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This is largely based off of my own experience researching online/ raising these plecs. I'll just be hitting the main plecs available to most LFS/those that I have personally raised. Ignore spelling/grammatical errors, because I'm too lazy to do this on word.

Before I get into the species specifics, here are some some major pointers for plec care:

Always provide driftwood. Regardless of whether you see your plec actually sucking on it or not, driftwood is a neccesary part of the plec aquarium. Not all plecs will eat the stuff, but better safe than sorry.

Not ALL plecs eat algae. If you want a good algae grazer, you're better off with an otto or a snail. Some plecs are pretty good at it, but in general, plecs are scavengers, eating both decaying plant and animal material, and will not hesitate to suck on a dead tankmate rather than rasp away at the tank side given half the chance.

Low pH is beneficial. Alhough all fish can be shifted to higher/lower pHs, it's always best to try and get the water on the acidic side, mimicing the matural environment of the fish. Again, it might not have a noteable affect on the fish, but better safe than sorry (again).

Hypostomus punctatus
"Common plec"
The legendary "common" pleco, this guy is one of the larger end plecostamuses, reaching lengths in excess of 10 inches, usually maxing out at around a foot. Hardy almost to a fault, these giants have been a staple of the aquarium trade since it was imported from the Rio Janerio in the 19th century. Because of their imense size, these guys require large tanks, preferrably 75+ gallons. Though they are primarily vegetarian, as they mature, these plecs seem to do better with some amount of crude protein in their diet. Can be territorial towards fish of similar shape/size, so be careful. Otherwise, an ideal community fish, capable of being kept with smaller plecs. A temperature of 70-80 degrees is preferred.

Pterygoplichthys pardalis
"Common plec"
The other fish commonly sold under the name "common pleco", this fish diferenciates itself from it's synonymously named bretheren by it's smaller size and darker appearance, whereas the hypostomus can grow to a foot in length, pteries reach only 9-10 inches in length. It's requirements are much the same as the hypostomus, however, it prefers lower temps and is therefore suitable for outdoor ponds in areas where pond water doesn't dip below 65 degrees, even during the winter. They are a bit more even tempered than the hyps, and can tolerate others of the same species if housed in large quarters.

Baryancistrus sp.
"Gold Nugget Plec"
Recently, these have made their appearence in the trade, and are now a fairly easy plec to obtain. The gold nugget pleco is a general term for about 4 species of different plecs, ranging from 7"-15" in length. As a general rule, the gn that you are most likely to find on the market these days is the common L-81. Less hardy than commons, gold nuggets tend NOT to reach maturity in man made aquariums as often as many other plecs. That being said, if breeders have recorded sizes such as 14" in the home aquaria, I'm sure that more than one tank raised gold nugget has died of hearty age. Gold nuggets are NOT strict herbivores. They like to have a good deal of protein in their diet and if not supplied with such, will sometimes chase after tankmates. Bloodworms/flake is usually sufficient. These are not to be kept with others of the same species, and should only be kept with other bottom dwellers in large quarters. Fiercely aggressive towards it's own kind and fairly griumpy towards other plecs, these plecs can stir up quite a ruckuss if not provided with ample space/pontential territories. 78-85 degrees of water is recommended.



more to come...




[span class="edited"][Edited by Klee 2004-09-02 23:36][/span]

Ancistrus sp.
"Bristlenose pleco"
The term bristlenose is also a broad term referring to a genus of over 50 different species, rangin from 2"-9". The ones commonly available get to be around 6" and are peaceful, mainly herbivorous fish. A common misconception is that driftwood/lignin is necesary for BN digestion. This is not true, and they can, by all means, survive w/o it. However, your catfish will be much happier and will feel more secure (driftwood provides hiding places) if driftwood is provided. Small specimens can be a bit rowdy towards each other. Otherwise a peaceful fish. Medium range temps of 78 degrees is optimal.

Ancistrinae sp.
"Green Phantom"
Relatively new to the trade and fairly expensive, the green phantom is nonetheless, a rewarding fish to keep. Hardy and peaceful, these plecs get to be around 6", and are fairly good algae eaters. My opinion is that it should still be supplied with an occasional flake or bloodworm treat. 75-80 degree water is preferred, as well as many hiding spots for a fairly timid fish.

Panaque nigrolineatus
"Royal Panaque"
There are so many [sub]species of this fish that it isn't even funny. Suprisingly common now, royal plecos are one of the strangest looking, and yet beautiful plecs out there. They also grow really, really large, almost a foot and a quarter in length. These fish come in a variety of colors, btw, so if you find your royal to be an entirely different color than that of the photograph you just googled; relax, your LFS didn't scam you. These fish are fairly difficult to acclimate and should be kept alone at first. Once it begins to feed, feel free to add companions. Mostly herbivorous. Like many plecs, these guys are fiercely territorial towards plecs of similar size and appearence. Otherwise a very peaceful (almost too peaceful, as it just sits in one place and sucks) fish. Can withstand a wide range of temps.

[span class="edited"][Edited by Klee 2004-09-04 01:58][/span]

Peckoltia ???
"L134 Leopard pleco"
These are territorial little fish. I have to keep the two pieces of driftwood in my 30 gal on opposite ends of the tank, as these little bruisers will beat each other up. Grwoing to about 4"-5" inches in length, this is a fairly common member of the L series seen for sale, even my local Petco sells these and angelica loaches. Wierd. These fish are horrible algae eaters and prefer meaty, protein rich foods. They will, on occasion, nibble on the nearest algae disk within reach. Temp should be mid range, at about 78 degrees.

Dekeyseria brachyura
"Chameleon pleco"
Contrary to popular belief, these plecs do not usually resemble zebra plecs (In fact, they look fairly dark most of the time). Also known as butterfly plecos, they are famous for their ability to change their body color in the blink of an eye, hence the name chameleon pleco. A decent vegetarian, the chameleon has a tendency to shy away from meaty foods, and in my experience, does not usually accept flake. Tolerant of it's own kind anf prefers relatively high temps.

Chaetostoma sp
"Rubbernose pleco"
A common L series found in many a LFS, these relatively small (3"-7" pleco, this species, or rather, this collective term representing several different species is not a great algae eater, but if given no other supplements to it's diet, it will rasp off the algal growth on aquarium decorations. Some protein should be provided. Temperments amongst one another vary greatly, and can range from placid to fairly territorial. Good community fish. Medium range temp.

What should be done if the pleco is in a Malawi tank where the ph has to be high, and providing driftwood would lower the ph?

Plecos aren't a great addition to malawi tanks anyways. Smaller ones get bullied around, and larger ones won't appreciate the high pH (even fairly big blokes such as vampire plecs have been reportedly nipped to death by breeding malawis). Go with syndonts if you want bottom dwellers.

Farlowella vittata
"Twig cat"
One of the few truly great algae eaters, this loricid sustains itself almost entirely on vegetable matter, especially algae. Unfortuneatly, it isn't a beginner's fish and can't be kept with many aquarium favorites. Very timid and fairly short lived, this species is a stickler for good water quality and will likely starve if there is not a consistent abundance of algal matter in it's aquaria. Grows to about 6" and cannot be kept with fast moving, nippy, or downright aggressive fish. Basically, anything that will startle this delicate catfish should be avoided. There have been accounts of these animals stressed out by rowdy tankmates to a point where they will stop eating entirely. Diet should be complemented with green vegetables, but the bulk of it's diet should consist of algae. Medium-high temps.

Panaque maccus
"Clown pleco"
One of the smaller plecs, reaching only about 4" tops, these fish are not great algae eaters. Instead, they prefer to feed on fiberous foods such as squash/driftwood/carrots/cabbage. Driftwood is a must, as they actually do feed on the wood itself, as do most members of this genus. Peaceful, and prefers somewhat cooler waters.

Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps
"Gibby"
The Sailfin plec often mislabelled as "common". Basically, the only way in heck you're going to have enough room to house this pleco is in a pond. Growing up to 18" inches, these are dependable algae eaters capable of withstanding temperatures below 65 degrees for short periods of time. Peaceful and unimaginably hardy, they are the perfect pond fish.



[span class="edited"][Edited by Klee 2004-09-04 02:02][/span]

Hey, a 125 gallon is big enough to hold a Sailfin. Anything under 2' long IMO isn't an obligate pond fish. This is cool what you're doing, keep it up!

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

Thanks. I've never personally had a tank that big (125+), so I'm probably off on the pond thing.

Paraotocinclus ps.
"Pitbull pleco"
The paraotocinclus genus contains several different species of fairly small sized plecos, ranging from 2"-6" in length. All of them are more of less peaceful fish, and are not to be kept with anything particularly aggressive and/or nippy. A large part of their diet comes from vegetable and plant matter, so they should be constantly supplied with fresh veggies. Medium to high temperatures are optimal.

Queen Arabesque
"Hypancistrus sp. L260"
One of the smaller and more gorgeous of the hypancistrus family, with the exception of the zebra plec, which is perhaps one of the most stunning aquarium fish available for the fw aquarium, the queen arabesque plec is a stunning (and pricey) addition to any small community aquaium. Though Ive never actually raised an L-260 before, a pair is on the way to the LFS as we speak, so I did a bit of wwwing on them. Only reaching lengths of 3-4", these little guys are timid and require plenty of shelter, whether it be drftwood, slab rck, watever. Like much of the genus, l-260s are mostly carnivorous, and most vegetable matter will be ignored. Furthermore, they prefer fast moving, clear water, around 80 degrees.


[span class="edited"][Edited by Klee 2004-09-08 02:01][/span]