PlanetCatfish.com

Hi everybody,

whilst browsing the site, I keep on considering one question; as I have 'learned' through my years of fishkeeping, most pl*co's et al are being kept as solitary fish. However, breeders often keep a group of them in a spacious tank. Is it known wether pl*co's form groups or shoals? or are they better off as individuals? I am aware of the fact that this might differ a lot per species. Just curiosity (and some homework for my new tank )! Thanks,

Tjerk

There is a video on youtube i think of invasive plecos in florida & the underwater footage shows them in the hundreds.

Plecos as a rule do not shoal like say, tetras, with the exception of stuff like otocinclus.(again there is a great vid on youtube, (in terms of demonstrating this)

In terms of keeping them. If a suitable size tank is available, the most natural & complete behaviour will be witnessed if there is interaction between individuals of the same species.

Some people keep fancy plecos as they want one of as many as possible of each species. This IMHO is not a good situation - groups are the best way forward

When I started keeping Plecos, I did the "one of each" approach, but the more I learn about them, the more I think that "groups" is the best way to keep these fish.

In some species, this doesn't work too well - for example, Pseudacanthicus and Acanthicus will need pretty large tanks to live in groups, as they can be fiercely territorial and cause damage to each other.

--
Mats

MatsP wrote:When I started keeping Plecos, I did the "one of each" approach,

doesn't nearly everyone?

MatsP wrote: In some species, this doesn't work too well - for example, Pseudacanthicus and Acanthicus will need pretty large tanks to live in groups, as they can be fiercely territorial and cause damage to each other.--
Mats

Indeed hence i wrote

If a suitable size tank is available

When I started keeping Plecos, I did the "one of each" approach, but the more I learn about them, the more I think that "groups" is the best way to keep these fish.

This is the stage I'm at. If I could go back I would keep as groups absolutely. The trouble is, if you have only one tank like myself, sometimes temptation overcomes judgement.

catmar wrote:

When I started keeping Plecos, I did the "one of each" approach, but the more I learn about them, the more I think that "groups" is the best way to keep these fish.

This is the stage I'm at. If I could go back I would keep as groups absolutely. The trouble is, if you have only one tank like myself, sometimes temptation overcomes judgement.

Indeed yes - the goup approach is paying dividends though as more fancy L nos become more expensive due to restrictions - some L066 or L333 for example are are £30 - 40 but young can be had from breeders for £10 - 15 (a crude example).

Then there is the difficulty of costs of a group of a single species & the difficulty of sexing them...

Hi everybody,

thanks for the replies so far. I find it an interesting discussion, and a pity that so many fishkeepers simply keep 'one algae-eater to keep things clean'. Hope this site helps people in making more sane choices! Obviously it is matter of space, but I find that limiting oneself in terms of amount of species only can benefit the tank. If I can give this thread a slight practical turn for myself; I wonder wether there are any good options for having a small group of pl*co's in a 32g (115liter, 80x35cm footprint).. Most stuff will definitely be too big. Maybe sth like Peckoltia Vitatta? Obviously with only some dither fish then. Cheers!

Yes, I'd say 3-4 would work in such a tank, if you make lots of hiding places.

As to "education of fishkeepers", we certainly try our best here.

--
Mats

It depends what you are aiming for: algae control, breeding, aesthetics or any number of reasons. I would look at it on a tank by tank basis. If I had a tank with a lot of plants and other smaller Tetras, etc., my first choice would be an Otocinclus spp. If breeding was my objective, a species tank would be my first choice. If I had a showpiece tank in the living room, I'd think another way. Does that make any sense?
Amanda

Amanda, you make very good sense. Since most of my fishkeeping is in the fishroom that only gets seen by other fishkeepers, I tend to look at it more from a keeping to breed perspective than keeping to look pretty...

--
Mats