Help Me Pic A Plec!

[Channti]

So, I've got a 46 gallon bow-front tank. Low-light, low-tech, planted, with a sand substrate and driftwood. Tank is heavily overfiltered (total filtration is rated for 110 gallons).

It's currently housing 4 otocinclus affinis, but the little guys are exactly that, little, and are being nipped at by my serpae tetras. I'm looking for a pleco to take over the roles of the otos in my tank (cleaning the clear-icky algae stuff that builds up on the glass), and looking cute.

The tank measurements are:
16.25"Wx20"Hx36"L.

I'm looking for something pretty (colourful/distinctive markings), something that will clean -some- algae (though this will not be the main food source), something that will not eat my plants, and something that would stay relatively small (no commons!).

Final Tank inhabitants:
Pair angels
serpae tetras
zebra striata loaches
hatchet fish (possibly)

 

[snowflake311]

Rubber nose or BN pleco. Maybe a few pitbull plecos. Or you could get a clown pleco but they hide a lot and don't do much algea cleaning.

 

[fuzzynicki]

I'd def opt for a bn. They are great algae eaters and don't grow too large. Mine are always on show too, whereas I rarely see my clowns!

 

[Channti]

Is there any difference between the Starlight BN Pleco and the "normal" BN Pleco?

 

[kizno1]

Is there any difference between the Starlight BN Pleco and the "normal" BN Pleco?

Starlight L183 are alot harder to caare for they like black water conditions and a really low ph. If your looking for a bn thats colourful have a for Ancistrus claro.
http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=152

 

[fuzzynicki]

I have longfin bn's. standard colour and albinos. They are gorgeous!

 

[stoneagedinosaur]

Defo go with a couple of BN plecos. Great characters in the tank

 

[JenCliBee]

Is there any difference between the Starlight BN Pleco and the "normal" BN Pleco?

What species do you mean?, L183 is called a white seam and the 182 is a starlight. Both grow considerably bigger than common BN's with the L182 been the largest.

Is there any difference between the Starlight BN Pleco and the "normal" BN Pleco?

Starlight L183 are alot harder to caare for they like black water conditions and a really low ph. If your looking for a bn thats colourful have a for Ancistrus claro.
http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=152

L83 are no harder to care for than any other BN, most you will find around (if you manage to find them) will be tank bred, blackwater isn't a must for these plecs unless you intend to breed and even then they have been known quite often to breed in normal tank conditions with normal tank water (not blackwater setup at all). I admit wild caught will be a bit harder to keep but not really to the point you have to do anything special unless you really did plan on breeding.

The main difference would be obtaining 183 at a decent price and obtaining them at all, they seem to be like rocking horse doo-doo at the moment, they are stunning plecs but males can become very very aggressive towards it's own species and others (male and female).

 

[Channti]

I know I've seen the White Seam Pleco (labelled as a Starlight BN Pleco) at the Massive LFS an hour away @ somewhere between $30 and $50, and I know it was a "tank raised" fish because I asked when I was there last...

The plan had been to get one (before I got the otos), as while it grows larger than the regular BN pleco, it's still small enough to live in my tank happily. I don't mind paying a little more for the pleco to have something "different." Looks like I'm going back to plan A.... and if they don't have any in, I'll settle for an albino BN I guess.

 

[Carlovel1]

No , most plecos are peaceful and will be picked on like from my experience , BN plecos. A better addition would be the Golden Nugget Pleco. Surely this is the most beautiful. These are most tough than other plecos and are teritorial with other Golden Nugget Plecos so only have 1. They do a decent job on cleaning the tank , but CAUTION:!
THESE PLECOS ARE KNOWN TO JUMP FROM TANKS WHEN STRESSED , preety weird I know. Also expect to pay slightly more for these plecos, they arent the budget plecs.

Also I wouldnt recommend Hatchetfish with angelfish unless the angel fish are small, other wise the angels will kill the hatchets

 

[stang1]

Not entirely sure where you find your info Carlove but Golden Nuggets are not the hardiest of Plecs and can't be relied on to eat algae. I've also not heard of Plecs jumping out of tanks when they are stressed

Channti- Bristlenose are great little Plecs, although not the prettiest, they still make a great addition to the tank. It's also worth looking at Whiptail catfish, unusual but stunning.

 

[Channti]

I've got a very tight fitting lid (Glass; only a 1" gap at the back that I plan to fill in with plastic mesh.

Hatchetfish are the "maybe" on my list of additions, but I think I need to do a little more research to see if they can hold their own against my nippy Serpae tetras. I want some kind of top-dweller as I've got my bottom covered with what will probably now be yoyo loaches. Serpaes in the mid/low range. ANgels in the all-over range. Top dweller and Plec are all that I'm missing

Angels are going to be my centerpieces once the guy at the pet store gets his hands on six juvenile Koi angels for me and gives me a call.

In a plec, eating algae isn't all that important to me. I don't mind using a mag-float to do it. I mainly just want something that's pretty and that I'll see cruising on my glass on an evening/chilling on the driftwood. I want a social, pretty, plec more than anything.

I've never had a tank big enough to house a pleco, so now that I've got one, I don't want to have the tank without one.

 

[stang1]

You may struggle to find a sociable Plec as they do prefer to venture out when the lights are off. You could add a blue light to the tank as that may encourage it out.
As for pretty Plecs, there are loads! Check out the pinned topic of Plecs 8" and under, some great ones on there.

 

[kizno1]

I wouldnt get golden nugget they get to big and territorial for a 46G IMO. I really would look for some Ancistrus claro if you can find them. there only small so you could probably have a group of 5 +. 1m 4F would be best because males wil fight and eat eachothers eggs.

 

[Channti]

I can't find the Ancistus Claro.

I'm basically limited to Albino BN, BN, Common, High-fin spotted, White seam, Golden Nugget,and a couple L#s I can't remember.

On occasion I can get pitbull or candystripe plecos, but it's very rare.