# Rio-***** Plecostomus Tank Mates



## WatersMoon110 (Nov 1, 2011)

I've had goldfish before, but I've never had any tropical fish. I have a 30 gallon tank and currently no fish. I am doing research, so that I am fully informed before I get any fish.

I have always liked Plecos, and dream of owning one. I want to get something smaller than the Trinidad Pleco, so I thought the Rio-***** (Candy Stripe) was very handsome and only gets around 4". What sort of other fish could I safely keep as cage mates? I was thinking True Rummynose Tetras and Turquoise Danio. All are peaceful fish that like temperatures between 74-77 with plants and hiding spaces like driftwood or rocks. All of them eat a mix of high quality flakes (with lots of vegetable matter?) and things like bloodworms and tubifex. The Tetras and the Danio are both schooling fish that both get about 2" long.

Also, I have been looking at LiveAquaria. Is that a reputable site?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

First, welcome to Tropical Fish Keeping forum. Glad to have you with us.

As for the reliability of that site, I have never ordered from them so I can't say on that score. But they do seem to have the name of this pleco mixed up. According to PlanetCatfish, the Rio Nego Pleco is _Peckoltia_ sp. L135, possibly_ Peckoltia braueri_. You can read more here:
Peckoltia braueri • Loricariidae • Cat-eLog • PlanetCatfish • PlanetCatfish.com
I ttrust the info on PlanetCatfish. The species epithet _platyrhyncha_ belongs to a very different loricariid.

That out of the way, like all pleco the male is territorial to specifics (other pleco, sometimes other substrate fish) but is usually peaceful with upper water fish. Give him lots of bogwood, including some pieces positioned so that there are hiding spots under or within.

There are lots of suitable characins and cyprinids to include with those mentioned; have a look at our fish profiles, second tab from the left in the blue bar across the top of the page.

Byron.


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