| Well, i've decided to make a guide on plecos, because i think i've heard about too many common plecos being put in small tanks (though i have to admit, i am guilty of this myself, but i returned the fish to the store, i have learned from my mistake, and will never do it again) This guide contains many species of loricariid (suckermouth catfish) that are commonly seen in pet stores. Here is some general info about the guide and its contents:
cf.=scientists think it's the species it's labeled as
sp.=unidentified species
spp.= more than 1 species when the minimum tank size mentioned in the guide is 40gallons, a 38gallon tank will do fine. I simply put 40 in there because its a round number. The same applies for a 30gallon tank: a 29gallon can be used if the minimum tank size is 30gallons. These are the only 2 aquarium sizes that this applies to. So, let's start out with the loricariids that aren't really considered to be plecos. Otocinclus- (Otocinclus spp.)The smallest loricariid commonly seen in the hobby, the otocinclus is excellent for small aquariums. It can often be seen resting on top of broad plant leaves, which it will pick algae off of. It can reach a maximum size of 2", but is more commonly 1.5"-1.75". It will eat algae, fresh vegetables such as cucumber slices and luttuce leaves, and may eat algae wafers. It prefers to be kept in small groups, and requires a minimum tank size of 10 gallons.
Whiptail catfish- (Rineloricaria spp.)There are many species whiptail catfish in the aquarium industry, and they all are excellent algae eaters. They are very easy to care for. It is well siuted to the medium-sized aquarium, as it can reach a size of 6". There are some smaller species that reach smaller sizes of about 3"-4", and there is a giant species of whiptail catfish that can reach 12", but they are less commonly encountered than the more medium sized species of whiptail catfish. The whiptail catfish will eat algae, algae wafers, and vegetables such as lettuce leaves or cucumber slices. It should be kept in an aquarium of no less than 20 gallons. The most commonly imported whiptail in the U.S. is Rineloricaria prava, which reaches 4.5". Pictured is Rineloricaria eigenmanni.
Twig catfish- (Farlowella spp.)The twig catfish (also called the farlowella catfish) is one of the stranger loricariids, because, as its name states, it looks very much like a twig. It has a long, slender snout. It is also one of the more reclusive loricariids, and requires hiding places. A piece of driftwood makes an excellent hiding place, as the twig catfish can hide under it or on it. Plants will also provide it with cover. There are several species of twig catfish, and they can vary in size from 6" to 9". A minimum tank size for the twig catfish would be 30 gallons. It will eat algae, algae wafers, and vegetables such as lettuce leaves and cucumber slices. Pictured is Farlowella vittata.
Royal whiptail- (Sturisoma spp.)The royal whiptal is so called because of the male's tall dorsal fin. It can reach 8" to 12" in length, and can be bred rather easily. Eggs will be laid on a flat surface and the male will guard them until they hatch. The fry can be fed blanched spinach and will eat algae. Hiding places such as plants, rocks, and driftwood are appreciated. The royal whiptail will eat algae, algae wafers, and vegetables such as lettuce leaves or cucumber slices. Minimum tak size is 30 gallons, 40 for a pair.
Now, on to the plecos. Common pleco- (Pterygoplichthys pardalis) The common pleco is, as its name says, one of the most common plecos seen in stores. It is often placed aquariums that are too small for it. It grows to a size of approximmately 12", and produces copious amounts of waste. For these reasons, it is best to house it in an aquarium of 70 gallons or more. It is peaceful, and even though it is large it will not harm its tankmates. The common pleco has an albino form, known as the chocolate pleco, because it is a brownish color. The first picture is of a normal common pleco, and the second is of a chocolate pleco. It will eat almost any foods placed in its aquarium, including algae, flakes, sinking pellets, algae wafers, vegetables, such as lettuce leaves and cucumber slices, and other leftover foods. It is best to keep the common pleco without any other algae eating fish , due to the large amounts of waste it produces, as well as its large appetite and size.
 Sailfin pleco- (Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps) Also called the gibbiceps pleco or spotted columbian pleco, the sailfin pleco is another very large pleco that is commonly seen in stores. Like the common pleco, it is often placed in aquariums that are much too small for it. The sailfin pleco can reach a maximum size of 2', but it is more likely to reach a size of about 18". Like the common pleco, it creates very large amounts of waste. It should be lept in an aquarium no smaller than 125 gallons and should not be kept with any other algae eating fish due to its large appetite and size. An albino form is also available.
 Titanic pleco, Volkswagen pleco-(Panaque sp. L203) This is one of the largest plecos kept in aquaria, and is also easy to care for. It requires driftwood in its aquarium because driftwood makes up part of its natural diet, and it will eat veggies such as cucumber, spinach, and prepared foods such as algae wafers. Because of its size, rocks should not be in its aquarium. it has destructive tendencies and will regularly move decor, and it may move rocks into the glass, which can shatter the glass. It grows to 19". It should be kept in at least A 90 gallon aquarium, because, even though it is large, it is not terribly active. 1st pic is of a juvenile, 2nd pic is of an adult, 3rd pic is of underside of an adult.
Royal pleco- (Panaque nigrolineatus L190, Panaque cf. nigrolineatus L190, Panaque sp. L191, Panaque cf. nigrolineatus L330) Also called the royal Panaque, this pleco is one of the largest and most beautiful plecos kept in aquaria. The royal pleco requires driftwood in its aquarium, because drifwood is a necessary part of its diet. The driftwood also makes an excellent hiding place for this pleco. The royal pleco can be found in several colors patterns. There are several plecos referred to as royal plecos. The first has gold and black stripes and a red eye (L190), and is known as the royal pleco. the second has a grey eye, and gold and black stripes (L191) and is known as the dull eye royal pleco. the third has a red eye, and spots instead of stripes (L330). Those with spots are reffered to as watermelon plecos. The first picture is of the common gold stripe pattern, the second is of the dull eye pattern, and the third is of the spotted, "watermelon pleco" pattern. It can reach a maximum size of almost 18", but this is extremely rare. In aquaria, it is more likely to reach a maximum size of 15" (L191 can only reach a max size of 9.8"). Because of its large size and the copious amounts of waste it produces, it should be kept in an aquarium of no less than 70 gallons. L191 should be kept in an aquarium of at least 50 gallons. The royal pleco must have driftwood to eat, and it will also eat algae, algae wafers, shrimp pellets, and vegetables such as lettuce leaves or cucumber slices.
 Orange cheek pleco- (Pseudorinelepis genibarbis)(L095) This ia a rather unique pleco, because there are only 2 species in its genus. It is also a bit hard to find in stores. It is considered to be the most tame pleco available, and will let its owner pet it gently once it has been thriving in its tank for some time. It will eat most foods, but veggies and algae wafers are preferable. It is also very peaceful. It grows to 14", and if it is kept with few other fish, will be able to live in a tank of at least 55 gallons that is long and wide enough for it to be comfortable.
 Rhino pleco- (Pterygoplichthys scrophus) Also called the alligator pleco or the chocolate pleco, the rhino pleco is another large pleco. It is a little harder to find than many other species of plecos. The rhino pleco will use driftwood and rocks in its aquarium as cover. Plants are not an option, as it is adept at destroying them. Robust and fast growing species may survive, however. The rhino pleco grows to 11" and should be kept in a minimum sized tank of 70 gallons. It will eat algae, algae wafers, vegetables, and freeze dried and frozen bloodworms, as well as carnivore pellets. It should have both vegetables and meaty foods in its diet.
Tooth nose pleco- (Leporacanthicus galaxias L029, Leporacanthicus cf. galaxias L007, Leporacanthicus cf. galaxias L240, Leporacanthicus cf. galaxias L241) Also called the vampire or galaxy pleco, the tooth nose pleco makes a good addition to any aquarium. It has attractive white spots on a solid-black body,and is peaceful towards other fish, as long as they are not plecos. The tooth nose pleco will grow to 8" or 9", and should be housed in an aquarium of no less than 50 gallons. It will eat algae, sinking carnivore pellets, and freeze-dried and frozen blood worms. The first picture is of L029, the second is of L007, and the third is of L240.
Chubby pleco, Gold rubber pleco- (Parancistrus aurantiacus) This is one of the hardest plecos to obtain in the aquarium hobby, and large or gold specimens are often extremely expensive (i saw a breeding pair selling for $500 USD). This pleco demands excellent water quality, but is easy to care for aside from that need. It has no special needs for food, and will eat veggies, algae wafers, and some occasional meaty foods. It must have driftwood in its aquarium and it will snack on this, because it is part of the fish's natural diet. It is peaceful, and will not bother other fish. It will use driftwood and rocks as shelter, and may uproot plants unwittingly. It grows to 8.5" and should be kept in at least a 40gallon aquarium. This fish can change its color from gold to grey, and seldom changes back to gold from grey. It will only turn gold in pristine water conditiond like those of its natural habitat. 1st pic is of gold form, second is of plec between gold and grey forms, and third is of grey form.
Green phantom pleco, Blue/black phantom pleco (Hemiancistrus subviridis)(Baryancistrus demantoides)(L128) There are 3 species of plecos in this group, called green phantom and blue phantom plecos. H. subviridis and B. demantoides are green phantoms and are referred to as L200, while L128 is the blue phantom. Baryancistrus demantoides reaches 5.6", Hemiancistrus subviridis reaches 7.5", and Hemiancistrus sp. (L128) reaches 7.1". They appreciate medium-sized, rounded boulders in its aquarium. Because of their size, these plecos should be kept in a minimum sized aquarium of 40 gallons. Driftwood and plants can be used for cover as well. It has a varied diet, and will eat algae, algae wafers, and some meaty foods. Green foods should make up the majority of the diet. The first pic is of baryancistrus demantoides, the second is of hemiancistrus subviridis, and the third is of hemiancistrus sp. (L128).
 Baryancistrus sp. (L047)- L047, commonly called the mango pleco, is one of the more rare plecos in the hobby. it needs driftwood in its aquarium, as driftwood is part of its diet. it feeds on many meaty foods. It grows to 11", so a tank of 60 gallons or more is required. it should be fed carnivore pellets or bloodworms. it will also snack on green foods.
Gold nugget pleco- (Baryancistrus spp.)There are many species of "gold nugget pleco", but they all have similar care requirements. Gold nugget plecos Are black with bright yellow spots covering them. Some species have countless very small spots, while others have less spots, but the spots are larger. The first picture is of a species of gold nugget pleco (L018) which grows to 14", the second is of another species (L081 & L085) which grows to 7.1", and the third is of another species (L177), which grows to 7.9". Gold nuggets are poor shippers, and for this reason hey are hard to take care of in aquaria. L081 and L177 should be kept in aquariums of no less than 40 gallons. L018 should be kept in an aquarium of no less than 70 gallons. They should have some driftwood in their aquarium to munch on, as driftwood makes up part of their natural diet. Other than driftwood, they will eat algae, sinking carnivore pellets, and leftover food that they find on the substrate.
Spotted orange seam pleco- (Hemiancistrus guahiborum L106) This is a peaceful, easy to care for plec that is a wonderful community fish. It is similar to the mango pleco (L047) in appearance but is much smaller. It will not disturb plants or other fish in the aquarium. It grows to 6" and It should have driftwood and plants in which to hide in the aquarium. It will snack on driftwood and should have som in its aquarium, and should be in an aquarium of at least 30gallons.
 Snowball pleco- (Hypancistrus inspector) The snowball pleco is very similar in appearance to the tooth nose, or vampire pleco. They are both striking fish, with medium sized white spots on a black body. The main differences between the tooth nose and snowball plecos is that the snowball pleco has lighter colored fins and will develop wide gray stripes in the dorsal area if it is stressed. The tooth nose pleco's mouth and teeth are also a different shape than the snowball pleco's. The snowball pleco is a medium sized pleco, and is one of the hardier plecos as well. Rocks, hardy plants, and driftwood help to provide cover for this pleco. It grows to 6" and should be kept in a 30 gallon or larger aquarium. The snowball pleco will eat algae, sinking carnivore pellets, freeze dried bloodworms, and it may eat algae wafers. Flask Panaque- (Panaque sp. L204) This peaceful little plec is a good addition to almost any aquarium. It is peaceful, will not knock oveer plants, and is very attractive. It will hide and move around in and on driftwood and rocks. It must have driftwood in its aquarium, as it eats driftwood along with other foods such as algae wafers, cucumber, zuzhini, and occasional flakes. It reaches 5.1" and can be kept with plants because they will not be eaten. It should be kept in at least a 30 gallon aquarium.
Bulldog pleco- (Chaetostoma spp.)The bulldog pleco, also known as the rubbernose pleco or widemouth pleco, is another medium sized pleco commonly seen in the hobby. There are several species of bulldog pleco, and they are all gray or brown, with some form of spot pattern. Generally, it likes to hide, and will find shelter between driftwood and rocks, under driftwood and rocks, and will come out at night to feed. The first picture is of Cheatostoma milesi, the second is of a Cheatostoma sp. that is commonly found in petsmart. Between all of the different species, they have a size range of between 3" and 6". All of them can be kept in aquariums as small as 30 gallons. The bulldog pleco will eat algae, leftover food, carnivore pellets, algae wafers, and frozen and freeze-dried bloodworms.
Medusa pleco-(Ancistrus ranunclus L034) There are several bristlenose plecos known as medusa plecos. these have more mazzive, wider heads than other bristlenoses, and female medusa plecos do have bristles (just, a lot less than the male medusa plecos). Care for the medusa pleco is different than for many other bristlenoses. It is somewhat more carnivorous than other BN's and should have meaty foods like shrimp pellets and bloodworms, alongside veggies and algae wafers. It needs medium sized stonse that it can hide between in the aquarium, and should have some driftwood as well, but stones are more important. It appreciates some current, grows to 5.1", and should be in at least a 30gallon aquarium. 1st pic is of male, 2nd is of underside, and 3rd is of pair, showing difference between male and female.
Bristlenose pleco- (Ancistrus sp.) Also called the bushynose pleco, the bristlenose pleco is one of the less demanding plecos. It must have driftwood in its aquarium, as driftwood makes up part of its natural diet. Males can be distinguished from females by looking at the head. Males will have large bushy tentacles on their faces, and females will not. Breeding has taken place in aquaria, and the male and female will spawn in a cave. The first picture is of a male bristlenose pleco (pictured is Ancistrus cf. cirrhosus), and the second is of a younger, female bristlenose pleco of the same species. There are many species of bristlenose pleco, but they all reach maximum sizes between 4" and 5". Also, many of the different species of bristlenose pleco have different color patterns. they can have gold or white spots, or they can be black, brown, or gray. The bristlenose pleco should be housed in a 30 gallon aquarium or larger. Besides driftwood, it will eat algae, sinking carnivore pellets, freeze dried bloodworms, and leftover food that it finds on the substrate.
 Tiger pleco & King tiger pleco- (Panaque sp. L002 & Hypicanstrus sp. L066) The tiger pleco and king tiger plec are different fish, but have been grouped together because they grow to similar sizes, have similar names, and have similar care requirements. Both fish appreciate driftwood and plants to use as cover, and they may eat driftwood. The tiger pleco grows to 3", and the king tiger pleco grows to 4.7". Besides driftwood, both fish will eat algae and freeze dried bloodworms. the king tiger pleco will also eat tubifex. The tiger pleco can be kept in an aquarium of at least 20gallons, and the king tiger pleco can be kept in an aquarium of at least 30 gallons. The first picture of of a tiger pleco, and the second is of a king tiger pleco.
 Clown pleco- (Panaque maccus)The clown pleco is one of the smallest true plecos kept in aquaria. It feeds on driftwood, and must have some driftwood in its aquarium. It can be sexed by looking at the tail. Males have large odontodes (small spikes) on the sides of the tail, while females do not. It grows to 4", and should be kept in an aquarium of at least 20 gallons. Besides driftwood, it will eat algae, sinking carnivore pellets, algae wafers, and vegetables such as lettuce leaves and cucumber slices. clown plecos tend to develop a rounder shape than most plecs. this is normal.
Zebra pleco-(Hypancistrus zebra),(L046,L098) this is one of the more expensive plecos kept in aquaria, and it is also one of the smallest. It has a maximum length of 3.1". It appreciates driftwood and rocks as hiding places in the aquarium, and it can be very shy. It is more of a carnivore than an algae eater, and can be fed bloodworms, and even brineshrimp at times. minimum tank size is 30 gallons. the first pic is of L046 and the second is of L098. 
Gold marble bristlenose-(Ancistrus claro) This is one of the smaller bristlenose plecos, and it reaches 2.8" in length. It should be kept with robust plants that can withstand its grazing activity. Its natural habitat it fast flowing water with a rocky bottom, and its aquarium should be similar. Place medium sized rounded rocks in the substrate of its aquarium, and provide water movement with a powerhead, or with a filter that provides a decent amount of current. As far as loricariid catfish go, this species is not very territorial. If they are in a 10gallon aquarium that has a relatively small amount of current, they can be kept with a school of six or so small tetras. If their tank has a large amount of current, hillstream loaches and other peaceful, current-loving loricariids can be kept with them. It is not a picky eater, and will eat algae, algae wafers, and veggies. ist pic- male, 2nd pic- male at different angle, 3rd pic- underside. Young fish can be confused with young A. cf. cirrhosus, but they can be distinguished by viewing the mouth. A. claro has a wider, oval shaped mouth.
 Pitbull pleco-(Parotocinclus jumbo) I'm not sure if this is a true pleco, but i believe it is. It is sometimes referred to as the pitbull pleco. It prefers a sand bottom because when frightened it will bury itself. It will use driftwood as a hiding place but the majority of its aquarium should have a bare sandy bottom (in the wild it lives on bare sandy river bottoms) a moderate amount of water current. Some plants can be kept as it will not eat them. It spends much of its time on the bottom. Minimum tank size is 20gallons, because a group of these plecs needs a moderate amount of space.
 I hope you liked this guide and that you found it informative. if it made you want to buy a pleco, make sure you provide it with the proper care requirements.
MOA-you can use this in your book if you want.
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38 gallon freshwater: 4 red & blue columbian tetras, 1 otocinclus, 1 clown loach, 1 BN plec, 1 clown plec, 1 whiptail cat, 1 silver zebra angel, 1 spanish swordtail
30 gallon saltwater: 1 coral beauty angel, 1 clarkii clown, 1 banded coral shrimp, 1 gray serpent star, about 20 dragon eye zoas, 2 green rhodactis mushrooms, 3 red rhodactis mushrooms, 3 purple and green ricordea mushrooms, 2 peppermint shrimp, 1 sailfin blenny, 1 south seas devil damselfish
10 gallon Long Island Sound native biotope: 1 purple grapsid shore crab, 20 vosnesky's isopods, 8 grass shrimp, 4 long wrist hermit crabs, 3 spider crabs, 1 baby northern pipefish, about 5 different kinds of macroalgae that i found and replanted in the tank
Check out my pleco guide here: http://board.fishchannel.com/Topic165549-5-1.aspx
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