I want to get a dwarf pleco, preferably a clown or a rubbernosed, because they are not too expensive. I have a Krebensis (sp?) cichlid (female) and a dwarf gourami and some corys. I have a 20 gallon tank. Years ago I had two clowns and they lived for years. My question is must you have driftwood? I never had it for my other clowns and they did very well. I am just afraid of it because I never want to rock the boat in my tank and my fish are old. I have poorly buffered water and my ph always tends to be low already. I understand driftwood could lower it even more. I could get a very small piece, I suppose -- there is a petshop near me that carries the cured pieces. I am only getting the pleco because I love them. I'm not worried about algae -- it would be a plus if they ate it, but I'm not worried about it. Also, should I get one or two and which type would be better for me. Thanks and God bless! Vicky

Plecos chew on the driftwood, and it gives them roughage, kind of like fiber. Many people have kept plecos without driftwood, and they may seem to do okay. I don't know how much of a difference it makes but I would prefer to have it than not. If you put in just a small piece of drifwood, it's not really going to affect your water chemistry if you pre-treat it. Small pieces are easily boiled. You would just keep boiling it until it stops leaching tannins and lignins which are what color the water brown and can lower the pH. A small piece (like the size of a finger or two), even untreated, is not going to have much of an impact in a 20 gallon tank.

Plecos are generally solitary although bristlenose plecos seem to like a buddy. I'm partial to them since I've had a few. Clown plecos are nice too. I don't know much about the rubbernosed ones. I suggest seeing what they have, the cost, what will work best for your tank, and which you like the most. Right now, I have a 15" common pleco, a 2.5" or so Queen Arabesque pleco (my most expensive fish ever at $50), and a about 3" female longfin albino bristlnose pleco in three different tanks. Good luck with your new pleco(s)!