Small Tank, Which Pleco?

[paw-paw]

HI!

One of my tanks is small and I have female guppies in it. I am thnking of giving away all my female guppies and get new unrelated to my males.
I currently have 2 otos in this small tank but am thinking of buying 3 or 4 more of them and moving them into my bigger tank...

What pleco could I keep in the smaller tank. I want one that will eat algae, but also other prepared food in case there are no more algae in aquarium...I kno BN plec would grow too big, but I saw parotocinclus jumbo ( pitbul plec). Would thatbe a good addition to my small tank or not? I still don't know how many female guppies I will have in there, probably not a lot.
How many pitbull plecs should I get (if they wouldbe ok)?

Or do you have other suggestions? Other plecs, I know some stay quite small. The only problem is I really want one that will eat algae plus other food (that is why I will move ottos because I am worried there might not be enough algae in here for them).

 

[Thomas 2507]

You shouldn't rely on plecs to eat algae but there are a few species that would probably be okay: clow, bristlenose and common.

 

[San O Fisher]

I would think a common pleco would outgrow your tank rather quickly! I think the pitpull pleco would be a good fit, but i dont know how good they are at cleaning algae, and that said you would want to suppliment their diet w/ zuchinni and algae waffers. I think you might be able to get away w/ BN pleco, but i am not too sure on that. I believe a clown pleco only gets to about 4 inches as well. I would also suggest a group of 3-5 oto's, they are small, very active, and love algae.

 

[indigoj]

I definitely wouldn't put a common plec in a 60l tank (as I think the original poster is well aware) a single bristlie would be ok but I think a couple or 3 pitbulls would work.

 

[darkwolf29a]

I would go bristlenose...but, that's just cuz they are my favorite.

As for Common.................. in a word....... NO!!!!!!!!!!!!! Commons get to be about 12 to 18 inches long. You don't want that in there, since it will outgrow the tank, period.

 

[paw-paw]

so you think BN would be OK in there?

I definetly am not getting a common, dont worry Than perhaps I will try BN and if he won't be ok I will move him in my 63 US gallon tank?
Tho I am still thinking of moving ottos in the bigger tank. Well I was thinking of getting BN for my bigger tank...
But you think parotocinclus may work in the small aquarium?

I know I should feed plecos too. I already have three different varieties of food for bottom dwellers and alo knoe they like veggies, I used to have a pleco before

 

[rocknurworld2006]

you could get a pair of bn's if you wanted in a 2foot tank

 

[Egmel]

I have a parotocinclus (spilisoma I think - the gold spot one) he does eat algae but I wouldn't say that he keeps the tank clean as I still have to revert to my scraper if I've been a bit lax on the water changes

I would say that you could have 2 or three in a 60l depending on how many guppies of course. Also depends on which type of parotocinclus you go for, the gold spots are quite territorial and don't shoal together so you need to have at least one 'safe' spot for each. Mine seems to prefer the slate cave I've got rather than the wood that's available.

 

[dwarfgourami]

you could get a pair of bn's if you wanted in a 2foot tank

A pair of bristlies means a lot of crap in a small tank. Also, they can get a bit territorial. Personally, I'd go for something a bit smaller than even one bristlie, as they are such mucky pups.