Planted Tank Forums   
Your Tanks Plant Profiles Fish Profiles Photo Competition Photo Gallery Articles

Go Back   The Planted Tank Forum > Specific Aspects of a Planted Tank > Fish
Register FAQ Members List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read


Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 03-31-2008, 09:48 PM   #1 (permalink)
black_envy
Planted Member
 
PTrader: (1)
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Apple Valley, MN
Posts: 290
black_envy On way to respectblack_envy On way to respect
Default Most active pleco?

Hi what is the most active pleco that would fit comfortably in a 29 gallon tank?
__________________
Eh signatures are for squares
black_envy is offline   Reply With Quote



Old 03-31-2008, 09:56 PM   #2 (permalink)
mistergreen
Planted Tank Guru
 
mistergreen's Avatar
 
PTrader: (0)
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 2,432
mistergreen Respectedmistergreen Respectedmistergreen Respectedmistergreen Respectedmistergreen Respectedmistergreen Respectedmistergreen Respectedmistergreen Respectedmistergreen Respected
Default

try a group (6-10) of otos.
__________________
Algae happens.
mistergreen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2008, 10:59 PM   #3 (permalink)
mgamer20o0
Planted Tank Obsessed
 
PTrader: (17)
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: cali
Posts: 305
mgamer20o0 On way to respectmgamer20o0 On way to respectmgamer20o0 On way to respectmgamer20o0 On way to respect
Default

most plecos are not very active. the more you pay for them the more they hide it seems.
mgamer20o0 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2008, 11:30 PM   #4 (permalink)
ZLewis
Algae Grower
 
PTrader: (9)
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Pismo Beach, CA
Posts: 100
ZLewis On way to respect
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by mgamer20o0 View Post
most plecos are not very active. the more you pay for them the more they hide it seems.
That seems to be just about right. I have four different types of plecos and the only one I really ever see during the day is my female bristlenose. The key to seeing them during the day is to set up their hiding places so that you can see them too. A branchy piece of driftwood works well because they will usually hang upside down on it close to the substrate. You will be able to see them like that but they still won't be active.
ZLewis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2008, 12:19 AM   #5 (permalink)
Buck
Moderator
 
Buck's Avatar
 
PTrader: (3)
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Lebanon, CT
Posts: 4,886
Buck Very Well RespectedBuck Very Well RespectedBuck Very Well RespectedBuck Very Well RespectedBuck Very Well RespectedBuck Very Well RespectedBuck Very Well RespectedBuck Very Well RespectedBuck Very Well RespectedBuck Very Well RespectedBuck Very Well RespectedBuck Very Well RespectedBuck Very Well RespectedBuck Very Well RespectedBuck Very Well Respected
Default

The only ones you will see are the ones that cant hide. There isnt a pleco in existence that wont hide if given the opportunity...

I have a wood pile in my 75G and the only time I see him is when I sit by the tank in the dark with a "dim" background light in the room. Once a week or so before bed I try to make sure he is still kickin' in the tank and not dead.

Last week I still had a bristlenose...

EDIT:
Its sad too because they are very fun and interesting fish to sit and watch work.
__________________
Buckmanshome.Com
Buck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2008, 12:21 AM   #6 (permalink)
MOsborne05
Planted Member
 
MOsborne05's Avatar
 
PTrader: (8)
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Gibsonburg, Ohio
Posts: 196
MOsborne05 On way to respect
Default

I agree. I had a flash plec (L204) that I eventually sold because it was always hiding and always pooping!

I think you would be much happier with a school of cories in your tank
__________________
Morgan


45 gallon ~ soon to be saltwater reef!

7 gallon ~ planted
~ yellow shrimp
MOsborne05 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2008, 12:34 AM   #7 (permalink)
newshound
Planted Tank Obsessed
 
PTrader: (0)
Join Date: May 2005
Location: northern ontario canada
Posts: 371
newshound On way to respect
Default

although a group of SAE are too large for your tank I love the way they school as they eat. Kinda like a herd of cows actually.
but ya plecos just aren't into being seen.
__________________
under stock
over filter
newshound is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2008, 01:39 AM   #8 (permalink)
nonamesleft47
Algae Grower
 
PTrader: (5)
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Lexington, KY
Posts: 45
nonamesleft47 On way to respectnonamesleft47 On way to respectnonamesleft47 On way to respectnonamesleft47 On way to respectnonamesleft47 On way to respect
Default

a female bristlenose or bulldog would probably be your best bet. If you arrange their caves where they are visible then you'll be able to see them. After they take care of the algae in your tank though they will come out and eat shrimp pellets or algae wafers. In one 75 gallon I have a trio of bristlenose and the male has set up shop in a hole in a log. The two females are constantly hanging around the log but it is a pretty low light tank. In my planted tanks I almost never see them.
nonamesleft47 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2008, 01:43 AM   #9 (permalink)
jphan
Algae Grower
 
PTrader: (0)
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: rosemead, California
Posts: 104
jphan On way to respectjphan On way to respect
Default

my rubberlip pleco barely moves and its been 2 months and my dad was like u just got a new fish huh? i was like hes been in there for 2 freaking months...
jphan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2008, 02:10 AM   #10 (permalink)
sebtoche
Newbie
 
PTrader: (0)
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Québec, Canada
Posts: 1
sebtoche On way to respect
Default

I don't know if my sailfin pleco is an exception, but I can easily see him for 3-4 hours before the lights go out. He is definitely more active during the night, but I am surprise how often I can see him during the day. Sometimes, he even goes to the surface to eat flakes.
sebtoche is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2008, 03:00 AM   #11 (permalink)
black_envy
Planted Member
 
PTrader: (1)
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Apple Valley, MN
Posts: 290
black_envy On way to respectblack_envy On way to respect
Default

Thanks guys and I actually have a female bristlenose in my 20 gallon she is about an inch and a half long, but I was wondering if there were any more active plecos since I love their shape and how they stick to the glass lol and I see her often enough, I put the two driftwood pieces in the front of the tank so I can see her pretty often.

I guess a better question to ask would have been what is the most active between these species:
bulldog pleco
queen arabesque pleco
bristlenose pleco
clown pleco

I think those are all the dwarf varieties that I could afford...I saw a zebra pleco at my local fish store, it was only $199 because it had a damaged tail but that would grow back...
__________________
Eh signatures are for squares
black_envy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2008, 03:05 AM   #12 (permalink)
Riley
Planted Tank Obsessed
 
PTrader: (4)
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Michigan
Posts: 362
Riley RespectedRiley RespectedRiley RespectedRiley RespectedRiley RespectedRiley RespectedRiley Respected
Send a message via AIM to Riley Send a message via Yahoo to Riley
Default

Queens are definately a little to shy. I would go with a bristlenose pleco. I had a pair in my 29 gallon and there were always running around the tank.
__________________
Riley

Apistos, plecs and plants

Need Fish? PM me and let me know what you looking for!


MiAPG (Michigan Aquatic Plant Group) - Join today!
Riley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2008, 04:18 AM   #13 (permalink)
aznkonner
Planted Member
 
PTrader: (2)
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: los angeles, ca
Posts: 209
aznkonner On way to respectaznkonner On way to respectaznkonner On way to respectaznkonner On way to respectaznkonner On way to respectaznkonner On way to respect
Default

only the bristlenose is active. queens hide, bulldog i'm not too sure, and my clown hides REALLY well. i only see my clown when i move to a new tank :-p u may think the bristlenose isn't active enough but out of all the plecos they're about as active as they get. a goldy pleco is pretty active as well but no way they'll work in a 29 gallon. if u want some variety get some albinos, longfins, males, and females. the longfins are awesome looking. and i have a few in my own tanks.
aznkonner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2008, 04:24 AM   #14 (permalink)
lauraleellbp
Fresh Fish Freak
 
lauraleellbp's Avatar
 
PTrader: (11)
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Naples, Florida
Posts: 4,283
lauraleellbp Very Well Respected
lauraleellbp Very Well Respectedlauraleellbp Very Well Respectedlauraleellbp Very Well Respectedlauraleellbp Very Well Respectedlauraleellbp Very Well Respectedlauraleellbp Very Well Respectedlauraleellbp Very Well Respectedlauraleellbp Very Well Respectedlauraleellbp Very Well Respectedlauraleellbp Very Well Respectedlauraleellbp Very Well Respectedlauraleellbp Very Well Respected
Default

x2 or 3 or whatever I never see my clown pleco at all, and it's only in a 10gal. Spends all day hiding under the driftwood, and only comes out at night to scrounge around the tank.

Clowns especially need a lot of driftwood in their diet; recent research is showing that most pleco species actually need wood to chew on!
__________________
Laura Lee; 10gal planted RCS colony, 46gal FW community w/ el plasticos, 90gal FW planted in progress- see my journal at http://forums.tfhmagazine.com/viewto...p?f=82&t=23207
lauraleellbp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2008, 04:32 AM   #15 (permalink)
aznkonner
Planted Member
 
PTrader: (2)
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: los angeles, ca
Posts: 209
aznkonner On way to respectaznkonner On way to respectaznkonner On way to respectaznkonner On way to respectaznkonner On way to respectaznkonner On way to respect
Default

yea if you own plecos wood is a must. let them decide when they need to eat it and when they don't need to. my tank is full of wood and full of larger plecos. i never see anything but wood so don't be surprised if u never see them again. what i've noticed helps sometimes is don't turn on the lights and put some food in there. my plecos get real hungry and come out whenever i throw food in. there's always a fight during feeding times but it's not too bad.
aznkonner is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT. The time now is 09:44 AM.


Copyright ©The Planted Tank, LLC 2008
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
SEO by vBSEO 3.0.0 ©2007, Crawlability, Inc.