# Pleco for 16 gallon tank?



## funnythingis (Dec 18, 2008)

I have a 16 gallon tank and would like to get a pleco. I know that some stay small and others can get rather large. I have no special "fish" stories in my town, just petsmart, petco and buzz n bees. Are there any plecos that are common and I could get for my tank. 

Currently I have 1 dwarf gourami, 1 platy, 1 cory, 5 pearl danios


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## justintrask (Jun 29, 2008)

get 4 more cories first off to beef up your shoal. they will be happier.

now, with a pleco, you need driftwood in your tank. do you have that? also get some algae tablets.

look for bristlenose plecos. NOT common plecostomus (Hypostomus Plecostomus)

Or another alternative often found at petco for cheap are otocinclus.


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## StripesAndFins (Dec 31, 2008)

also you could get a rubber lip pleco. Although they arent as small as Bristlenosed plecos, they are still pretty small, like 5 inches. You should be able to find them at petsmart as i can find them at mine. Hope this helps


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## funnythingis (Dec 18, 2008)

I am going to get more cories next weekend. Four wouldn't be too much for my tank? I'm afraid of overstocking. I have a piece of driftwood thing, pretty sure its not real wood though. Does it have to be real wood?


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## funnythingis (Dec 18, 2008)

Also I've read some negative things about otos and that they can get rather larger.


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

You haven't been reading about otos, then! Otos are very small, around 1.5-2", and are great algae eaters.


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## Kyoberr (Dec 6, 2006)

Yeah, don't get like the Common Plecostemus unless you want to be murdered in your sleep by a fish enthusiast. Hahahaha, jk (kind of), but yeah, they generally get too big, or at least they should.


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## StripesAndFins (Dec 31, 2008)

funnythingis said:


> I have a piece of driftwood thing, pretty sure its not real wood though. Does it have to be real wood?


yes it should if you want to keep a pleco in your tank. Driftwood aids digestion and adds a natural look to your tank



funnythingis said:


> I am going to get more cories next weekend. Four wouldn't be too much for my tank? I'm afraid of overstocking.


Well it depends on the species. If it is a bearded cory then just stick with 2-3 as they can live in pairs. Any other type of cory should work in a 16 gallon in a group of 5-6.

Hope this helps


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

PetSmart seems to carry the rubber lipped a lot out here so you shouldn't have any problems with finding those. You definitely need driftwood, mopani works great and can be found at most pet stores. The local PetSmart here carries mopani, as does the PetCo. Both the rubber lipped and the bristle nosed are great plecos. My ABN stays out even during the day. He lives in a 20 gallon so there really aren't a huge number of places to hide. My rubber lipped pleco's are in the 100 gallon and they are not commonly seen. I still am not positive that both are still alive. I know that one is for sure but the other seems to just not show itself much at all. I like them both. My friend who loves ugly things says that my ABN is actually too ugly for her LOL. She saw him and said to me "I think you win on that one."

Oto cats stay very small and are sensitive little guys. Good luck if you go that route. I like them for cuteness factors, but will not get them again for difficulty factors. 

Do not get a Chinese algae eater. Those get too big. 

Siamese algae eaters can look like oto's when small, but they to get fairly large. It is also possible that I have the Chinese and Siamese algae eater's backwards. 

Common plecos can get over 2 feet so you are good to avoid those. 

There are a lot of plecos that would stay small enough for your tank, but they get harder and harder to find. I would look on someplace like aquabid to get an idea of what is out there. Profiles galore can be found at planet catfish.


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## noonein2 (Jan 27, 2009)

Yeah get a small pleco try and look for the really rare Zebra Pleco.


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## StripesAndFins (Dec 31, 2008)

Zebra plecos will cost you a fortune plus they need warmer water than the fish that you have in your tank already. I would highly reccomend not getting a Zebra plec not only for its cost, but its needs of temperature. Clown plecs may work well in the tank as well.

Hope this helps


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## Merf (Feb 24, 2009)

I have a clown plecostomus in my tank, and they stay small...about 2.5". I'd say that would be the perfect addition. My clown pleco has survived EVERYTHING, and he's still going strong even without any driftwood in my tank. Though I do plan on getting some.


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