for my bristlenose I go with the 80%plants 20% meat one) and you will need to feed them at least 2 times per week, if you don't they will starve and suffer, since algae just isn't enough.
you should never buy a fish with the intent of it ridding you of your chores, you should buy it because you like it and because you know you can take care of it.

so don't buy any pleco to clean biofilm and fish poop buy it because you love it and remember to feed it and do water changes, no matter what the fish store tells you a pleco will not solve all your problems, in fact if you buy it with that intent it will make your problems worse and add new ones.

Oh totally!

This is so informative. I really enjoyed reading this.

I am in love with the plecos... I have been for about a year. Thats why I told myself when I have a big enough tank, I will get a pleco. I now have enough space and would love one. I think I have landed on the Albino Bristlenose pleco... he is so unique and a good cleaner.

I only asked about fish poop because a site told me they can sometimes eat it so thats why I was wondering.

Thank you!

 

[GuppyBreeder180604]

I am in love with the plecos... I have been for about a year. Thats why I told myself when I have a big enough tank, I will get a pleco. I now have enough space and would love one. I think I have landed on the Albino Bristlenose pleco... he is so unique and a good cleaner

that is just great, i have a chocolate blue eye bristlenose pleco and he is just wonderful, i am sure that you will truly enjoy your new friend.
I want to add a list of foods that my pleco likes to help you find what yours might like (it will be different in some parts since every fish has their own taste)
1. lettuce (feed it more as a treat than a staple food since it has very little nutrients for your pleco)
2. cucumber
3. zucchini
4. spinach
5. dandelion leaf (just remember to rinse it)
6. spirulina (they sell them in many forms)
7. pleco specific algae wafers (do your research for the brands in your area and then research the nutrient they offer to your fish, then choose the one with the best nutrient content that suits your budget)
8. carrot (just as lettuce you should use it only as a treat, but this time because of its high sugar content)
9. blood worm
10. brine shrimp
11. mosquito larvae

just remember to clean and blanch all your veggies so they can sink, or if you fish prefers them raw (which tends to happen, once again because of the fish personal taste) you can use a 100% stainless steel rod or fork to impale the foods and make them sink, or a fish feeding clip