Need some help choosing catfish or pleco!

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zmazza

nano r33f 4 u
Feb 21, 2006
114
0
0
I've got a 40 gallon breeder and I have always wanted to keep a pleco or some sort of catfish. Until now, I've only had smaller tanks and not enough room.

I have hard alkaline water, around 8.3. No exact numbers on the dH.

Can any of you help me choose a good catfish or pleco for my tank? It's going in with a senegal bichir, so it needs to be tough. If it gets too big, I can always take it back.

Right now I'm aiming at two three spot gouramis and the senegal bichir, and then the single plec or 4-5 upside down catfish.

I'd love to have the plec though, so if you have a good one, let me know!

THanks!!

:help:
 

Addict

Here fishy, fishy
Feb 23, 2005
139
0
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Ohio
www.digitaldeviation.com
Common Plec (Snow King) has my vote, but I may be biased. I would go for a more mature Plec though. At least 6" in size so he won't seem like food to your senegal bichir. be sure that the Plec has a place to hide from the others.

I've had my Plec since he was about 2" long. He's now over 10" long. Everything that goes into my tank is with him in mind (just finished some new hideouts).
 

zmazza

nano r33f 4 u
Feb 21, 2006
114
0
0
Addict said:
Common Plec (Snow King) has my vote, but I may be biased. I would go for a more mature Plec though. At least 6" in size so he won't seem like food to your senegal bichir. be sure that the Plec has a place to hide from the others.

I've had my Plec since he was about 2" long. He's now over 10" long. Everything that goes into my tank is with him in mind (just finished some new hideouts).
So I could get a bigger common plec and be ok? My bichir is just about 2" right now. Will I be OK bioload wise in the 40 gallon? I think as slow growing as plecos are, I should be OK. I should be able to notice when he is getting too big for the tank.

What do you feed your plec? mine never seem to do well on the algae wafers.
 

budrecki

Trust me, it's for your own good.
Dec 17, 2005
751
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Orlando,FL
Plecos DO NOT grow slowly. My common sailfin, Rufus the big fat fish, is 18 months old and 16+ inches. Thats almost an incha month! And they are poop machines. I'm mean 10 inch streamers! Might want to think about something else....
 

LunchBox

Me fail english? that's unpossible!
Feb 7, 2006
645
0
0
Kalamazoo, MI
maybe a bristlenose pleco or 2? they get to be 3-4", which would be great for your size tank, but I'm not sure how the bichir would like them ;)

also, this comment:

If it gets too big, I can always take it back.

is a big no-no. you can't rely on an LFS to take back anything that just gets too big for your tank. Not trying to sound like a jerk; just trying to help :) go with one of the smaller plecos like the bristlenose.
 

zmazza

nano r33f 4 u
Feb 21, 2006
114
0
0
Not to sound harsh or anything, LunchBox... I know the rules and what not about not depending on a LFS... I've got one of those LFS that you dream about, the kind that only exist in fantasy, lol. These guys are fantastic. They sell the larger fish like crazy since there is such a high demand for them where I live. They have 16" plecs come through all the time, as well as 12-14" oscars. Not something they are willing to pay for, but if someone wants to donate or trade, they are all for it. Can bristlenose live in 8.3 pH water?
 

dino_eel

AC Members
Oct 21, 2005
58
0
0
plecos and bichirs don't mix, the pleco will probably stick to the side of the bichir and rasp away at his slime, I'd say go with some sort of catfish instead.
 

zmazza

nano r33f 4 u
Feb 21, 2006
114
0
0
Sounds good. I'm really hoping that I can actually KEEP catfish in this tank. Not sure what kind to go with though... They need to at least get 4-5" or so, that way they don't get eaten. I guess I can go with 3-4 upside down catfish...
 

LunchBox

Me fail english? that's unpossible!
Feb 7, 2006
645
0
0
Kalamazoo, MI
that's cool. I know normally most LFS won't take back stuff just because it's too big. my LFS dont' even take in babies from local people, so I'm used to having taking them back not being an option. ;)
 

zmazza

nano r33f 4 u
Feb 21, 2006
114
0
0
LoL no problem. Didn't mean to sound defensive. It's one of those things that are so uncommon it's unbelievable. I trade fish in all the time at my LFS for different fish. It's really fun and allows me to try a wide variety of fish and not have to spend an unbelievable amount of money.

An inch a month is slow enough for me that I probably wouldn't even notice, haha! I think fast is actually SEEING them growing. Any ideas on a good catifish or plec now that you know my situation? The bichir is still small, so if I get them now, maybe they can grow up together, you know?
 
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