# Plecs and plants



## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

So i'm going to be planing loads of hygro in my tank once its cycles. I was condisering getting a pair of ancistrus. Would they demolish the plantwork or would they be more happy to chew on the masses of wood i have in the tank?


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Not sure about hygro, but mine devastated both hornwort and rotola ... left the anubias alone though.


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

Maybe not Bristlenose then, perhaps a clown plec? Or another form of small algae eating fish? Anyone keep any algae eaters in their planted tanks?


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## HONDO (May 4, 2008)

otocinclus (sp) are great algae eaters for planted tanks. they stay small and do great in groups of 5.


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

Thanks hondo, I did a little research on otos and read ina few places that they will also attack roots of plants, which is what steered me from them. Have you kept them in planted tanks yourself?


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

I've had a dozen planted tanks over the years, from low tech low light setups to high light CO2 setups...

I've had either Otto cats and BN plecos in every single one.

I've never seen either species attack a single plant. I've never even heard it suggested that either would until this thread. My gut reaction is to challenge claims that a BN pleco ate hornwort, but since individual fish CAN be unpredictable, I'll stick to the topic and suggest that those cases must be the exception.

BN plecos and Otto cats make fantastic algae eaters in planted tanks. I say go for it.


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## 748johnd (Jun 30, 2007)

I agree with Number6. My experience with both bristlenose and otocinclus in planted tanks is the same. They never destroyed any of my plants and I never saw the otocinclus bother plant roots at all. I would stay away from regular plecos because they get too large and after a while don't eat much algae at all.


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

Awesome. Well i might give some otos a try then. Think i saw some at my FS. I guess the next question is would they be okay with my Syno. corys and yoyo loach?


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

Just been doing some more reading on otos and seen some horrifying stories of otos attaching themselves to a fish and killing it!? Would using algae wafers help to prevent this? Anyone who keeps them lend ahand please?


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

mok3t said:


> Just been doing some more reading on otos and seen some horrifying stories of otos attaching themselves to a fish and killing it!? Would using algae wafers help to prevent this? Anyone who keeps them lend ahand please?


Sick Ottos will try to eat the slimecoats of any slow moving fish, and even healthy Ottos seem to occasionally learn this trick with Discus.

If you do not have Discus in this tank, I'd say "don't worry about that".


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## xalow (May 10, 2007)

I have heard that Otocinclus are more prone to attach to fish that have flat bodies. In my experience in keeping them with Gouramis and Silver Dollars they would only rarely swim at the Gouramis which quickly moved away which made them swim off. I never saw any damage done or any of the Otocinclus persist in trying to attach themselves.

I never had any of them bother any of my plant's roots but I don't have any hygro.

After placing in an algae wafer in the tank with them they have as of now ignored it and I have never seen them go after any of the wafers I gave them in the past.

I agree with *Number6* about not worrying about it.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

I feed my otos and BN plecos slices of zuccini (and cucumber) attached with a veggie clip to the side of the tank. They love it!

I love my otos (and have never had any issues with plants or fish slime coat) but they can be delicate and you often have quite a lot of initial mortality. Instead, I'd highly recommend a BN pleco, especially the albino and extra especially the long-finned variety. Not only is the one long-finned albino BN that I have quite beautiful, but he (she's) much easier to see in the tank than the regular ones (and the otos, which can hide). He is also much more social than the other two I'd had. He gets the idea that algae wafer come from the end of a tong and he comes out when I'm feeding and waits for his wafer, which I deliver right to him. I wuv that!


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

Right, i'm off out today to pick up some more plants and hopefully a BN plec. Gonna see if i can find a real pretty one. Albino long-finned or something. I'll get a pic (Prolly not a good one mind..) when we get back and its not hiding


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