L204 "Flash Pleco" aggression/territory?

cellodaisy

cellodaisy

AC Members
Jan 11, 2009
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Cincinnati OH 45219
meganstrickland.com
I've been looking for an L204 for my 30 gallon. They're a bit hard to find, but there's someone selling a 3-pack right now. They're unsexed, though, and I'm worried about what happens if I end up with more than one male. Is a 30g big enough for more than one, or is it asking for trouble?

I *might* be able to set up a second 30g if the need arose, but my partner might kick me out so I'd rather not. :P

I have not kept plecos before, and I'd really appreciate some advice. Thank you!
 
I kept 5 in a 29 for quite a while. Somewhere along the line 2 of them disappeared w/out a trace. Their tankmates were a group of 5 kubotai botia's and 2 curviceps cichlids. I also lost a group of Von Rio tetra's in that tank, one by one over a period of weeks, also w/out a trace. I can understand the tetras vanishing, but not the pleco's (that were bigger than the botia's) disappearing w/out so much as a corpse or bone remaining. I have occaisonally seen one chasing another a short distance, but never a split fin or any signs of real aggression. The 3 remaining are now in a 55 with 9-10 of the kubotai, and seem to share a certain chunk of driftwood quite nicely. I presume that's because it's a softer wood than the Mopani or Malaysian wood that covers most of the bottom of the tank (easier to gnaw on.)
As long as you provide plenty of cover (particularly wood) for them you should be fine. I keep 6 L-333's in a 30L w/out any problems, and there are also 7 L-134's in the 55 with the L-204's. IME pleco's are much easier to house together than cichlids...
 
The main problem will be all the pleco poop they'll produce. It's part sawdust, and tends to load up filters quicker than anything else. The 55 mine are in now has 2 aquaclear 110's running the UG filter plates. Most of the debris collects in the gravel, but the 29 had a sand substrate and a fluval 305 canister that was more of a pain to keep clean.
 
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