# To pleco or not to pleco...



## narizina (Mar 17, 2010)

So, my girlfriend really wants a pleco for my 10 gallon tank (it's her favorite kind of fish).

Now, when I asked an associate at Petco (horrible idea) what I should do, he told me not to even bother because it would grow too large for the tank. He also said that adding a pleco would make the tank overcrowded, even if it was a baby one. Finally, he said I would do better to choose a Chinese algae eater, but even then, it might be too much.

Normally, I would just take their word for it because they are supposed to know what they are doing. However, they've let me astray before and two different people said they had more than 6 fish and a pleco in a 10 gallon tank for approximately 3 years and never had a problem. What's the deal? What should I do?


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## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

They are right... your average "common pleco" does indeed get too big for a 10 gallon. In fact, Chinese Algae Eaters are not right, either. When they get bigger they get vicious and attack other fish (trust me from firsthand experience).

I don't know of a pleco I would recommend for a 10 gallon. A 20 gallon, yes, but a 10 is pushing it. Some plecos like "rubberlips" (aka Bulldog plecos) or "clown" plecos both stay pretty small and can live in smaller tanks. But considering the stock that is already in your 10, I wouldn't tell you to get any pleco, no matter how small they stay. 

Get some ottoclinus catfish. They are tiny little sucker catfish, and they swim around eating algae from the walls and decorations. You could easily have 4 or so in your 10 (with your current stocking) and they would not mess up the bioload.


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## narizina (Mar 17, 2010)

Awesome. Thanks - you're the best!


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

there are about 600 or so species of pleco..many of which are quite suitable for a 10 gallon tank.i keep about a dozen or so species of pleco.none of them exceed 6 or 7 inches except fo a couple of my bushynose which are about 8 inches.
sure chinese algae eaters would be better than a common pleco..they only get 8 or 10 inches long...and get meaner than snot.
look for some of the commonly available bushynose plecoes..they won't get too big and they aren't that expensive..i raise and breed both brown and albinos..they are an interesting and beneficial fish..i keep and breed my pairs in 10 gallon tanks..raise the fry in 20's and 40's


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

narizina said:


> What should I do?


Agreed with lo.

A BN pleco will work.

TR


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## Cacatuoides (Feb 2, 2009)

A BN, or Rubber lip, Or clown will work. Maybe even the right gold nugget. BN will be the most common. Otocinculus are awesome catfish as well. With them you can 4 or 5 too so.


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## Guest (Mar 18, 2010)

listen to Loha.


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## narizina (Mar 17, 2010)

Are BNs relatively easy to find? Because I went on a search for otos after hxc's suggestion and there were none in my area that I could see.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

bushynose should be all over the place down there..if you can't find them ; i have some for sale.look in the vendor section where it says Neptune Aquatics..they are listed there.


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## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

narizina said:


> Are BNs relatively easy to find? Because I went on a search for otos after hxc's suggestion and there were none in my area that I could see.


They usually sell ottos at Petsmarts and sometimes Petcos... if it helps, ours were incorrectly being sold as "rasboras" when nothing could be farther from the truth, lol.


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## narizina (Mar 17, 2010)

Ha... I already called two places and the first one had no idea what I was talking about and the second place said they never carry them. I'm going to make some more phone calls tomorrow, but on the off-chance that those places won't have any either... exactly how would you ship a pleco to Florida?


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## Cam (Nov 9, 2009)

Don't Ottos need plants? I have been told that on FF.


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## narizina (Mar 17, 2010)

hXcChic22 said:


> They usually sell ottos at Petsmarts and sometimes Petcos... if it helps, ours were incorrectly being sold as "rasboras" when nothing could be farther from the truth, lol.


I called PetCo and the guy had no idea what I was talking about. I rattled off other names they are known by and there was just silence on the other end. I suppose I could call back and ask for that name.. that or call PetSmart...


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## narizina (Mar 17, 2010)

Cam said:


> Don't Ottos need plants? I have been told that on FF.


I haven't read anything on them that says so. In fact, I believe there was something that said they will not disturb plants like Plecos might.


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## narizina (Mar 17, 2010)

hXcChic22 said:


> They usually sell ottos at Petsmarts and sometimes Petcos... if it helps, ours were incorrectly being sold as "rasboras" when nothing could be farther from the truth, lol.


Neither PetCo nor PetSmart had any, but I found this independently run aquarium store and they had tons of little otos. I got one, but he's tiny right now. I'm worried the platies and swords will mess with him...


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## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

narizina said:


> Neither PetCo nor PetSmart had any, but I found this independently run aquarium store and they had tons of little otos. I got one, but he's tiny right now. I'm worried the platies and swords will mess with him...


They won't. He's fast and I very highly doubt the livebearers will think him a threat or a food source. We've kept the three together and not lost a single one of the ottos. We bought five back in September and still have all of them, plus two more that we've bought since.
They've also been kept with more aggressive fish, like our Rainbow Sharks and Redfin Shark (when we still had them) and Striped Panchax Killi. (You should see him hunt ghost shrimp! lol)


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## narizina (Mar 17, 2010)

Well that's good statistics. Lol But yeah, they've left him alone. They were just really curious at first, but no nipping. And my girlfriend loves it. Thanks again!


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## FishMatt (May 12, 2010)

The pleco grows to the size of the aquarium.


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