Pleco for a 26gal....

[bcarlos]

as to the smaller plecos, I'd go with a clown pleco or a bulldog pleco, they stay quite small . . . a bristlenose is smaller than a common, but can still get to 5" or so, and they don't spend much time eating algae

Ancistrus are easily the best algae eaters out of all Loricariids.

 

[Sab_Fan]

Ancistrus are easily the best algae eaters out of all Loricariids.

we disagree . . . have you owned both? I do . . .

please, enlighten me with the empirical proof of your authoritative statement . . .

 

[convictpleco]

A clown pleco would work.

 

[Kalen]

yeah, I keep them too, and they aren't bad algae eaters . . . I've just noted how much more the bulldogs are eating algae on the plants and on the glass, while the bristlenoses spend more time on the driftwood

do you have driftwood? if you don't, that might explain why you see them eating more algae . . .

Yes, I have driftwood in every tank they are in because bristlenose require it as part of their diet (not to mention I use it to help soften the water.)

 

[Sab_Fan]

Yes, I have driftwood in every tank they are in because bristlenose require it as part of their diet (not to mention I use it to help soften the water.)

yup, exactly . . .

and my intented point - - which perhaps did not come thru - - is that in my tanks, the bushynose plecos spend more time on the driftwood than on the algae, while the bulldogs spend more time on the algae itself . . .

also, bushynose plecos grow notably larger, and the OP has a 26G tank

especially in smaller tanks, and planted tanks, I prefer bulldogs and otocinclus cats . . . but I keep all of 'em, and also have a few clown plecos