# Small Plec



## RudeDogg1 (21 Mar 2021)

Does anyone know of any plecs that remain quite small, eat algae, don’t uproot plants and dig?


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## John q (21 Mar 2021)

Ancistrus: Bristlenose grow to about 4", won't (shouldn't) uproot plants but can have a nibble on the odd leaf.


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## Shane1094 (22 Mar 2021)

Got a mustard spot pleco. They're good as gold 👍


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## RudeDogg1 (22 Mar 2021)

John q said:


> Ancistrus: Bristlenose grow to about 4", won't (shouldn't) uproot plants but can have a nibble on the odd leaf.



They trashed my old tank with constant digging so won’t be getting one of them lol


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## PARAGUAY (22 Mar 2021)

John q said:


> Ancistrus: Bristlenose grow to about 4", won't (shouldn't) uproot plants but can have a nibble on the odd leaf.


I think thats right take a look at md fishtanks recent vlogs you tube


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## RudeDogg1 (22 Mar 2021)

Shane1094 said:


> Got a mustard spot pleco. They're good as gold



Is that the same as gold nugget plecs? They need bog wood to nibble I’ve only got a couple redmoor roots which I don’t really want eating lol


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## RudeDogg1 (22 Mar 2021)

Was also thinking about otos but read conflicting info that they only eat biofilm not algae


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## John q (22 Mar 2021)

Maybe you'd be better with panda garra and or ottolincus. 
I've yet to see my bristlenose dig but maybe its connected to hiding places, space or wood to chew on, mine have an abundance of all the above.


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## RudeDogg1 (22 Mar 2021)

John q said:


> Maybe you'd be better with panda garra and or ottolincus.
> I've yet to see my bristlenose dig but maybe its connected to hiding places, space or wood to chew on, mine have an abundance of all the above.



They used to burrow through the sand and soil under a big bit of bog wood making a right mess


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## Shane1094 (22 Mar 2021)

RudeDogg1 said:


> Is that the same as gold nugget plecs? They need bog wood to nibble I’ve only got a couple redmoor roots which I don’t really want eating lol


They do like a nibble yes 😄 but it's not drastic. I've not noticed any serious damage


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## shangman (22 Mar 2021)

RudeDogg1 said:


> Was also thinking about otos but read conflicting info that they only eat biofilm not algae


My otos eat algae, but only the softer kinds. They won't eat filamentous algaes, BBA or Staghorn, or hard green spot (though soft green glass algae they love) anything very annoying and difficult for us to get rid of they aren't interested in. They also eat a lot of biofilm, as well as dried leaves (green and brown), and lightly cooked vegetables. They are really cute too, and they don't dig or disturb any of my plants, execpt to beautifully perch on them and occasionally give them a clean. If the bristolenoses are too destructive then a group of otos is very nice and peaceful!


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## John q (22 Mar 2021)

RudeDogg1 said:


> I’ve only got a couple redmoor roots which I don’t really want eating lol



If you're worried about something nibbling on your wood then I'd definitely steer clear of plecos, its what they do.


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## dw1305 (22 Mar 2021)

Hi all, 


RudeDogg1 said:


> Does anyone know of any plecs that remain quite small, eat algae, don’t uproot plants and dig?


_<"Ancistrus claro">_ would be ideal, unfortunately they are virtually unobtainable now. 

cheers Darrel


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## RudeDogg1 (22 Mar 2021)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> _/www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=152']Ancistrus claro[/URL]">_ would be ideal, unfortunately they are virtually unobtainable now.
> 
> cheers Darrel



Shame they are quite pretty

Quite like them mustard dot ones


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## Conort2 (22 Mar 2021)

Mustard spots are a panaque so will chew wood and make quite a mess in the process. There are quite a few small attractive species but are not algae eaters. The only ones which will eat algae are ancistrus and chaetesoma which aren’t so attractive lol. Best one I can think of is ancistrus l183, beautiful species but requires black water really and is less of an algae eater than other ancistrus.

cheers


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## RudeDogg1 (22 Mar 2021)

Conort2 said:


> Mustard spots are a panaque so will chew wood and make quite a mess in the process. There are quite a few small attractive species but are not algae eaters. The only ones which will eat algae are ancistrus and chaetesoma which aren’t so attractive lol. Best one I can think of is ancistrus l183, beautiful species but requires black water really and is less of an algae eater than other ancistrus.
> 
> cheers



Looks like otos or garas then lol


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## Alex Papp (22 Mar 2021)

Zebra plecs stay small


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## dean (23 Mar 2021)

There are a few genius that you can look at Paraotocinclus, Hypancistrus, Chaetostoma and Peckoltia

Here’s a few examples to look up 

Parotocinclus spilosoma

Hypancistrus sp. L471

Hypancistrus sp. L136

Chaetostoma formosae

Peckoltia compta


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## RudeDogg1 (23 Mar 2021)

dean said:


> There are a few genius that you can look at Paraotocinclus, Hypancistrus, Chaetostoma and Peckoltia
> 
> Here’s a few examples to look up
> 
> ...



Thanks I will have a look failing that it will prob be ottos lol


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