Best "Quiet" Pleco for a 42Gal (&& Filter)

[Lukee]

As my 42gal from this week!
Stock:
3 Discus
6 Panda Cories
10 Rummynose
1 Pleco

WHICH ONE!!

I really wanted either 2 Gold Nuggets or 1 Gippicep Sailfin
but my LFS said they were to "Energetic" for Discus.
Any ideas... i would absolutely love 1 peppermint Pleco but i don't have enough to get one since there like $220 AUD for 6"
Any IDEAS???
Don't really like otos..
-lukee

QUESTION TWO
Best filter for a 42gal?? Not UGF... please have a URL :D

[Lupin]

How about an ancistrus?:D

[Lukee]

I have had them in my 15gal and thats what the LFS said but i would like any different ideas... If not i may get 2-3 of 'em (1.25" size)
And instead of 10 rummynoses i may put the baby GBR when they are a bit bigger, good idea?

[Malefic23]

King tiger pleco might work with your discuss. They stay small and are pretty quiet. You also might look at a queen arabesque, or a galaxy, though a galaxy will eventually outgrow your tank.

[Squawkbert]

Go ahead and get ~4 Otos. You won't even notice them most of the time and they do great work.

For my 46, I use an Eheim 2215.
$109.99 Bigalsonline (w/ media) (http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl3684/cp17290/si1382919/cl0/eheimfilter2215pluskit)

$93.99 Drs Foster & Smith (no media) (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=3603&N=2004+22777)

[Star_Rider]

use caution wth otocinclus..they have been known to go after the slime coat of discus.

blue rams work well with discus but keep an eye on them as they ccan get beligerant if they mate.

check on the dietary needs of the 'other' pleco's..if you are looking for an algae eater.(many do not eat algae as their main diet.)

[muddskipper26]

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:tVSAEZt-ntgz4M:http://www.dgodwin.com/fish/farlowella.jpg (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.dgodwin.com/fish/farlowella.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.dgodwin.com/fish/algae.html&h=480&w=640&sz=43&hl=en&start=12&tbnid=tVSAEZt-ntgz4M:&tbnh=103&tbnw=137&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfarlowella%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26h l%3Den%26safe%3Doff) farlowella

[mudskippers]

hey mudskipper26... i like your avator :)

[jm1212]

try bristlenose.

[TwoTankAmin]

Discus need warmer water than most fish to thrive. Pay careful attention to what you choose as tankmate relative to this, among other things.

Pandas will not do well at discus temps longer term, consider sterbais instead. Bristlenose will also work and if you have a lot of spare change around, zebra plecos are ideal discus tank plecos.

[davexstumpe]

i've heard some plecos, one they get big will eat off the slimecoat of the discuss.

i think you would be okay with a goldnugget. i dont think they are as active as the LFS suggested.
or maybe try a bristlenose as someone else suggested.


and i think you should definately add the GBRs.

They are in the same boat as the discus, as for pH and temperature and they make excellent tankmates.

[severum mama]

Go for the bristlenose. The tank is too small for one gold nugget, let alone 2, and it is MUCH too small for a gibbiceps. Queen arabesque is a good choice too if you can find one. I personally wouldn't keep discus in a 42 gallon, but I guess we all have different opinions about tank size. I have discus in a 55 gallon and it really seems like a bare minimum to me.

[beefsteak]

Some GNs don't get that big. However, I would go with the bristlenose as well. They're much more efficient cleaners.

[davexstumpe]

i think the GN would be fine in the tank. It doesnt get too big, and most of the time it just pretty much stays stuck to driftwood. doesnt need much swimspace, atleast IMO.

[severum mama]

But some of the GNs actually DO get big. There are a few species that look very similar that are sold as GNs. I personally wouldn't be able to tell them apart to know what the max size would be. Plus, they don't eat much algae, like beefsteak pointed out. They really prefer meaty foods for the most part.

The way I see it, keeping discus in a tank that is IMO too small for them is going to be a bit of a task. Adding a big pleco to the mix is going to make it extremely difficult to keep water quality as good as it needs to be for them. They are so messy.

[Lukee]

use caution wth otocinclus..they have been known to go after the slime coat of discus.

blue rams work well with discus but keep an eye on them as they ccan get beligerant if they mate.

check on the dietary needs of the 'other' pleco's..if you are looking for an algae eater.(many do not eat algae as their main diet.)
i heard that as well
im thinking of the ZEBRA pleco..
although.. i don't know there pricing... :P
has anyone got a good webby with all there needs:
ph, etc.

[Malefic23]

Forget zebra... You just picked one of the most expensive and rare fish in the pleco realm. And your tank is too hot for one anyway. They have become cheaper with people breeding them, but you're still looking at well over 100 bucks, possibly over 300 bucks, depending on the fish, the seller, and the current market.

Are you fixated on having a pleco, or do you just want a tank cleaner? Cause snails or ottos would do the job just fine.

[Lukee]

dont want ottos or snails...
do corys do the job..
the plecos are mainly for me
because i love and the algea
although i do like your first suggestions malefic23 just haven't seen them
anywhere! but i will try to order one in.
200-400 bux is b u L L $ |-| I T

[Swayde]

I couldn't find any bristlenose plecos locally for the past 3 months so I ended up getting a rubberlip pleco (also known as bulldog pleco) and I really like the little guy. Not sure how well he is doing on the algae. I see him on the glass all the time and I've noticed some improvement, but not a lot. It's supposed to stay small 4-5" just like the BN. Not sure how it would handle a discus tank, but mine seems to be doing well in an 80-82F tank.

[pinkertd]

Rubberlips can go after the discus slime coat. Golden nuggets are woodeaters and don't eat much algae. Clown plecos stay small and are cute, but again, need wood. Bristlenose are the best at keeping the tank clean of algae, you'll never have to wipe the glass down again! The tank glass in discus aquariums seems to always develop a light film coat....some say it's because of the heavy discus slime coats! Bristlenose also leave the discus alone.

Debbi:)

[wataugachicken]

bristlenoses would be a good bet - if you can't find any locally in stores, you may want to try placing an ad somewhere like in craigslist.com, or asking your LFS's if they know of anyone who breeds them. it seems like some stores are set on only buying from their distributors, even if they can get the same fish from a local/private person. also, you might see if they will special order for you.

i would still look into upgradsing your tank size - 46g seems on the small size just for the discus, even without adding in the other fish you have/want. keep in mind you should still be feeding the pleco algae wafers and fresh veggies along with whatever algae they may (or may not) eat. this extra food (all plecos are messy eaters) may affect your water quality and cause an increase in your tank maintenance.

[Lukee]

well birstlenoses are really easy to get around my area!
and they've just breed about 100 babies (you can see)
they dont have rubberlip or clown or tiger or whatever..
but this is the stocking:

1 King Tiger pleco/ bristlenose
2 Discus
5-6 Panda Cories
Either my baby GBR when it happens or 10 rummynoses


ps: would rummynoses be to active for Discus

[Lukee]

would gold spot plecos be too big?

[TwoTankAmin]

Malefic23 wrote:

And your tank is too hot for one anyway.

This is simply not correct, no other way to say it. I keep a couple of zebs in with a discus pair, they have done great in there for 18 months now.

I also breed zebras and raise the fry. Their tanks are all at 84-86 and at times have been at 90. They live at similar temps in the wild.

If you want to research them more there is a great site devoted to them:
http://www.zebrapleco.com