# Good pleco-type fish for CA/SA tank?



## JWhipple (Jun 20, 2007)

I am wanting to put a pleco or other similar algae eating fish into my 125 gallon ca/sa tank.

Will your garden variety pleco do the trick? I'd just hate to buy one and then the fish kill it!

Thanks!


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## Gino Santangelo (Nov 26, 2008)

Clown pleco's are good. Don't get to big and do a real good job. They don't come out much in the daytime though. Never had problems with other fish bothering them they are hard as a rock. The garden variety pleco's get huge.


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## chc (Jul 28, 2004)

Bristlenose plecos are great. They don't get too big, they tolerate hard water, and the actually eat algae (which is more than I can say for most common plecos!).


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## Gino Santangelo (Nov 26, 2008)

Someone told me that the bristelnose can even be added to a piranha tank.


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## LJ (Sep 12, 2007)

I really like both clown and bristlenose plecos, but in my experience they are much more prolific wood eaters than algae eaters. Actually, the best cleaner pleco I've owned, in terms of glass cleaning, was a common pleco.

What are the other fish in the tank? Is this a planted tank? What types of algae problems are you having?


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## jcushing (Apr 6, 2008)

clowns are panaques and require wood in their diet, just keep that in mind. i dont see how any 1 type of pleco will be better with cichlids but *** never had a problem with my common


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## Gino Santangelo (Nov 26, 2008)

I wonder if otto cats would work if added before the cichlids. I've never tried this, although I have removed a pleco from an oscars mouth.


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## LJ (Sep 12, 2007)

Gino Santangelo said:


> I wonder if otto cats would work if added before the cichlids.


Very unlikely


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## Gino Santangelo (Nov 26, 2008)

Would we have to change there name from ottos to pop corn shrimp.


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## JWhipple (Jun 20, 2007)

LJ said:


> I really like both clown and bristlenose plecos, but in my experience they are much more prolific wood eaters than algae eaters. Actually, the best cleaner pleco I've owned, in terms of glass cleaning, was a common pleco.
> 
> What are the other fish in the tank? Is this a planted tank? What types of algae problems are you having?


Other fish are 2 different Vieja, some GTs, one Mayan and one RD. No real plants in the tank.

Actually, the algae problem is more on the driftwood than anywhere else. I do get the occasional green algae on the glass though.

In my experience with Clown plecos, they do eat both algae and wood, but, I'm afraid that they are just too small otherwise they will end up in a fish's mouth!


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

id get a rhino, great algae eaters and get about 10"


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## LJ (Sep 12, 2007)

Rhino is a good call. I'd go with that or with a common pleco. Just make sure it's too big to fit in a mouth when you add it.

Also, in my opinion algae on driftwood and rocks looks pretty cool, but I guess it depends on what kind.


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## JWhipple (Jun 20, 2007)

Right now the algae on the wood has all kinds of "pocks" in it - I'm guessing that the fish are eating it?


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## teqvet (Mar 24, 2008)

So weird! I was about to make a post on the same topic, nearly identical at least.

I know Imperial Plecos are a bit pricey, so best done in a calmer tank. Would they do well in an SA/CA tank with a bit more mild mannered fish, like EBJD's? ;p


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## LJ (Sep 12, 2007)

> Right now the algae on the wood has all kinds of "pocks" in it - I'm guessing that the fish are eating it?


Probably, do you have any pictures of the tank and wood?


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## HONDO (May 4, 2008)

i have a common pleco with my severum and gt and he actually chases them around. hes biggest (8 inches), and the others (6 inch severum, 4 inch gt) dont mess with him. he does commonly have rips in his fins, maybe they nip him at night.

he does a great job eating algae, but be ready for some serious turds.


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## Solchitlins (Jul 23, 2003)

with the new pleco ban list I suggest you get a rare awesome pleco while you still can.
I'm buying a couple goldies soon.

might not be the best but better now then who knows,,,,,,

just a thought.

or go with bn for fuction over form.


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## JWhipple (Jun 20, 2007)

None that specifically show the algae.. I'll have to see if I can take some later today.


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## Richled13 (Mar 7, 2008)

I have a bristlenose pleco that an algae-eating machine. I had him with some swordtails in a 29-gallon tank for quarantine that had some serious algae in it. A week later, all gone. Then he went into my 55 gallon which had some algae as well, especially on the ceramic pots I have in there. In about two days every piece of algae in the whole tank was gone.

Heâ€™s in there with a firemouth and blood parrot, no issues I can see as of yet. At first, the two cichlids were pretty fascinated by him. Theyâ€™d stare at him a lot. But now the pleco hides most of the time and they ignore him when he doesnâ€™t.


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## heylady (Oct 14, 2004)

I've got a rhino pleco in with a flowerhorn (female). I believe that this fish would be capable of standing up to a pretty rough crowd. They max out at around 12" and will keep the tank clean. Best of all is they will learn to eat the fish food too (mine loves the cichlid pellets). I give him the occasional veggie and he does great. Besides that, he looks cool too.... :thumb: But oh yeah, the poop.....


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## JWhipple (Jun 20, 2007)

Well I ended up picking up a common pleco - one large enough that nobody could fathom fitting it into their mouths!

I got it home and turns out it's the largest fish in the tank now LOL!

It quickly became the center of attention, BUT, nobody has acted aggressively towards it!

Here's a photo of everyone checking it out.


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## LJ (Sep 12, 2007)

Great looking fish! All of them! Hopefully your pleco takes care of the algae like you want it to.


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