Plecostamus or Chinese Algae eater? Need help on the double

[ILOVEBETTAS]

Hey peeps. I'm getting a thirty gallon in December. I want a fish that eats algae so I won't have to clean too much... plus I love bottom feeders. Anyways, I know about the problems people have with Chinese Algae eaters and was thinking about a Plecostamus. I know a common pleco wouldn't fit in a thirty gallon, so I would need a smaller pleco. I need to get all of my fish at Petco (JUST DON'T ASK WHY!) and I don't know if they have smaller plecos. Do they usually have smaller plecos and how much do they cost? On liveaquaria.com they cost nearly fifty bucks in many cases... do they cost that much at regular pet stores like Petco? So, my questions are:

1.) Do they sell smaller plecos (not common plecos) at Petco?
2.) How much do they cost?

Thank you everyone who has patience to answer... I'm very confused.

And do plecos eat algae their whole lives?

[a7oneal]

Try to find an Ancistrus sp. (bristle- or bushy-nosed pleco)... they stay reasonably small, are effective algae eaters, and usually reasonably priced. I think bulldog plecos (Chaetostoma spp.) stay pretty small, as well, but I don't have any experience or information on them...

Some plecos need supplemental foods to their diets, and some are actually more carnivorous. It is always good (in many species, it is essential) to have some wood in the tank for the Loricariid to rasp on. Ancistrus (my suggestion) have mostly vegetarian diets.

[monkey_toes]

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you purchase a Chinese algae eater as an algae eater. They outgrow that habit quickly and become aggressive pests. BTW, thank you for realizing a common pleco is a bad choice. That puts you well ahead of the other newbies.


1.) Do they sell smaller plecos (not common plecos) at Petco?
Maybe. Ask for a clown pleco (actually a Peckoltia species), which will get about 3-4 inches. You could also get a bristlenose pleco (5-6 inches). Sometimes they might have bulldog plecos, but there are several species that are hard to tell apart. Most are in the 4-6 inch range, but at least one can get to 10 inches. Another option would be Otocinclus cats, which are pleco relatives but get no bigger than 2 inches. If you get Otos, they like company so get 3 or 4.


2.) How much do they cost?
Less than 10 bucks. For Otos, less than 2 dollars.


And do plecos eat algae their whole lives?
Unlike CAEs, yes. I always keep natural driftwood in my tanks that have plecos, because there are some species that have to eat it. Some people say it's not needed for most species, but considering how little we really know about loricariids (the family of fishes that includes plecos) I'd rather be safe than sorry. Good luck!

[ILOVEBETTAS]

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you purchase a Chinese algae eater as an algae eater. They outgrow that habit quickly and become aggressive pests. BTW, thank you for realizing a common pleco is a bad choice. That puts you well ahead of the other newbies.


Maybe. Ask for a clown pleco (actually a Peckoltia species), which will get about 3-4 inches. You could also get a bristlenose pleco (5-6 inches). Sometimes they might have bulldog plecos, but there are several species that are hard to tell apart. Most are in the 4-6 inch range, but at least one can get to 10 inches. Another option would be Otocinclus cats, which are pleco relatives but get no bigger than 2 inches. If you get Otos, they like company so get 3 or 4.


Less than 10 bucks. For Otos, less than 2 dollars.


Unlike CAEs, yes. I always keep natural driftwood in my tanks that have plecos, because there are some species that have to eat it. Some people say it's not needed for most species, but considering how little we really know about loricariids (the family of fishes that includes plecos) I'd rather be safe than sorry. Good luck!

THAN YOU VERY MUCH!!! I have MTS... hee hee... I need algae eaters of course. Thanx

[TKOS]

Yes, look for a bushynose pleco. Great choice for that size of tank. Or else a group of say 5 otos. Clown plecos have more of a meaty diet.

Be careful as many plecos have crazy common names attached to them. I suggest doing research on whatever name they give them at the petstore prior to buying, just to be safe.

[monkey_toes]

Clown plecos have more of a meaty diet.
My clowns are algae pigs. I wouldn't be surprised if eventually it turns out there are several species with similar appearance but different biology.

[cweg71]

[QUOTE=monkey_toes]UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you purchase a Chinese algae eater as an algae eater. They outgrow that habit quickly and become aggressive pests. BTW, thank you for realizing a common pleco is a bad choice. That puts you well ahead of the other newbies.


I have actually had good luck with CAE's. I do agree there are better algae eaters, but I have never had a CAE devour or attack any of my fish. Here's a couple of pics of my 10+ year old (can't really remember when I got him) 5 incher.

[monkey_toes]

I have actually had good luck with CAE's. I do agree there are better algae eaters, but I have never had a CAE devour or attack any of my fish. Here's a couple of pics of my 10+ year old (can't really remember when I got him) 5 incher.
Well, fish are individuals just like any other animal. However, IME I've noticed a tendency toward aggression in CAEs once they get past four inches or so. Yours seems to have lost most of his patterning, or is it just the lighting? I kept one all by his lonesome for years. He was nine inches long when he died but he still had fairly distinct patterning.

[cweg71]

His pattern comes and goes, but it is not very distinct.

[azadehm1]

My advice is go to the library (I know how old school is that)and check out a fish guide or encyclopedia. Match the picture with the fish. You cannot trust what the signs at petsmart ...petco say.

[tai95]

Clown plecos have more of a meaty diet.

In the January 07' issue of TFH there is an article about the wood eating plecos. It talks about a study of the gut content of wild caught panaques (royals, clowns), and it showed that the main thing in the stomache was wood shavings. It's a pretty interesting article.

[Malefic23]

There are two species usually sold as clowns. One is Panaque Maccus. Eats mostly wood. I have four of these, and they are delightfull little fish. The other is Pekolita V. These little guys like a more meaty diet, and are a tad more territorial. If you're going to have a small pleco, you should still have some wood for him to scrub on and hide in. Also good choices would be bristlenose, rubberlip, or ottos. Ottos might be your best bet, because you can get a couple of them cheap, they stay very small, they work hard to eat all your algae and they provide more activity than most of the pleco nation.

Algae wafers are a must for any of these fish. Use it as a supplimental to the algae on the tank, and they will keep working for you to keep your tank clean.


Oh yeah, thanks for realizing your tank was too small for a common... You get a gold star and 20 bonus points!

[jennfier]

My advice is go to the library (I know how old school is that)and check out a fish guide or encyclopedia. Match the picture with the fish. You cannot trust what the signs at petsmart ...petco say.Hehe. Not that old school. Earlier this year, I checked out this book from the library that really helped me identify a lot of tropical fish.

Tropical freshwater aquarium fish from A to Z : popular fish for freshwater aquariums ; includes shrimp, crabs and crayfish, and snails /by (http://www.amazon.com/Tropical-Freshwater-Aquarium-Compass-Guides/dp/0764130560/sr=8-2/qid=1164740335/ref=sr_1_2/104-7072188-1327947?ie=UTF8&s=books)Schliewen, Ulrich. (http://www.amazon.com/Tropical-Freshwater-Aquarium-Compass-Guides/dp/0764130560/sr=8-2/qid=1164740335/ref=sr_1_2/104-7072188-1327947?ie=UTF8&s=books)

[jm1212]

My advice is go to the library (I know how old school is that)and check out a fish guide or encyclopedia. Match the picture with the fish. You cannot trust what the signs at petsmart ...petco say. iv echecked out every book about the hobby at my library and read them front to back at least once... i think that the hitting the books instead of surfing the web is much more reliable.

[tai95]

iv echecked out every book about the hobby at my library and read them front to back at least once... i think that the hitting the books instead of surfing the web is much more reliable.


That's very hard to say. I've seen most of the books at the local library, and most of them were printed in the late 70's early 80's. With internet you at least have up to date information. You also get various opinions about the question. With a book you only get the authors opinion.

[jm1212]

That's very hard to say. I've seen most of the books at the local library, and most of them were printed in the late 70's early 80's. With internet you at least have up to date information. You also get various opinions about the question. With a book you only get the authors opinion.after reading most of them, all of the species profiles were similar, but they way they had their tanks set up and the occupants were different in some cases, so i took all of their oppinions into consideration and then started in the hobby. needless to say, i learned most of the info that i know here on AC (i.e stocking capabilities, filter choices, which fish with which, which fish like schools of more than six)

[jennfier]

That's very hard to say. I've seen most of the books at the local library, and most of them were printed in the late 70's early 80's. With internet you at least have up to date information. You also get various opinions about the question. With a book you only get the authors opinion.True but fish still live pretty much the same way now as in the 70s & 80s. The difference would be in equipment, meds etc. Just take it w/ a grain of salt and mix w/ opinions on the web. I find that it's helpful for newbies to read the books first before posting questions every 5 mins on a forum.. besides, there's a LOT of misinformation online (misinformed opinions + good advice => very confused newbies). At least, the authors of the books usually have some advanced degree in a related field.

[kuhliloach]

i say bothe together would be a perfect algae clean up crew. of course if u have a tank 20g +. both are great. pleco's grow as big as 9 inches! way 2 much of a tank taker upper. Algae eaters are more difficult becuase as thet grow older they will be uninterested in the leftovers and warf the fish down like fly's.
good luck choosing!