Plecos

[fishay12]

What plecos do you think would be best? I already am looking at ancistrus, but are carnivore plecos an option? I would think they would be better tankmates considering Apistos are also carnivores. Any input would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Tom C]

None.
Apistos rest/sleep on the ground at night. The much larger, night active, catfishes will chase them into the upper parts of the tank, again and again and again, every night. In the long run, stress like that could be lethal.
There is a reason these species never live very close to each other in the nature...

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
I've grown-out young Hypancistrus (L129/L333) with Apistogramma, and you can do it, but it isn't ideal. Even fairly small Hypancistrus will evict Apistogramma from caves etc. and they are very proficient egg eaters (this also applies to Ancistrus). Otocinclus are fine with Apistogramma.

cheers Darrel

 

[MickeM]

Hi..

The best "pleco/catfish" I`ve ever had with Apistos are these small and very cautious Nanoptopoma sternoptycum..

http://www.apistogramma.com/forum/index.php?threads/id-apistogramma-please.17415/#post-84340

The biggest problem seem to find anyone who`s actually got them!! + I don`t know if they have been included in any red list now..

Some other small catfishes are the Parotocinlus species , Otothyropsis piribebuy and various Hisonotus sp.


Some Parotc. are rather tough.. and some are red listed (I think??) and protected from catching these days..
I`ve kept them with Apistogramma baenschi and the baenschi couple managed to chase them away from caves, and got fry.. ( In a 115cm long tank)

Otothyropsis (often sold as Otocinclus spec. "negros") are small, cheap and really good in a common tank..but I don`t know
if they eat Apisto-eggs ..??

Hisonotus are catfishes I`ve never had ..but will try some day..

If you want a really nice looking one, you might want to check out the Acestridium dichromum...
Now availible from a German seller... approx 45 Euro/Pcs.. Never had them either..but maybe some day??


/MickeM

 

[MickeM]

Here are some pics on the other ones:

Otothyropsis piribebuy

 

[MickeM]

Parotocinclus spec. "Pernambuco"