pleco for community tank

[Lee A.]

I am a newbie to fish-keeping, and can use some help. I would like to get a pleco to join the fun in a tank inhabited by platies, guppies, olive nerite snails, and two red rabbit snails. It is a 29-gallon planted tank. I use a Hydro Sponge Filter 5. I'd like a pleco that will stay small, ideally 3 inches, maybe 4. I have a common pleco, whom we are very fond of, but he is getting to be a whale. I've made arrangements for poor Sucky Thing (my daughter named him, I didn't!) to go live with an experienced fish-keeper with a huge tank. Any suggestions for a little pleco who would get along with the rest of the crew? Thanks so much for your help.

Lee

[MatsP]

Common Ancistrus

Ancistrus cf_cirrhosus

- comes in several colors, such as albino, super-red and calico, as well as "natural brown", and there are long-fin variants that appeal to some people.

If you get a boy and a girl, you are almost guaranteed to get babies. This is of course not necessarily a good thing, as you may find yourself having so many you don't know what to do with them.

There are literally hundreds of other possibilities, but it's hard to say which ones are available where you live, and what you like. If you go look at what's available in your local area [or via online shopping], and then look it up in the Quick Find at the top right of the page. If you don't find the information you want, ask here. There's bound to be someone who knows more...

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Mats

[corielover]

I'm a beginner, so I don't know much, but I have an awesome albino ancistrus that I got when my tank was overrun with algae. Within a week, there was no algae. He's really cute, and everything I've read says that he only gets to 4 or 5 inches long. He is awesome with the other fish, and my cherry barbs are almost scared of him, so I have no bullying worries. Like I said, I'm not an expert, but I love my little guy and highly recommend him. Hope this helps!