Fish Addict

I was thinking about possibly getting a pleco for my tank. What types are there that don't grow huge. I'd prefer something cheaper than $50 like a zebra...
Also, do they eat things besides algae, such as wafers/veggies?

Tom

You could go with a bristlenose pleco(BN pleco), a clown pleco, an L260(can't remember how to spell the full common name). There are lots of other types too, but they can't come to mind at the moment.
Tom

voiceless_kat

I have a wonderful little clown pleco. He eats algae; Omega one flakes; algae wafers....and he loves, loves zuchinnis; cucumber & green beans! And he loves to chaw down on his driftwood also. I paid $12 for him.

My next plec will be the bristlenose. I don't think the regular bn is very expensive.

Good luck with whatever you decide on.

Val

Either one of these would be a fun choice, IMO.

Tom

I have my two clown plecos in one of my tanks, one wild caught, one locally bred. I am pretty sure they are in breeding condition, but they are supposedly really hard to breed too.
Tom

COBettaCouple

We have little albino long-finned bristle nose plecos. They eat algae, Omega One veggie wafers and love veggie slices and their piece of mopani driftwood.

Sabi

You looking specifically for fancy plecos or something for algae?
Something that will cover both is a bristlenose pleco. A bit odd with bushy 'mustache' but a great looking pleco and will keep your tank spotless from any algae. Not expensive either.
L260s (queen arabesque pleco) are beautiful but are rather on the shy side and dont eat algae.
Checkout planet catfish, they have a countless amnt of catfish and info!http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/index.php

angelfish220

Bulldog or Rubbernose plecos are really cool.

Allie

I have a Blue Panaque, Clown and Bristlenoses. All of them stay around 4" with the bristlenoses & clown you need wood.

Fish Addict

Thanks! The queen arabesque looks really cool! what does it eat if it doesn't like algae? Also, what do you mean by eats driftwood? Should I expect my driftwood to be gone from them eating it, or do they just suck it or something?

COBettaCouple

Often they'll eat wood or meat, sometimes a combination of foods. You can look up profiles on the many, MANY types of plecos at www.planetcatfish.com

voiceless_kat

Nah...it won't be gone. For a while I wondered if mine were chawing on it, but soon I could see the marks on the wood where they just munch out. I have read that some will actually chew a hole into the wood if they are breeding, but I think that is not a common occurence in the hobby aquarium. The driftwood just looks like it was scraped. I think Morley is on the driftwood at night, I never see him do it. During the day he is all over the place -- really entertaining.

I think the correct term is "rasp".

Val

Fish Addict

That sounds perfect for me, since I have a big piece of driftwood in my tank, and I already have 4 otos and a snail...

Where do you get them?

Sabi

You find them in lakes and rivers or you can soak a piece of wood in water until it sinks, but check first that it doesn't rot. Best would be to get it from a lfs.
QAPs are carnivores but will eat a variety of sinking foods, they love bloodworm and may eat veggies. Overall easy to look after but as i said shy.

Fish Addict

Whoops, sorry. I was talking about the fish. I saw that they weren't on LiveAquaria (like I'd buy from there anyways with that shipping!)

Also, could they harrass/eat any of the other fish?

Coryd55

Try www.aquabid.com They are about the only people that I know that would sell Queen Arabesque besides a good LFS or personal online stores.

It would be highly unlikely that they would harass much less eat your other fish. Most plecos are very shy and don't come out often unless you have bountiful hiding places.

Sabi

Ohhh, lol sorry! Wont be able to help you there.

COBettaCouple

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog...species_id=229 - check this page for info on them. They're not likely to harass other fish, but other fish may bother them.

Sabi

And you can read here...
http://www.fishlore.com/aquariummaga...esquepleco.htm