Gold Nugget Pleco

[ptd434]

I have two questions about them. First do they help clean the tank at all or do they just create more of a bioload?
I also was wondering if i could put one in my 50 gallon which already has
13 rummy nose
5 corys
3 otos
2 swordtails
1 Bolivian Ram
1 Angelfish
Would adding a Gold nugget pleco cause me to be overstocked, or would it just grow to big for a 50 gallon?

[Weezer]

The GN can reach around 6", taking a look at what you already have i would have to wonder if there would be enough for it to eat. They also like drift wood, if our store would of had them we would have gotten one.. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=863&N=0

[wolf13]

actually, theres four differnt defined L-numbers for GN's (018 and 085 are the juvinile and adult form and get up to around 14 inches, l-081 which get up to 5-7 inches and l-177 that gets up to about 8 inches.) 18/85's are the most common, but it seems most wholesalers are random as to which one they send so a store doesn't know what its getting, and most don't know enough to tell you what one they do have.

Live aquaria is an absolutly horrible place to get pleco info, since they use generic descriptions. check out planetcatfish (they are doing server moves so are up and down at the moment but google has em cached) GN's are oppertunistic omnivores, they aren't big algea eaters, but they will clean up leftover food. they are sometimes known to munch on plants if hungry. GN's are pretty delicate, and can be difficult to get adapted, and they don't compete well for food against more aggressive species. you'll need excellent water and territory for it.

whats your water change schedual, temp and filtration? those are going to be limiting factors and need to be taken into account.

[Weezer]

I agree that some lfs end up with something different than they thought, our 4" upside down cat is 6" and growing, turns out its a false usd cat, A good lfs knows what they have, as far as Live aquaria being absolutely horrible i have yet to find two sites that give the same specs on any fish, but they are all within the same range, there are many good sites out there that provide excellent info and feedback. as always there can be many factors involved with a fishes temperament and growth, but to answer the op's question, i would not put a GN in there unless you can thin out your bottom feeders alittle.......:)

[severum mama]

A good lfs knows what they have
Not necessarily. It's impossible to know everything about all the species in the aquarium trade. I've worked at a LFS, and many times the supplier sends the store different fish than what are requested. All you have to go by when ordering is a weekly stock list- if you don't know about all those species, then it's entirely possible to assume you're receiving what the list says, when in actuality it may be a totally different species.

Those different L numbers for the gold nuggets are extremely difficult to tell apart, especially if you're not a pleco expert. There's one that we used to order that was referred to as an orange seam pleco, and supposedly it only gets up to 6 inches. It's very similar in appearance to the GN.

[jmarc]

The GN can reach around 6", taking a look at what you already have i would have to wonder if there would be enough for it to eat. They also like drift wood, if our store would of had them we would have gotten one.. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=863&N=0

Same with my clown pleco. I make sure to have different types of drift wood in there. I get some bark that falls off this huge oak tree in our front yard. It is like a half moon and makes a great hiding place. Any driftwood I add, I boil in a pot of water until the tanins come out and the water is clear. I also feed him (or her) yams. My swordtails love the yams too.

[wolf13]

the orange seam is suppsidly the l-81, but theres at least one other ( a panaque (wood eater)) that goes by that common name that looks and acts nothing like a GN. GN's are Baryancistrus, which is an oppertunistic omnivore, so aren't wood depended like a panaque (like clowns). doesn't mean they don't like wood, but its not a primary part of their diet.


don't want to turn this into a discussion on live aquaria, but their descriptions are generic to a common pleco, and are downright dangerous to follow for carnivorous ones. the temp range in your link barely overlaps at the high end with most descriptions which could defiantly be an issue.

[Weezer]

Never tried yams, but the Cichlids and BN's love cucumbers, i place them on opposite sides of the tank to avoid scuffling between them....:)

[ptd434]

I have a Aqua Clear 70 on the tank its at 79 degrees and i do weekly 25% water changes. I am also setting up a 55 gallon cichlid tank( not sure what type yet) but do you thing it would be better to fit it into there?

[Weezer]

the temp range in your link barely overlaps at the high end with most descriptions which could defiantly be an issue.

Like i posted earlier opinions vary per site, planet cat claims a temp range of 77-86, higher temps are only used to promote spawning activities, and are not healthy for prolong periods of time, i believe the temp range given on live A, are the every day normal range, how ever they also say the bottom end is 73 which i think is Farly cool, If someone wants to believe in one sites opinion so be it, but i like to make a comparison from multiple sites and create a general consenses.......:)

[Weezer]

I have a Aqua Clear 70 on the tank its at 79 degrees and i do weekly 25% water changes. I am also setting up a 55 gallon cichlid tank( not sure what type yet) but do you thing it would be better to fit it into there?
IMO that filter alone is not enough for your 50 or 55, I would step up a few sizes on those filters and add them to your tanks.......:)

[ptd434]

I have no problem with the filtration and I dont see a need to get another filter or upgrade it. Why would it not be enough filtration?

[Weezer]

Your filter is rated for a 70 gal. at 300 gph, those ratings are with no media, which means your filter is running like an AC-50 or so, and is under filtered, heres a link from these forums that talk about filtration for your tank size, you could also start a new thread to get some opinions... :) http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116582&highlight=filtration

[12 Volt Man]

Not necessarily. It's impossible to know everything about all the species in the aquarium trade. I've worked at a LFS, and many times the supplier sends the store different fish than what are requested. All you have to go by when ordering is a weekly stock list- if you don't know about all those species, then it's entirely possible to assume you're receiving what the list says, when in actuality it may be a totally different species.


agreed. If you are ordering direct from Brazil or Peru, you can guarentee this will happen at least once every shipment.

that latin name that you order is not always what you get.

sometimes, that means you get fish that are more valuable when you pay much less than you should have..

other times, you pay a premium and they send you something different...

[12 Volt Man]

I agree that the AC 70 by itself is not enough.

I run them on 30 gallon tanks.

On a 55, well, I would run two or run an AC110.

remember: although the flow rate is high on the 70, it holds a small amount of media for its tank rating.