Daytime dwarf pleco?

[Beach Cruiser]

I'm thinking of adding a single dwarf pleco to my heavily planted 100gal set up. Plenty of caves & driftwood too. I'm not opposed to adding more wood, etc. 

Seems like many of them are mostly nocturnal. Does anyone have experience with a type that is less nocturnal/shy than most? I don't need them active all day, but a fish you never see is a bit disappointing. 

Tank is a low tech SA oriented, 7.0 pH, on the soft side, angels & apistos do well. 

[lefty o]

most of them like to hide, but imo bristlenose are most likely to be out and about doing their thing.

[Odd Duck]

I see my bristlenose plecos more often than any other species I’ve had (except commons) and they would be right at home in a 100 gallon setup, but they are definitely not what would consider a dwarf species unless you’re comparing to commons or other large species.  Males get a solid 6-7” with good conditions and plenty of room to grow. My females have run a bit smaller.

I don’t know of anything but big common plecos that are bold enough to not at least try to hide when they see movement unless someone has made a huge effort to get them very acclimated to movement in and out of the tank by feeding something extra yummy every time the fish might see movement.  Looking at you, @Guppysnail!  😃  Bristlenoses come in some very nice colors and are fairly plant safe if offered enough vegetables.  They can be a bit rough on plants just based on their size, though, so stem plants may not do well with them when they get big or if you have a couple males that are squabbling.  Mine have never injured each other, but they do some intermittent scuffling around and can stir up the substrate a bit if you are foolish enough to layer clay under sand.  👋🏻🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️  Notice the hint of cloudiness.  That’s clay and mulm coming up into the water due to said scuffling.  But isn’t he a fine fellow?  The epitome of ugly cute.  😂 🤣  Just in case you don’t already know, he is a blue-eyed lemon and that pink patch at the back of the head shows up well before the bristles do so you can sex them starting at about 1.5-2”.  By 3” the pink should be very obvious if they are reasonably settled (may not be as obvious in the store on arrival but in a good store should be visible soon after arrival).  I’ve seen it in bagged fish at expos / shows.  It will show on all the lighter colored bristlenoses - lemons, albinos, and snow whites.  Barely visible on super reds.  Not visible (to me anyway) on browns, chocolates, or green dragons.

There are other species of plecos that are also bristlenoses, but the colors listed are of the hybrids that are typically called bristlenoses.  Many of the others that have bristles on their noses are smaller (but shyer) like L519’s AKA Kiefner’s, or Rio Paraguays, for instance.  They all have their merits, but being bold isn’t really a pleco trait.  Like many fish, lots of good hiding places makes them more comfortable with being out in the open when they know they can duck into cover quickly and easily.

 

Edited July 24 by Odd Duck
Clarify and typos

[Guppysnail]

On 7/24/2024 at 1:11 PM, Odd Duck said:

Looking at you, @Guppysnail!

🫣

[Beach Cruiser]

On 7/24/2024 at 1:11 PM, Odd Duck said:

I see my bristlenose plecos more often than any other species I’ve had (except commons) and they would be right at home in a 100 gallon setup, but they are definitely not what would consider a dwarf species unless you’re comparing to commons or other large species.  Males get a solid 6-7” with good conditions and plenty of room to grow. My females have run a bit smaller.

I don’t know of anything but big common plecos that are bold enough to not at least try to hide when they see movement unless someone has made a huge effort to get them very acclimated to movement in and out of the tank by feeding something extra yummy every time the fish might see movement.  Looking at you, @Guppysnail!  😃  Bristlenoses come in some very nice colors and are fairly plant safe if offered enough vegetables.  They can be a bit rough on plants just based on their size, though, so stem plants may not do well with them when they get big or if you have a couple males that are squabbling.  Mine have never injured each other, but they do some intermittent scuffling around and can stir up the substrate a bit if you are foolish enough to layer clay under sand.  👋🏻🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️  Notice the hint of cloudiness.  That’s clay and mulm coming up into the water due to said scuffling.  But isn’t he a fine fellow?  The epitome of ugly cute.  😂 🤣  Just in case you don’t already know, he is a blue-eyed lemon and that pink patch at the back of the head shows up well before the bristles do so you can sex them starting at about 1.5-2”.  By 3” the pink should be very obvious if they are reasonably settled (may not be as obvious in the store on arrival but in a good store should be visible soon after arrival).  I’ve seen it in bagged fish at expos / shows.  It will show on all the lighter colored bristlenoses - lemons, albinos, and snow whites.  Barely visible on super reds.  Not visible (to me anyway) on browns, chocolates, or green dragons.

There are other species of plecos that are also bristlenoses, but the colors listed are of the hybrids that are typically called bristlenoses.  Many of the others that have bristles on their noses are smaller (but shyer) like L519’s AKA Kiefner’s, or Rio Paraguays, for instance.  They all have their merits, but being bold isn’t really a pleco trait.  Like many fish, lots of good hiding places makes them more comfortable with being out in the open when they know they can duck into cover quickly and easily.

 

Thanks for the info! There is a local club guy rehoming juvenile bristlenose... I'll check on the specific type.

[Lennie]

Female bristlenose plecos tend to be out more. Adult males can just claim a cave and spend time inside/nearby.

 

But some people have issues bn plecos eating their echinodorus plants tho. 2-3 plants of yours look like an echinodorus type, but Im not sure.

 

I highly recommend whiptails instead of plecos. A group of farlowellas would look great there

You can check whiptails in general. Royal farlowellas look awesome but I havent kept any yet. I only kept red lizard whiptails and twig catfish.

[Beach Cruiser]

Interesting... I'll look into those!

[Lennie]

On 7/24/2024 at 10:01 PM, Beach Cruiser said:

Interesting... I'll look into those!

They are not shy like plecos, in my experience at least. That is a biiig advantage imo

Also these guys like to spend time at everywhere in the tank jumping around plant leaves and climbing woods etc. Plecos usually hide and stay only around the bottom level.

[Sacah]

My peppermint pleco initially hid and only came out when all the lights were out, then after a few months he'd come out when the lights dimmed, and this last week he's out hanging around the tank during the day, he stays very still when he sees movement, but doesn't run and hide like he used too.
I find his little shuffle across the glass and the tail wag very cute.

[gardenman]

In general, with plecos, the more you pay for one, the less likely you are to ever see it. They're not showpiece fish. If there's a place to hide out, they'll find it. The cheaper guys/gals tend to be out and about much more.  My old Super Red bristlenose plecos would watch me and wait for me to put a Tubifex worm cube on the glass and then they'd swarm it. They were typically out and about quite a bit.

[Beach Cruiser]

On 7/25/2024 at 8:37 AM, gardenman said:

In general, with plecos, the more you pay for one, the less likely you are to ever see it.

😆 I was shocked at the price of some of these lil buggers...in the hundreds! That's just crazy. 

The bristlenose are cool if i can find a source with good color & not the albino strain that seems really popular. 

[Guppysnail]

On 7/24/2024 at 1:11 PM, Odd Duck said:

unless someone has made a huge effort to get them very acclimated to movement in and out of the tank by feeding something extra yummy every time the fish might see movement.

Feed the bristlenose only in the front.  Feed only during times you wish to see them. 
Today I’m moving tanks so I’m 3 hours late on the brats yummies. They come to the ledge to stare at me and make me feel huge amounts of guilt. They are easily trainable  They feel the same about me 🤣

@Odd DuckI’ll be feeding them live baby brine from a coral feeder later as an apology for todays slow service. I’m obviously not getting a good tip. 

 

[mynameisnobody]

The only pleco I saw more than my bristlenose was my L137. Once it got comfy in his environment, he would bless us with his appearance more often than not and it’s the type of fish that photos do no justice to. I miss that guy, he was a hefty lil guy. 

[Beach Cruiser]

On 7/25/2024 at 4:12 PM, mynameisnobody said:

The only pleco I saw more than my bristlenose was my L137. Once it got comfy in his environment, he would bless us with his appearance more often than not and it’s the type of fish that photos do no justice to. I miss that guy, he was a hefty lil guy. 

Nice fish, but a little larger than the tank needs. 

[mynameisnobody]

Honestly I would be surprised if you could find one to buy. 

[johnnyxxl]

I went with otocinclus catfish so that I could see them, thinking about hill stream loaches down the road maybe a second tank with fish 

[Beach Cruiser]

I have a couple of Otos & they are great, but the die off rate on new guys is fierce. 

[Lennie]

Btw, if you are interested in plecos, check Rebecca’s yt channel sometime. She studies the evolution of loriicaridae as her PhD, and is a biologist/ichthyologist. She is also in the hobby too, and even worked at fish store for 6 years before
 

 

 

[Beach Cruiser]

Nice... thanks!

[Odd Duck]

On 7/25/2024 at 2:14 PM, Guppysnail said:

Feed the bristlenose only in the front.  Feed only during times you wish to see them. 
Today I’m moving tanks so I’m 3 hours late on the brats yummies. They come to the ledge to stare at me and make me feel huge amounts of guilt. They are easily trainable  They feel the same about me 🤣

@Odd DuckI’ll be feeding them live baby brine from a coral feeder later as an apology for todays slow service. I’m obviously not getting a good tip. 

 

I still find it absolutely amazing that he’s learned to let you just pour the BBS straight down the gullet!  😆 Truly a tribute to your dedication and gentleness that you’ve trained a fish to LAY ON HIS BACK while he sucks down the BBS as fast as he can.  Astonishing!