First pleco selection for a planted tank

[jzcombo]

Hello All.

I have been doing research on the subject and can't decide on a species of pleco to add. I believe I should be selecting from hypancistrus because I don't want them eating my plants. However, I am open to other genus or specific suggestions.

I have an established 30 gallon freshwater tank:
75% ground exposure
79° F
6.6 pH
5 GH
2 KH

One other note...
I've had two plecos die on me within the first two weeks... I don't know why... But I don't want it to happen again... L200 and L135.
First I tried introducing the L135 and when he didn't work out, I tried the L200.

I will be using my quarantine tank so I can monitor his acclimation better. No gravel with a cave and driftwood. Any tips on this process also would be helpful.

I feel like my selection is limited because of the tank size and current stock. As long as they take over a year to grow, I am open to placing him in a bigger tank when needed.

Thanks, for your suggestions and help you can offer.

 

[Brengun]

Do you have a photo of the tank?

 

[jzcombo]

Do you have a photo of the tank?

Yea, sure.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I've had two plecos die on me within the first two weeks... I don't know why... But I don't want it to happen again... L200 and L135.

Nice planted tank, and the fish look healthy. Lace Gourami is a real favourite fish.

You may have just been unlucky with your new fish. L135 <http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1753> comes from soft water (Rio Negro), and despite your water values I wonder if your rocks are limestone? Although I don't think that the harder water would have caused it to die.

Did you have the loach? They are quite territorial, and may have added stress. I'd definitely add some more caves and structure to the bottom of the tank.

The last possibility is oxygenation, a lot of plecs need warm water and high levels of dissolved oxygen. Planted tanks usually have better water quality (and higher levels of dissolved oxygen), but seeing the Gourami if you don't have much water flow? low levels of dissolved oxygen may have occurred at night.

If you could get some young tank bred Hypancistrus? they might be your best bet. Something like L270, L340 or L129(H. debilittera)?

I kept some L129 in a planted tank from fry to adult, and they did well, but I never saw them other than the occasional tail sticking out of a cave.

They are very reclusive.

cheers Darrel

 

[jzcombo]

Hi all,
Nice planted tank, and the fish look healthy. Lace Gourami is a real favourite fish..

Only after I bought him I read gouramis can be territorial with one another. I think I did have beginners luck because I have four different gourami species and they get along well with the exception of the initial gourami (can be a bully at times).

You may have just been unlucky with your new fish. L135 <http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1753> comes from soft water (Rio Negro), and despite your water values I wonder if your rocks are limestone? Although I don't think that the harder water would have caused it to die.

Never thought to research the rock... However, the L135 died in the quarantine tank I had set up at the time with fake plants and gravel. Couldn't monitor feeding because there were other new fish being acclimated as well. But again, not too sure why he died so quickly. The parameters at the time were correct.

Did you have the loach? They are quite territorial, and may have added stress. I'd definitely add some more caves and structure to the bottom of the tank.

I have three yo yo loaches and haven't seen any aggression towards any other fish including the L200 when he was in the main tank. The yo yo's just hang with each other. But yes, I do plan on changing some of the rock structures with the new pleco, including adding a cave.

The last possibility is oxygenation, a lot of plecs need warm water and high levels of dissolved oxygen. Planted tanks usually have better water quality (and higher levels of dissolved oxygen), but seeing the Gourami if you don't have much water flow? low levels of dissolved oxygen may have occurred at night.

You can't see it too well in the picture, but I have a Fluval 50 HOB on the right that waterfalls into the path of a circulation fan pushing the water to the left. It creates a good amount of bubbles (oxygen?) in the water and throughout the tank. Although I don't know how to measure the amount. I can just see enough water movement in the tank and at the surface.

Right now I adjusted the water to meet my current stocks needs (plant and fish). At the time when my L200 was in the main tank, I had the temperature at 80°F. When he passed I adjusted to 79°.

If you could get some young tank bred Hypancistrus? they might be your best bet. Something like L270, L340 or L129(H. debilittera)?

I kept some L129 in a planted tank from fry to adult, and they did well, but I never saw them other than the occasional tail sticking out of a cave.

Thanks, for the suggestions. I'm going to look into these. Are they what the LFS call False Zebras?

 

[Brengun]

Could have just been stress in the quarantine tank or if the bio bacteria cycle wasn't high enough to cope with the number of fish put in.
Plecos sit near the bottom so are always the ones to stress with not enough oxygen down low.