Need help pickin' a plec

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Coues

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Mar 29, 2010
268
3
33
New Jersey
I recently traded in a large common pleco towards a nice Goldie L014. He's awesome and is a cool contrast to my LDA033. But since I got rid of the common guy, the algae on my driftwood has gone CRAZY. I had no idea how much that dude was doing to keep that in check. So, I'd like to get another pleco to help keep the algae down, but don't want a common plec. What's a different and attractive pleco that's more "veggie minded" than the two I have and can help out this algae siuation? Any help is appreciated. Tank is a 125 with mixed sa cichlids. Thanks!

Kevin
 
Coues;4587657; said:
I recently traded in a large common pleco towards a nice Goldie L014. He's awesome and is a cool contrast to my LDA033. But since I got rid of the common guy, the algae on my driftwood has gone CRAZY. I had no idea how much that dude was doing to keep that in check. So, I'd like to get another pleco to help keep the algae down, but don't want a common plec. What's a different and attractive pleco that's more "veggie minded" than the two I have and can help out this algae siuation? Any help is appreciated. Tank is a 125 with mixed sa cichlids. Thanks!

Kevin
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I would go with some bristlenose plecs as they are good algae eaters (hopefully they won't be seen as food to the cichlids). The alibino ones are quite attractive; the regular brown ones have their own charm too. If you care, there are different "color forms" (red, green, marble) and longfin varieties. Check aquabid to see the variation available.
 
hey, I am new to this site, and just have a general question about my pleco? he is in a tank with a red belly piranha, several convicts and a frontosa (for 3 years now)....he is currently about 7" long. I cannot remember how big he was when I got him, but it seems he is growing much slower than the frontosa and the piranha....I am feeding him lettuce, which he LOVES, and other sinking foods. He also seems to enjoy the smaller sinking cichlid pellets? Is there something else I should be feeding him to help him grow? Do they grow more slowly as they age? He still moves around the tank frequently, although he seems to prefer staying on the driftwood mostly. His belly always looks full (which is what people seem to say shows that they are eating)....looking for any opinions
 
I have some rubber lip and clowns and they love the drift wood. Sooo that might help, also my rubber lip works harder than any other pleco I've ever had to keep my glass squeaky clean :]
 
Any of the larger (4-5 inch+) ancistrus species will do the trick. L34 aka Medusa pleco is a cool, less common addition than your run of the mill albino bristlenose. They do just fine with SA or African ciclids IME; I would be sure to provide enough hiding spaces so there are no quarells with the bigger, more aggressive L14.
 
My P. gibbiceps is very happy eating everything in my tank. He even goes after the bloodworms. He will tear up some blanched zucchini. Maybe you should try that. The zucch never lasts long in my tank so I don't worry about removing it after any amount of time. The pleco will just hang onto it and go to town.. You should give it a shot!
 
karri;4590645; said:
I would go with alibino bristlenose, good algae eaters and look great.
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They're awesome workers. Mine is just a regular chocolate bristlenose but has already doubled in size since I bought him a couple months ago. I'd recommend the gibbiceps (grow to be large but very hungry!)
 
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