heres some info on the different "morphs" and L numbers
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22382&highlight=gold+nugget
they get to about 14.2" but it hasnt been distinguished whether or not they grow different sizes (the Baryancistrus sp 'gold nugget' from different rivers). they prefer slightly acidic soft water, like all plecos, and somewhere between 6.3pH and 7.7, but i keep all my plecos including GN at 6.5.
In the wild they sift and chew at the film of organic matter on hard surfaces in search of higher protein foods such as insect larvae, recently dead animals, eggs, and small crustaceans. Although omnivorous they are predominantly meat eaters, and well fed individuals will not eat plants, and will generally look brighter and healthier in colouration. you can feed them anything from prawns, bloodworms, blackworms, sinking carnivore pellets etc. live, frozen or freezedried. They won't eat your algae either, but you should try some veggies for a balanced diet, like cucumber, zucchinni, broccolli, peas etc. in my exp. though, a GN will never not accept bloodworms! They are very territorial to other bottom dwellers especially when older and larger, and they definately hate members of their own spp. definately when there are two males present (you can tell the sex on GNs but be careful using just odontodal growth, as it doesnt differ greatly, and so is done by the shape of the head- males are wider and flatter, and not as plump looking). This is a species that is thought to need bogwood as a dietry requirement, but it definately needs a cave or somewhere to hide, so a holey piece of bogwood kills two birds with one stone. stay away with plecos with sunken bellys, and GN s seem to be kinda suseptible to internal parasites and some people have problems keeping them. i tend to not buy any plec under 2-2.5" cause they tend to be fragile, but my current GN ive had since it was 1.5" and i've never had a single problem with any of the ones ive kept.
good luck with it and post pics if you get it! beautiful plec
