What Pleco is right for me???

[Blank]

Hi all,

I am currently in the market for a pleco because they are such an awesome looking fish!! I currently have a 250L / 65G tank, that is home to an 8inch oscar. The tank is heavily filtered. Im looking for a pleco that will grow to around the 6-7inch mark (15cm).

In terms of coloring im really looking for something that has some contrast about it, like contrasting spots or stripes. The Hypancistrus, Peckoltia and Leporacanthicus patterns from the pic section on this website all looked really beautiful. Sooo, have you guys got any suggestions for me to go ahead and research?

Thanks in advance,

Tom

[MatsP]

I can't help you with figuring out which fish you should buy, but getting a list of ones that match your criteria of size, temperature, pH would be possible by using the Cat-eLog search feature:
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/search.php

If you select "Family" as Loricariidae, you will get Pleco's and closely related fishes. Enter the size-range, temperature and pH ranges. Note that size is giving you more the bigger the range, temperature and pH will give you LESS for a bigger range [because there are fewer fishes that tolerate a bigger variation in temperature/pH - whilst size just lets anything that is within the range].

--
Mats

[Richard B]

Although it might ultimately get a little bigger than you wanted, how about

Peckoltia sabaji

?

[Chrysichthys]

I have no first-hand experience of it, but I've heard about cases of oscars terrorising plecos.

[MatsP]

I have no first-hand experience of it, but I've heard about cases of oscars terrorising plecos.

Not to mention that Oscar's will outgrow a 250L tank by a fair amount. 600+ liters would be more the size. After all, 8 inches is only a bit more than half it's ultimate size.

--
Mats

[nikelodeon79]

I wouldn't recommend any pleco with an oscar, and here's why:

http://www.viverde.com.br/imagens/P1030512.jpg

http://www.viverde.com.br/imagens/P1030520.jpg

The end result:
http://www.viverde.com.br/imagens/P1030531.JPG

This was posted on another board I'm a member of.

[Richard B]

I wouldn't recommend any pl*co with an oscar, and here's why:

http://www.viverde.com.br/imagens/P1030512.jpg

http://www.viverde.com.br/imagens/P1030520.jpg

The end result:
http://www.viverde.com.br/imagens/P1030531.JPG

This was posted on another board I'm a member of.

Amazing photo sequence - i've seen oscars & pl*cos kept without problem, many times but if anyone wants to do it i'd reccommend, plenty of space, appropriately sized individuals, plenty of hiding spaces, & keeping the fish well fed.

[Haavard Stoere]

Was that a Pseudacanthicus species he swallowed? Stupid Oscar

[andywoolloo]

those pictures are amazing. scary but amazing! poor pl*co!

[Blank]

Those pictures are interesting indeed. I feel that would never happen if the pleco was larger. I have a 2nd 2ft tank that i would mature the pleco to a good size if need be. My tank also has many hiding places, hollow logs and rock caves etc.

[Lornek8]

Those pictures are interesting indeed. I feel that would never happen if the pl*co was larger. I have a 2nd 2ft tank that i would mature the pl*co to a good size if need be. My tank also has many hiding places, hollow logs and rock caves etc.

Unfortunately the only problem with that is that Oscars grow faster than most plecs. There are only a handful that may be capable of matching an Oscars growth rate and all get large.

[sidguppy]

in a 2 feet tank the pleco won't mature at all, but likely will stay at 2", maybe 3" at the most.

best buy yourself a pleco wich is at least as big as the oscar.

but first, buy a bigger tank! and then some more oscars. they like company.

oscars can be kept easily with pleco's, but you just need large ones.
and large pleco's can be very cheap if you adopt for example a gibby wich has outgrown all the other tanks and owners.

at more than 1.5 feet an adult gibby is more than a match and a good tankmate for any oscar.

[nikelodeon79]

I'm not sure what species the pleco was, but the pleco was removed surgically but the oscar was no longer able to close his mouth, and died the next day.

[apistomaster]

A 65 gallon tank is plenty big enough for an Oscar and a 6 to 8 inch pleco.
I have bred Oscars commercially, giving each pair a 40 gallon tank, 36"L X14"W X 18"H so I disagree about the tank being too small for one Oscar and a med sized largish pleco sp. I wouldn't try to keep anything with a breeding pair of Oscars, though.
16" Oscars are the exception not the rule. Most mature and stay around 10" and that is not a stunted fish.
More pampered Oscars may reach 12 inches in captivity given enough room, but that is a more normal maximum size.
I used to take in Oscars from my old fish shop customers prior to deciding to breed them rather than growing out my own group. I threw six into a 100 gallon tank until after all the thrashing about, I had 2 mated pairs. I later took in a spawning pair of 12" Tiger Oscars and gave that pair a 75 gal tank for breeding purposes.
Oscars are not particularly vicious as large SA Cichlids go. Just be sure the pleco is at least 2/3 the size of your Oscar at the time they are combined and I recommend plecos that are at least 6" to 10" minimum size and eventual size for this set up. I have made no allowances for other fish. You don't have enough room for many fish this large.