Multiple Plecos in a tank?

[Mercfh]

So I have a 55g right now with a single small bristlenose (and 2 raphael catfish). Im curious about adding other pleco's but I can't seen to get a good answer on if they will be friendly with each other?

I mean most LFS's have multiple in a tank, and I see a lot of pictures of ones with multiple plecos. Is there certain ones that maybe are ok with each other?

As a side question are they big enough to where a raphael catfish wouldn't snack on them?

[bekateen]

Hi Mercfh,

The answer really depends on the species you're considering, how big they will get and and what food they eat. I often keep 2 pleco species together as long as I think they are compatible. BNs and clown plecos (or other Panaqolus), however in my experience the Panaqolus like the tank warmer (78-85F) vs the Ancistrus (73-78F).

Cheers, Eric

[Mercfh]

I keep both tanks at around 76-77. Should be fine for both I would think?

[bekateen]

That's ususually a pretty safe temp for raphael cats, and the Ancistrus won't mind it either.

Cheers,
Eric

[kal-el]

for years, I always had only one oder two catfishes beside the corydoras.
I restarded with a tank four years ago and bought a L201 from one of my students. I asked him about his pleco species and he smiled and said, that if don´t put plecos in the tank, you don´t see plecos....
he got nearly 30 fishs in a tank of 600 litres, 159 gallones.

I have a lot of caves and tubes and of course wood. by day, most auf them are in the back in the woods, but I build a kind of pleco hotel in front.
During the day the fishs do change to it, so I can watch them. All of them are very friendly, the exception where two Hypostomus punctatus, which where in the backyard most of the day also, but when they came out, they did kick the other plecos all the time.
I gave them to a friend and now I see my plecos more often.

In my experience, the plecos do feel more save, if there a other plecos around, even, if it´s not the same kind oft it.

I haven´t reached this amount so far, but I decided to follow his advice ...
so I got a lot of plecos together....

1 cm = 0,3 inch

L 82 2x (10, 5 cm)
L 91 1x (10 cm)
L 103 1x (6 cm)
L 106 1x (8cm)
L 124 1x (10 cm)
L 128 1x (currently small one, came to me by accident, wanted to buy a second L 124)
L 135 1x (15 cm)
L 137 1x (20 cm)
L 200a 1x (15 cm)
L 333 2x (4 cm)
L 264 4x (4 cm)
L 397 3x (10, 5, 4 cm)

[Kirin]

This is more of a Hypostominae issue. The advice I'd give is firstly keep similarly sized species and individuals together. While as juveniles it might seem okay but as they mature for many territoriality increases but even more so their size, bulk and what damage they can do does increase.
I have seen and experienced disasters and very mixed tanks tend to lead to this. There are some species that don't fair well in captivity so maybe they are said to be more peaceful then they are but my Baryancistrus xanthellus and Baryancistrus chrysolomus are of some size and will throw their weight around, even the smaller B. xanthellus will take on a fully grown male Panaqolus albivermis. For much smaller fishes this can be even more of an issue. Other genera like Pseudacanthicus are notorious for aggression at a small size, it seems also Leporacanthicus are. There is definitely a spectrum of aggression some it kicks in earlier then later, a few exceptions don't. Other subfamilies then Hypoptopominae is much more relaxed and more social, Loricariinae varies as I've seen Planiloricaria really dig into each other yet I have a colony of Farlowella with no issues. You have plenty of space but unlike many Ancistrus spp., the common bristlenose I find particularly territorial so I wouldn't keep it with smaller species or anything that could do it serious harm, much much smaller such as Hypoptopominae would be fine though.
There are a few social species and I would argue there is a benefit for having multiple members of the same species, space allowing. Particularly if one is more established and feeding.

The other aspect is that parameters overlap, Loricariidae covers a wide area so there is a whole range. It's difficult if you have the common bristlenose as we still don't have conformation on what species it is so we can't say where it originates. Also being for such a long time "domesticated" how much this influences the fish.

My biggest concern would be diet, it'd need to be with something that is a boisterous enough feeder to compete with the raphael's.

These fishes coming out often is more about time and the individual fish. Some of mine I see more then others and it changes over time. I have my tanks where I work so I'm there constantly, as in an 'office' they have no fast movements or things to spook them. But for some even two-four years in they aren't confident and others I see much more, it seems to also depend where their special hiding spots are.