Pleco ideas, need help picking…

DMD123

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Is that what you ordered?!!!
Well, the baby version. Parancistrus aurantiacus "L056" "Rubber Pleco" / also called 'Chubby pleco'. This one in the pic is said to be 9" but Ive seen a undocumented pic from MFK where the person claims 12". Seems 9"-10" is very common. Thankfully slow grower.

A ton of mystery with this pleco as to why and if it will change color. They are normally a black/gray color but can turn bright yellow. The sad thing is that some pay big money for these 'yellow' ones and then they will turn back to black, lol. The small fish are a price I can handle and I dont mind if it stays dark, I like the look of these little monsters.
 

fishguy1978

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Well, the baby version. Parancistrus aurantiacus "L056" "Rubber Pleco" / also called 'Chubby pleco'. This one in the pic is said to be 9" but Ive seen a undocumented pic from MFK where the person claims 12". Seems 9"-10" is very common. Thankfully slow grower.

A ton of mystery with this pleco as to why and if it will change color. They are normally a black/gray color but can turn bright yellow. The sad thing is that some pay big money for these 'yellow' ones and then they will turn back to black, lol. The small fish are a price I can handle and I dont mind if it stays dark, I like the look of these little monsters.
I think a cave for this species would need to be one of the rectangular ones. You could get some 2 or 3in pvc pipe cut it to 12in long and use a heat gun to warm it till soft. Once soft squish it to a oval shape.
 

DMD123

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I think a cave for this species would need to be one of the rectangular ones. You could get some 2 or 3in pvc pipe cut it to 12in long and use a heat gun to warm it till soft. Once soft squish it to a oval shape.
Ive done similar putting hot sand into pvc and bending so that should not be too complicated. I had seen slate tile cut and siliconed together too.
Appreciate the idea! Granted my little 2-3" plecos will take a while to get there but looking to the future for this project.

To me these guys are the so ugly they are cute type pleco. Short and stout yet get some size on them. Looking to replace the L001 in the 90g oscar tank with one of these L056 as it gets big enough. The other is just insurance that I get one living one and then a possible second fish to see if it turns yellow and or sell as it gets bigger.
 

fishguy1978

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Ive done similar putting hot sand into pvc and bending so that should not be too complicated. I had seen slate tile cut and siliconed together too.
Appreciate the idea! Granted my little 2-3" plecos will take a while to get there but looking to the future for this project.

To me these guys are the so ugly they are cute type pleco. Short and stout yet get some size on them. Looking to replace the L001 in the 90g oscar tank with one of these L056 as it gets big enough. The other is just insurance that I get one living one and then a possible second fish to see if it turns yellow and or sell as it gets bigger.
So, just 2? Anything else?
 

DMD123

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Bringing this one back to life because I want another pleco... or two. I lost my hi-fin green phantom a while back and am looking for something to replace it. For the moment I put a large bn male in the 90g and he is doing well but wanted something with some color or interest. Considering maybe a long fin or fancy super red bn pleco instead. Saw that Wet Spot had one of my favorite pleco in stock for online order, the L114. Not sure where it would go long term but would work in a 90 for a bit. My wife and I will take a weekend trip to Portland soon, will see what the Wet Spot store has in stock and decide then. But looking for a few plecos again.
 

lloyd378

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Bringing this one back to life because I want another pleco... or two. I lost my hi-fin green phantom a while back and am looking for something to replace it. For the moment I put a large bn male in the 90g and he is doing well but wanted something with some color or interest. Considering maybe a long fin or fancy super red bn pleco instead. Saw that Wet Spot had one of my favorite pleco in stock for online order, the L114. Not sure where it would go long term but would work in a 90 for a bit. My wife and I will take a weekend trip to Portland soon, will see what the Wet Spot store has in stock and decide then. But looking for a few plecos again.
I recently saw a post about a guy with a bunch of green phantom plecos … they were located more north, but they looked super healthy. If interested in another one, I can reach out to him and get prices
 

DMD123

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I recently saw a post about a guy with a bunch of green phantom plecos … they were located more north, but they looked super healthy. If interested in another one, I can reach out to him and get prices
Do you know it they were the regular or hi-fin? I like the hi-fin better
 

DMD123

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Likely will drive to Portland over the weekend and will stop in at Wet Spot for a look around. I see they are listing some blue eye albino bn and the long fin variety too. Super reds along with long fin variety and a snow white bn. I know the BN plecos are great for cleaning up and I appreciate the ones in the tanks I have them in. Might get one of these fancy types to put in my 46 bowfront and then more my albino into the 90g sev tank.

Have always wanted a leopard frog pleco so its a tough choice as to what pleco to put in the 46g bowfront.

I moved the regular BN male out from the red wolf tank into the 90 with the silver dollars and EBJD but he is kind of plain looking... this is one where I would consider something with some more interest like the L114.

Will see if I even pull the trigger on any new fish or wait for a black friday sale...
 

DMD123

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A few pics of my current pleco

65g has two "Chubby" pleco
IMG_20231104_113015669.jpg

The 46g bowfront has this albino that I might consider moving into the 90g sev tank
IMG_20230903_203018384.jpg

This mean, gnarly male is now in the 90 with the EBJD and silver dollars
BB6A7105-31E8-4003-BE8F-DCAE03E9A867.jpeg

Thats it for my pleco's... I used to keep even more but over time just ended up rehoming or changing them out from larger types (like rhino) to these more manageable ones. (I did lose the green Phantom to unknown death)
 

fishguy1978

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The Leopard Frogs are beautiful more meat than algae though for food preference.
 
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DMD123

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The Leopard Frogs are beautiful more meat than algae though for food preference.
I know the BN are one of the best all around cleaners. I noticed the driftwood’s especially are kept clean in tanks with them. The green phantom did a pretty good job on the driftwood too. If the leopard frog would at least keep the driftwood clean, he would be worth it to me.
 
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John58Ford

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My primary rasping pleco is the little clown, he's not the same scale as most of what you've been looking at but he keeps them wood clean. Until it turns to toothpicks.
 

DMD123

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Went by Sierra and was so tempted to pick up a red bruno pleco but its fins had damage and I wasn't willing to pay the full list ($59) with the issues. Maybe if its there in a month or so and healed up...
 

DMD123

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Been thinking about what to get for what tanks and Im leaning toward a Leopard Frog for the 46g bowfront and then to move the Albino BN out the the 90g with the severum and hoplo cats. This really leaves the other 90g with the silver dollar grow outs and the EBJD. Im thinking either a L114 or a Red Bruno types pleco. But it would likely mean I would have to rehome the mean male BN out of that tank. Problem is that I like him... will see what the next couple weeks brings. Maybe some good Black Friday sales?
 

DMD123

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Just picked up an L397 Alenquer Tiger Pleco for my 46g bowfront. Will move out the albino BN to a much bigger 90g. IMG_20231223_175631769.jpg
 
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