Which pleco is best for a planted tank?
The problem with loricariids (plecos) in a planted tank is that this is not the correct environment for the majority of species. Contrary to popular belief, the suckermouth was not developed to scrape algae, but to hold onto rocks in medium to strong current. These catfish need an environment with a lot of current and high oxygen levels. This is the opposite of what we are trying to achieve in most plant tanks where we want to conserve CO2 for the plants. A tall tank is also less suitable for these fish because we want a large surface area to water volume ratio to increase O2 exchange. Taller tanks have a small surface area to water volume ratio and thus gas exchange at the surface is inadequate without serious turbulence. While this rules out many plecos, it still leaves you with some interesting options. (1) Ancistrus species (bristlenose plecos) stay small enough for your tank and will spawn if provided with a suitable hollow log. They will not bother other fish and most species wil
