can u tell me the best small pleco i can buy at petco/petsmart?
by Aquaboy on Tuesday, June 29th, 2010 | 5 Comments
i wanna add a cool pleco to my 29 gallon tank, but there are lots of dwarf plecos, but i wanna know which one is the most popular on the stores, and stays small for its life, and looks pretty. my fishes are:
3 tiger barbs
3 zebra danios
one 3″ peaceful firemouth
it also runs a whisper power filter, and has hiding places as well, i have no live plants, and my tank has been established for 7 months.
i also have a huge common pleco in my other big tank, so i know how to take care of it, (veggies, algae, etc.)
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The small pleco that is easiest to keep in an aquarium is the “dwarf bristlenose pleco,” Ancistrus temmincki or Ancistrus dolichopterus or related species. It is an attractive species (if you like plecos), eats algae, and can breed in a relatively small tank. It should be happy in the tank you describe. There are also albino and longfinned versions of this fish, if you want something “fancy.”
Just so you know, your firemouth is not likely to remain peaceful as it gets bigger. Firemouths are not among the most aggressive cichlids, but they are still Central American cichlids, so they will try to establish and defend a territory, and will eat other fish that are small enough.
The only plecos that I have seen at my local Petsmart or Petco are common ones. I have not seen them carry any ones that stay small throughout their lives. The only place I have been able to find them is small specialty stores. I think your best bets for a tank that size are: Rubber nose pleco, Bristle nose pleco, or a clown pleco. The Bristle Nose will probably be the easiest to find.
I got my rubber lip pleco at petsmart. Also try bristlenose plecos.
Rubberlips reach about 5 inches may, clown plecos reach about 3 inches max and bristlenose reach bout 5 inches max, all should be able to be found pretty readily at your local petsmart : )
Don’t forget the other requirements for them, some need driftwood, special feeding, ect. But it sounds like you have a handle on it though. I agree with some of the other answers. I don’t buy from chain stores, bad experiences. I seek out the strictly fish stores. Not only do they know about fish and fish alone, but the illnesses, special requirements, and can answer most questions any one has.