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right, i'm hopin u will all agree with me on my idea...

i'm thinkin of tradin in dyson(sailfin pleco~25cm) for sum more cories to boost my cory numbers, then i was thinkin bout goin out and buyin a gold nugget pleco for £20 (~3inches)

it would b in the tank with:
1 rtbs
1 bandit cory (will be joined by more wen dyson is traded in)
2 gomezii cories (as above)
1 albino cory(possibly trade in aswell 2 put in more of the other cories)
4 keyhole cichlids
2 green sevs
13 tiger barbs
3 guppies (bein used to supply live food to the others, 1 m/ 2 f)

would it be ok?
(i'm open for opinions)

Last edited by smilingpiranha at 17-Jun-2005 07:21

well first of all i'd sure like to know what size tank you have...and second it could be ok to get a gold nugget pleco...only problem i can see is that they can be pretty territorial...so with all the cories on the bottom the plec might get aggressive with them...but it also really depends on the size of the aquarium and most of the time they just get territorial with other plecs...still it could be a problem...

it is a 48x15x18(all in inches)
my current sailfin is fine with the cories so surely the gold nugget would aswell?
(ammonia:0
nitries:0
nitrates:0)

Last edited by smilingpiranha at 17-Jun-2005 08:02

sailfin plecos are totaly harmless and they pretty much ignore all other fish, but like i said a gold can be very territorial...you may not have any problems....but you might...don't forget that this fish can grow up to 11 inches...I currently have one in a 77 gallon tank and he doesen't bother the other fish...except for another bottom feeding catfish...the pictus cat and gold are always biquering in my tank...if he becomes aggressive your cories will just hide and be miserable don't forget that cories can be pretty fragile.

ok, so would you recommend i just stick with the sailfin, or can you recommend another species of pleco which doesn't grow quite as big? (other then BN's cuz my mum had a bad experience with 1, it only lasted a week

Before launching into buying a Gold Nugget Plec, I'd issue a word of caution about it's compatibility with Corys.

RasboraMary has a very unpleasant experience with a Rhino Plec that used its tail to batter her Pandas to death. It literally swiped at them using its tail like a baseball bat and sent them reeling - for all the world like that Cretaceous-era dinosaur with the club on its tail (Ankylosaurus).

Now I know that Gold Nugget Plecs and Rhino Plecs are two different fish species, but if the Gold Nugget has a reputation for vigorous and resolute territoriality, then it might be worth considering abandoning this option and going with a much more compatible species. Otocinclus are excellent companions for Corydoras, being small, peaceful, and excellent algae eaters into the book (go find my article on them in the Articles section of the portal - shameless plug ) and find out more. And, with Otocinclus, you can have a decent sized group, particularly if your aquarium is spacious enough.

Before committing yourself to a Gold Nugget Plec, wait until someone comes in here who has successfully kept one with Corys, because you probably would not want to be the first person to discover that they weren't, especially if you have Corys you're particularly fond of and want to keep and breed - as was the case with RasboraMary and her unfortunate Pandas.

In particular, check out the level of armour plating and the presence of odontodes (big bristly spines) on the tail of the Gold Nugget. If it has a muscular, well-armoured tail, and a visible coating of spines that resemble razor wire (sexually mature males among Plecs that possess this feature display it very prominently) then assume that the fish has that tail not only as a defensive weapon, but potentially an offensive one too. And that it may not be safe with your Corys if it is territorial and bad tempered.

UPDATE : without a taxonomic name I can't be sure if I have the right fish, but since I've heard the name 'Galaxy Pleco' in connection with chunky spotted species, this fish might be the one you're looking at. If it isn't, then I'm sure one of the Loricariid specialists such as Cup_of_Lifenoodles will correct me!


Last edited by Calilasseia at 17-Jun-2005 13:02

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Hi, thanks for the PM, Cass.

Indeed, Baryancistrus can be downright vicious, especially toward conspecifics. However, few Gold Nuggets will ever reach 11"; the vast majority of fish encompassed under the name "gold nugget" are medium sized xingunises, reaching, at most, 7-8". Even if you do manage to get your hands on a small spot (they are surprisingly hard to distinguish--smaller specimens look like L85), one of the largest of the genus at 12", few will reach such lengths in the home aquarium, especially due to the reputation of small spots as being incredibly delicate, with some aquarists experiencing random die offs for no particular reason. Any territory seeking bottom feeder will recieve quite a beating. Corydoras and other social callichthyids tend not to be an issue, but your RTBS is going to have some problems once the two fish reach comparable sizes.

Last edited by Cup_of_Lifenoodles at 17-Jun-2005 23:51

ok, so the gold nugget is a no, how many ottos would you recommend?, and if i can't find ottos, would you be able to recommend another?

thank you for the info on the gold nugget

In a tank that size, 8 Otocinclus should be fine. Just be prepared to send in robot submersibles to find them all once they're settled in (), as Otocinclus can 'disappear' for long periods of time (then suddenly reappear like lost relatives) even in a 2ft setup if there are lots of hiding places. In your setup, if you have lots of nice caves for them to explore, along with plant thickets and bits of bogwood with holes in (corresponding to larger scale versions of the furniture in my Panda Fun Palace&#8482 then seeing all 8 at once is going to be a matter of luck

If you're not a fan of Bristlenoses, or you've had problems with them in the past because your locally available stock is of doutbful provenance, then there's a livebearer Genus that could make an excellent alternative - Limia. The Limias are excellent algae eaters, and were once bred specifically as such in certain parts of Europe (I recall that in the past, the Germans were especially fond of them) until the vast array of Loricariid Catfishes made their mark on the aquarium world. Whether you can find these, however, even given that they're Central American in origin and should be easy to obtain if you live Stateside, is a moot point.

Other choices that will work in your setup include the near-relatives of Otocinclus, namely the Hypoptopoma Catfishes and Parotocinclus maculicauda (which all stay below 4 inches). However, this collection of fishes is going to be a major challenge to track down, as they tend to be rare in the trade (although why baffles me, given that they're eminently FAR more suitable for smaller aquaria than the vast array of juggernaut Plecs that are sold to unsuspecting customers). If you can get Parotocinclus maculicauda, it's a lovely species, with bright red pectorals, and every bit as peaceful in the aquarium as its Otocinclus cousins.

Finally, if you do decide to go with Otocinclus, I'm obliged to point you (yes, shameless plug time again ) at my Otocinclus Article now that Adam's made it a permanent feature of the portal




Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

i loike the idea of the ottos and will go with them, but i was just wondering, would a whiptail catfish work?, or do they not eat much algae?

If you're thinking of either Farlowella or Loricaria catfishes when you say "whiptails" (I've seen both Genera described using that common name) then size is an issue. As in 10 inches. Furthermore, Farlowella catfishes are among those I'd recommend beginners to stay clear of.

Otocinclus, on the other hand, can be recommended to anyone with a decent crop of algae in their aquarium, provided of course that they check the provenance and the dealer maintenance conditions as cited in my article. If they've got algae at the dealer's, and are also feeding happily on things such as Hikari wafers, then chances are you'll have nice, fit Otocinclus to take home with you. Look for the tell-tale "fingerprint" appearance on the underside, where full intestines are pressing against the ventral adbominal wall. Well fed Otocinclus exhibit this. If you see them at the dealer's and they have the "fingerprint" appearance on the underside, they're in good shape: snap them up.

However, as I say in my article, plan ahead with these fishes for best results. If you can, soak a few rocks, small bogwood bits or even garish plastic ornaments in jars in bright sunlight, until they have a nice coating of algal fur on them. Then, when you get your Otocinclus, pop these "Otocinclus Pet Rocks" in with them. They'll happilly hoover the algae off, and this will build them up ready for the task of tackling your tank algae. I know it sounds slightly mad to ADD ALGAE to your aquarium this way, but with these fishes, it pays off. I've had one Otocinclus live for nine years as a result of such foresight in acclimatisation.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Most loricariines, in fact, all commonly available specimens that I know of, will do just fine in a 4 foot tank.

cool, well i'll trade in dyson, and leave it a couple of weeks 2 get the ottos then, thanks very much for the help