Tiny Plecos?

All posts regarding the care and breeding of these catfishes from South America.
Post Reply
Teddifish
Posts: 14
Joined: 20 Nov 2011, 23:25
My aquaria list: 1 (i:0)
Location 1: Clemson, SC (Southeastern USA)
Location 2: Clemson, SC (Southeastern USA)
Interests: Photography, Travel, Aquaria, Horseback riding

Tiny Plecos?

Post by Teddifish »

I have a very small tank (8 gallons) with some otos and shrimp in it, and I wondered if there are any pleco species that stay small enough to be happy in such a little space. It has driftwood and is about 1/2 fully planted. Thanks very much for your comments. :ymblushing:
User avatar
MatsP
Posts: 21038
Joined: 06 Oct 2004, 13:58
My articles: 4
My images: 28
My cats species list: 117 (i:33, k:0)
My aquaria list: 10 (i:8)
My BLogs: 4 (i:0, p:97)
Spotted: 187
Location 1: North of Cambridge
Location 2: England.

Re: Tiny Plecos?

Post by MatsP »

There are some quite small plecos, such as , but it does depend a bit on what you call a pleco. Most of the really small ones are in the "oto" category. And an 8 gallon tank really isn't large enough for many fish - it's probably better to get one or two more of the otos than to add one or two of a different species.

--
Mats
User avatar
Suckermouth
Posts: 1609
Joined: 28 Nov 2003, 14:29
My images: 17
My cats species list: 22 (i:0, k:0)
My aquaria list: 2 (i:0)
My BLogs: 6 (i:0, p:237)
Spotted: 14
Location 1: USA
Location 2: Washington, DC

Re: Tiny Plecos?

Post by Suckermouth »

I'd avoid keeping a pleco in that small of a tank just because it's basically a nano, and many plecs are pretty expensive. But space-wise I don't think most of the smaller species are out of the question since plecs don't move very much.
- Milton Tan
Research Scientist @ Illinois Natural History Survey
User avatar
racoll
Posts: 5258
Joined: 26 Jan 2004, 12:18
My articles: 6
My images: 182
My catfish: 2
My cats species list: 2 (i:2, k:0)
My aquaria list: 1 (i:0)
Spotted: 238
Location 1: London
Location 2: UK

Re: Tiny Plecos?

Post by racoll »

MatsP wrote:And an 8 gallon tank really isn't large enough for many fish - it's probably better to get one or two more of the otos than to add one or two of a different species.
Agreed.
User avatar
MatsP
Posts: 21038
Joined: 06 Oct 2004, 13:58
My articles: 4
My images: 28
My cats species list: 117 (i:33, k:0)
My aquaria list: 10 (i:8)
My BLogs: 4 (i:0, p:97)
Spotted: 187
Location 1: North of Cambridge
Location 2: England.

Re: Tiny Plecos?

Post by MatsP »

Suckermouth wrote:But space-wise I don't think most of the smaller species are out of the question since plecs don't move very much.
I was more thinking of the volume of water and water quality than swimming space.

--
Mats
User avatar
KrisA
Posts: 77
Joined: 16 Sep 2009, 00:59
My cats species list: 1 (i:1, k:0)
My BLogs: 1 (i:4, p:60)
Location 2: Denmark

Re: Tiny Plecos?

Post by KrisA »

There is LDA25, it only grows to 5 cm.

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/sp ... ies_id=236
User avatar
Suckermouth
Posts: 1609
Joined: 28 Nov 2003, 14:29
My images: 17
My cats species list: 22 (i:0, k:0)
My aquaria list: 2 (i:0)
My BLogs: 6 (i:0, p:237)
Spotted: 14
Location 1: USA
Location 2: Washington, DC

Re: Tiny Plecos?

Post by Suckermouth »

MatsP wrote:
Suckermouth wrote:But space-wise I don't think most of the smaller species are out of the question since plecs don't move very much.
I was more thinking of the volume of water and water quality than swimming space.

--
Mats
Well I suppose I didn't make it explicit, but that's what I meant when I said I wouldn't do it because it's such a small tank.
- Milton Tan
Research Scientist @ Illinois Natural History Survey
User avatar
MatsP
Posts: 21038
Joined: 06 Oct 2004, 13:58
My articles: 4
My images: 28
My cats species list: 117 (i:33, k:0)
My aquaria list: 10 (i:8)
My BLogs: 4 (i:0, p:97)
Spotted: 187
Location 1: North of Cambridge
Location 2: England.

Re: Tiny Plecos?

Post by MatsP »

KrisA wrote:There is , it only grows to 5 cm.
It does indeed, but you'd want a group of about 5-6, which wouldn't be a great stock along with the previously suggested Otos that also need to be kept in a group. As I said originally, there are some small fish available, but the really small ones tend to be in the Oto group [Hypoptomatinae] - and the bigger ones need more tank volume.

--
Mats
User avatar
jackrevi
Posts: 21
Joined: 15 Mar 2012, 19:53
Location 2: Torino

Re: Tiny Plecos?

Post by jackrevi »

hello,
I think in 8 liters there is any kind of fish, even the oto, only Caridina. I am of the opinion that to keep fish in an aquarium must have a minimum of 30 liters.
User avatar
MatsP
Posts: 21038
Joined: 06 Oct 2004, 13:58
My articles: 4
My images: 28
My cats species list: 117 (i:33, k:0)
My aquaria list: 10 (i:8)
My BLogs: 4 (i:0, p:97)
Spotted: 187
Location 1: North of Cambridge
Location 2: England.

Re: Tiny Plecos?

Post by MatsP »

jackrevi wrote:hello,
I think in 8 liters there is any kind of fish, even the oto, only Caridina. I am of the opinion that to keep fish in an aquarium must have a minimum of 30 liters.
8 gallons is about 30 liter (1 gallon = 3.78 liter).

--
Mats
User avatar
jackrevi
Posts: 21
Joined: 15 Mar 2012, 19:53
Location 2: Torino

Re: Tiny Plecos?

Post by jackrevi »

MatsP wrote:
jackrevi wrote:hello,
I think in 8 liters there is any kind of fish, even the oto, only Caridina. I am of the opinion that to keep fish in an aquarium must have a minimum of 30 liters.
8 gallons is about 30 liter (1 gallon = 3.78 liter).

--
Mats
I'm sorry, and translating the page with google translator was written 8 liters .. xD sorry
User avatar
MatsP
Posts: 21038
Joined: 06 Oct 2004, 13:58
My articles: 4
My images: 28
My cats species list: 117 (i:33, k:0)
My aquaria list: 10 (i:8)
My BLogs: 4 (i:0, p:97)
Spotted: 187
Location 1: North of Cambridge
Location 2: England.

Re: Tiny Plecos?

Post by MatsP »

jackrevi wrote:I'm sorry, and translating the page with google translator was written 8 liters .. xD sorry
Ah, that explains it. Google translate uses "same document in different languages", and of course, if you have, say, a US document saying "The tank holds 8 gallons", it will, if it's correctly translated to Italian say something like "The tank holds 30 liters" (In Italian, of course). Google doesn't quite "get" that liters have a different number in front, compared to the gallon translation - it just sees that "gallons" is translated to "liters".

--
Mats
Post Reply

Return to “South American Catfishes (Loricariidae - Plecos et al)”