Which Plec ?

[kiriyama]

Hi , I have never had a plec. before but think they would be an interesting addition to the tank.....
Setting up a 95ltr tank which will have high pH and sand substrate.
The tank will house small shellies and hopelly another 1 or 2 fish.
Looking for advice on a small plec that likes hard water and should be ok in this set up ( if possible ? )
Any help or advice greatly appreciated....

 

[Wills]

In a tank of that size I would have said a bull dog plec usually but I am unsure of how they cope in high ph water. I think there could be other catfish that might be suitable, usually people mix synos with africans but in a tank this size unsure of which ones are hardy enough and also small enough for this tank. I guess the problem in this case with catfish is that they would normally encroach on the shellies territories I looked into a shellie tank a while back and the only tank mates I found suggested were harlequin rasboras because they were fast.

Wills

 

[three-fingers]

A couple of bristlenoses would be fine, preferably locally bred ones but it doesnt really matter. Very tough, adaptable fish. Just make sure you give them a proper hiding places and feed them enough.

Bulldog plecs are a little less tough and slightly more specialist IMO.

 

[kiriyama]

Cheers for the responses.
Was in LFS today picking up bits and bobs and they had tons of different types of Bristlenose , couldn't resist , very small one , probably about an inch and a half , speckles, cute . £5.75 in the bag , when I got him/her home I noticed I have 3 MTS in the gravel in the bag, I know a lot of people class them as pests but I had been looking for ages for them , got some the other week from Amerce which was cool butt this is a bonus, anyway time to let him/her out of the bag into there new home...................

 

[reeeedfish]

Yep, bristlenoses are good. They stay small and can tolerate the higher ph. Another bonus is that they are tough enogh to live with most cichlids.

 

[M.R Otter]

A zebra pleco!! these plecos are small, pretty and the most beatiful of all plecos.... but it's only call back is it's EXPENSIVE price, and it's also a Rare species and they be endangered aswell. I have one in the display tank in the living room..... he's color makes watching him fun! but I'm not sure if it can live ina high PH, mine lives in a acidic water.

 

[kiriyama]

Managed to avoid another impulse purchase tonight , was in Dobbies and they have a big plec selection , bristlenose for £4.00 , nice snowballs , clowns and found a gery plec rubber lipped pleco ? was intrigued , looked lovely.....