Common Pleco (Hypostomus plecostomus)
Reaches 24 inches in adulthood. Needs 200+ gallon tank. Most pet shop plecos die or get rehomed.
Avoid for 95% of hobbyists. Find a different algae eater.
Bristlenose Pleco (Ancistrus)
Stays 4-5 inches. Perfect community pleco. Eats algae and detritus.
Males develop dramatic facial bristles. Easy to breed in caves.
L-Number Plecos
L = Loricariid catalog. Specialty plecos like L046 (zebra), L066 (king tiger), L260 (queen arabesque).
Most need specific water parameters and food. Premium pricing $30-300+.
Diet Truth
Plecos are NOT 24/7 algae eaters. They need supplemental food: algae wafers, blanched zucchini, cucumber.
In a clean tank, plecos starve. Feed them deliberately.
- ✦Bristlenose breed in PVC pipes — males guard eggs
- ✦Pleco poop is enormous — they need oversized filtration
- ✦Avoid store-named "plecostomus" without species ID — could be common pleco