Fin2you Posted January 13, 2013 Report Share Posted January 13, 2013 Hi, I had to run to the store to get cat food. The usual store was out of my brand so I went over to another.... They had this seriously unhappy pleco in with their feeder goldfish, the employee said they intended to have the pleco's in a different tank but it arrive damaged. So they threw them in with the overcrowded feeders. Said if I took the pleco I could have it for $5.99, I asked what size it'd grow too & she said they have them listed as good for 20-55gal tanks. I figured it'd be ok in my 30gal.... Now I'm curious what exactly I found... I posted on PlanetCatfish; here's the link to the thread. Are they on the right track? http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=37835 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJanzen Posted January 13, 2013 Report Share Posted January 13, 2013 Looks like a really beat up common pleco. With a little TLC, he should be fine. I could be wrong though, JVision will probably know for sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted January 13, 2013 Report Share Posted January 13, 2013 If Silurus and racoll have commented on the ID over at PC, you don't need my help! I'm an absolute noob compared to those guys - they ID cats for a living! I really don't know why they even sell the "common pleco" it gets way too big for any common tank, and there are other plecos that are more suited and easier to breed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fin2you Posted January 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2013 Ok thanx good to know I am getting good info! Guess I will give this guy some serious tlc & see. So the diff in size between the 2 varities those guys are thinking is 13-17". Will this pleco get too big for my 30gal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fin2you Posted January 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2013 Wanted to add that if it really is the 1 that gets 17"+ it will be as the tank is just over 31" long.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted January 13, 2013 Report Share Posted January 13, 2013 The fish needs enough room to actually swim and turn around - ideally at least 2-4 body lengths long and 2 wide... not ideal to live its life in a 30gal. Keep it til its 6" or so, then see if you can trade it in for a Bristlenose Pleco - they max out at 5" (and that's a REALLY big one) and love to eat algae their whole life, while the common plecos stop favoring it around the 4-6" mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fin2you Posted January 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2013 (edited) OK Jvision Maybe by the time he's 6" I'll have saved up enough $ to buy a dwarf zebra pair from Harold.... but who knows he is pretty beat up, even with some serious tlc he might not survive, but atleast I know I've given him the best shot. Edited January 13, 2013 by Fin2you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fin2you Posted January 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 Just incase anyone is wondering, this boy is going to a new 180gal home this wknd w/another AA member! While I would love a couple Zebra pleco's I just can swing that in my fish budget right now due to all the purchases of aquatic plants, the 30gal tank & getting it set up the way I'd like.... I am going to wait or if the algae builds up more than the loaches can take care of I'll look at the bristlenose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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