Pleco for 20

[sosgal721]

I am trying to find a pleco that would do well in a 20 tall with mid-level schooling fish and eat algae in the tank. I started by looking at a couple of sites that sell smaller ones since there are generally only common plecos available locally, and came up with the following potential list. In coming up with this list I added all the ones that I liked the look of, then removed any that got to over 6 inches or were strictly carnivores as listed at planetcatfish.com

L-02 Clown Pleco
Flash Pleco L-204 (Panaque sp.)
Red Spot Pleco LDA-31 (Panaque Albomaculatus)
L-333 Pleco

All of these are at AquaScapeOnline www.aquascapeonline.com/prodList.asp?idCategory=86 . I also looked at LiveAquaria, PetSolutions, and ArizonaGardens, but came up empty, at least for their in stock ones since I don't like Bushynose/Bristlenose or Rubbernose and the clown pleco is a repeat.

Any help would be appreciated, whether its adding to or removing one from my potential list, under the conditions that it has to be small enough for a 20, easy to buy, be $30 or under, and eat algae, but it gets to be the only bottom dweller with its own cave.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

According to Planet Cat:

333 is basically a meat eater.
204 eats wood and vegetables.

Clown is L104, L162, LDA22, the Panaque sp. (L002) 02 is aka Tiger ''Peckoltia'' and is a wood eater.

LDA-31 (Panaque Albomaculatus) is a carnivore mostly.


You left out one of the best small algae eaters, the bristlenose. This fish comes in different sizes from small to large. It is easy to find the small ones from hobby breeders.

 

[sosgal721]

According to Planet Cat:

333 is basically a meat eater.
204 eats wood and vegetables.

Clown is L104, L162, LDA22, the Panaque sp. (L002) 02 is aka Tiger ''Peckoltia'' and is a wood eater.

LDA-31 (Panaque Albomaculatus) is a carnivore mostly.


You left out one of the best small algae eaters, the bristlenose. This fish comes in different sizes from small to large. It is easy to find the small ones from hobby breeders.

Thanks for the reply.

Does being a wood eater imply that they don't eat algae or just mean that it is a requirement in their diet (I thought all did to some degree)? If the first case is true it sounds like you are saying that none of the ones I listed would eat a sufficient amount of algae. Don't get me wrong, I don't want a pleco just so I don't have to clean the algae myself, I think they are really neat too, I just appreciate how my juvenile common pleco keeps the glass in my 55 spotless.

I looked at the bristlenose, but I am not a big fan of the way they look, at least the ones that I have seen. I don't mind if it looks "hairy" (many small, short bristles), but I don't like the ones that look like there is a small shrub on their nose. Are there any in particular that fit the first description?

 

[RoseFishWatcher]

Maybe find a female bristlenose? They sometimes have bristles, but much smaller and many less (and sometimes not at all) than males. If you like them, you could even find a long fin and/or albino. That's if you really want algae eating in a fish.

If you're going to get a pleco just because you like it, get whatever fits in the tank : ) . 'Course, research what they need to eat too.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

How can you not love a face like this.

This is my oldest female lf bn:

 

[sosgal721]

How can you not love a face like this.

That one looks a lot better than some of the other pictures I have seen.

Does being a wood eater imply that they don't eat algae or just mean that it is a requirement in their diet (I thought all did to some degree)?

Does anyone have any answer for this? Is it better to assume that they don't eat algae unless it specifically says that they do?

 

[Lupin]

Does anyone have any answer for this? Is it better to assume that they don't eat algae unless it specifically says that they do?

Most plecs do eat algae but wood should always be included in some plecs' diet considering it helps aid their digestive system.

 

[pinkertd]

I would not count on the clown pleco to keep the tank clean of algae. They do eat wood. The one I had stayed hidden on a large piece of malaysian driftwood, kept the driftwood clean, but the rest of the tank it seemed to ignore. I have since kept dwarf bristlenose and what a difference in the tanks! Check the for sale area, I have some babies for sale now.

 

[Mizzou]

So a clown pleco won't actually "eat" your driftwood just keep it clean from algae?

 

[pinkertd]

Clowns will eat the wood too.