need some pleco help

[loki993]

ok so I really want another pleco for the tank since we lost ours. heres the problem..theres so many and I want a nice one. here are some of the ones im thinking about:

gold nugget
blue phantom..if I could find one
im pretty sure I saw a nice green one at one point in a LFS but I have forgotten the name.
I tend to like the ones with the striking colors, or ones that are fairly unique.

thats just a few off the top of my head.

what im looking for are some more suggestions for ones that I may be able to look for, I have a local fish guy that says he can get me whatever I want as long as its legal so basically all I have to do if find one I really like and have him get it. here are a few stipulations:
1. I dont way one that gets bigger than 12 inches max, probably would be better at around 7-8.
2. no wood eaters, we have driftwood in that tank and I dont need the pleco eating it all.
3. id like a fairly active species, I know there mostly nocturnal, but that one we had before, he was a common, was actually out quite a bit when the lights were on, when he wasnt out he was under his bridge where we could still see him, I just dont was a pleco that well never see.
4. id like the keep the price under 50 dollars.

thanks in advance.

 

[drgold]

Green and Blue phantoms (L200, L128) are your best bet. They stay around the 8" mark, will generally be active (for plecos - especially the green), and don't eat much wood (all plecos eat it to some extent). Depending on where you are, expect to pay around $40-$50 for one, with blues being currently more common.

Otherwise, various hypancistrus (L66, L333, L260) have nice striped patterns, stay small, and eat minimal wood. But, they're more secretive and hide easier due to their smaller size.

 

[loki993]

I did not know that they all ate wood, I thought that the panaques were specifically wood eaters. I never noticed my common eating wood so I guess its not a problem just as long as they dont eat it all, like I begin to notice pieces of my driftwood missing. all those suggestions are very nice though.would it be possible to go with 2?? say maybe a green phantom and a l260?? the cat e log on planet catfish says the max out at 3.5 inches.

 

[The Zigman]

Please post pix of suggets plecos if possible, I too am looking for something a little different that wont destroy a planted tank.

 

[loki993]

go to planet catfish and pleco fanatics .com. they have multiple excellent pics . planet catfish has the cat e log which lists plecos, corys and other catfish by common name, scientific name or number, L number c number..etc.

 

[DarrylR]

If you wanted cheap, I would say Bristnose Pleco. It's not fancy but I am able to see it roaming my tank during the night or day. I would say zebra pleco, but that might be x3 your minimum wanting to pay. Always can check aquabid.com.

 

[Lupin]

LOL..I paid a lot just for a young Sturisoma panamense. Worth it though. It also happens to be the most active pleco I've ever had appearing all day in front of the tank and outcompeting the cories for food. Others I have are Rineloricaria sp. pantanal, Ancistrus sp. and Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps although I am sure you won't like the last one anyway since it reaches 18 inches.

I'm eyeing the Hemiloricaria sp.. Maximum size is believed to be 4 inches. It's twig and reddish in appearance. A stunning pleco but this is also ridiculously expensive to me.

 

[Lupin]

If you wanted cheap, I would say Bristnose Pleco. It's not fancy but I am able to see it roaming my tank during the night or day. I would say zebra pleco, but that might be x3 your minimum wanting to pay. Always can check aquabid.com.

pinkerd has bristlenose plecos for sale I believe. TwoTankAmin sells zebra plecos. Check both.

 

[Lupin]

Please post pix of suggets plecos if possible, I too am looking for something a little different that wont destroy a planted tank.

Have you check the sticky threads based on dietary requirements and the other containing list of loricariids owned? There are some photos found in the latter. Some plecos will eat plants if not fed with veggies such as Ancistrus. Sturisomas are often overlooked when they suit perfectly in a planted tank.

 

[loki993]

its not exactly cheap im looking for, just not outrageous. yes I really like the zebras, but 2 things wrong, really out of my price range ive seen the for 125+ and ive also heard there shy.