Pleco for 10 gallon tank?

[nuth88]

For a tank that small you should look for otocinclus or rubberlip pleco. I do not condone the action of putting a fish like a common pleco in a small tank, they need a minimum of 18" width for life. They are also not an algae eater for life, and should not be fed on purely algae for their entire lives, they do need to be fed.

Now, I could be wrong? Im not an expert, but when a mod agrees with you, I feel vindicated.

2 Feet?

That would go against all I have been told and read. But, I am human and could be incorrect.

 

[Tongue33]

otos are the best choice for a tank that small.

If you MUST have a plec, then really the rubberlip is the only one that might work, but the bioload might be too much for a tank that small.

Agreed Otocinclus

 

[davo]

Now, I could be wrong? Im not an expert, but when a mod agrees with you, I feel vindicated.

2 Feet?

That would go against all I have been told and read. But, I am human and could be incorrect.

Most of the commonly available rubberlips (Chaetostoma sp) grow to under 5", and although there are a couple of bigger ones, no where near 2 feet to my knowledge

 

[nuth88]

Most of the commonly available rubberlips (Chaetostoma sp) grow to under 5", and although there are a couple of bigger ones, no where near 2 feet to my knowledge

That's what I thought, I just saw the 2' statement and was like, "well maybe I am wrong??"

It happens, just don't tell my wife!

 

[killerfish]

im not sure myself i just saw a really big pleco once and was told it was a rubber lip

 

[mitch4ya]

Here's a pic of a common pleco that is too big for my 75 gallon tank.

 

[moespeaking]

I have a little clown pleco in my 38 gallon, he is only 2 inches if that and creates a huge amount of waste. It seems his bio load is the same as my rhino pleco who is about 7.5". So even when you go with small plecos, they should really be housed in a 30 gallon plus.

 

[abpositive]

Yep..... I am dumb.... Good one!

I have had pleco's for years and if you feed them discs constantly they will grow huge fast. If you let them do what they do in nature and eat algae they will do just that and grow very slowly. Yea you wont be able to keep them in the tank for 10 years but lets face if most people with a 10 gallon tank will not have it that long anyway..ie they will get out of the hobby or they will upgrade to a bigger tank. they said "cheap".! A common pleco is just that a dime a dozen!

In nature, plecs eat rotten fruit, insects, larvea, fish eggs, dead fish, fallen leaves and branches, the occasional rotting drowned rat carcass, seeds, bivalves....and a thousand other things I haven't even thought of.

I hope you don't think I'm jumping on you, but just leaving a plec to eat nothing but algea is not cool.

 

[BIGgourami]

FLYING FOXES!!
they only get like 3" long and do a pretty good job.

 

[Pagan]

FLYING FOXES!!
they only get like 3" long and do a pretty good job.

They can get over 5", and should have at least a 29 gallon tank since they are very active.