What are the benefits of having a pleco?

[beviking]

I've had my clown pleco for several months. It's a really neat fish to watch and it does some cleaning. Originally I thought it would clean the glass too(not entirely, but help) but I have never seen it on the glass. I have Hillstream loaches that hit the glass often (ottos too) so I'm wondering if the pleco is filling an important niche? Any thoughts?

[Andy16]

My pleco only helps for certain types of algae. IT does eat some leftover food on hte sad too so its sorta like a scavenger. The main benefit of your clown pleco would probably be the fact that it looks cool;)

[NickH]

The pleco probably creates more mess than it cleans up....

[dethjam316]

they look cool. err, that's the best justification for mine. he doesn't eat algae worth crap.

[Andy16]

The pleco probably creates more mess than it cleans up....


You make a point there, but you have to look on hte positive side.

(even though everything be eats comes right out in like 30 seconds.)

[beviking]

Hmmm, I'm having a plant eating problem (see gen. freshwater thread) and am wondering if the pleco is to blame for munching new anubia leaves?

[valerie]

It really depends on what pleco you want. Some plecos look very cool, some are good at eating algae.

I got my bristlenose pleco since it is both a cool looking pleco and it helps with algae. I got my clown pleco because i liked the way it looks and still stays small.Clowns arne't very good at eating algae but they look pretty.

Not all plecos eat algae which is a mistake many people make. They get a pleco because they read or heard they are good cleaners and end up with a species that is a carnivore or one that gets too big.

I get plecos more because they are realy cool fish. For the amount of waste they produce you have to really love them to keep them around.