another Pleco question

[Musket]

Could you please suggest what other pleco species I can peacefully keep with my 4" chocolate in my 46g tank? And what size it will get to be.
Or should I leave him by himself?
Thanks

 

[RoK]

Chocolate plecos are the same species as the common's, just they're albinos. It will get too big for that tank. A clown, rubbermouth, or bristlenose would be better choices, as they do not exceed 4.5".

 

[Musket]

Thanks RoK. but why do you say he is an albino? His eyes are brown and his body is chocolate brown with darker spots. But he is not as dark as a common pleco. His tummy is lighter than the rest of him.
Just wondering, maybe they had him in the wrong tank, maybe mislabeled him? But I do not think he is a common, he is different than my old pleco *many years ago*

 

[RoK]

Hm, so it's not one of these?: http://www.azgardens.com/images/Pleco-WhiteChocolate.gif
It is possible that he was mislabeled.

 

[Musket]

Yup, he definately is NOT one of those.

 

[Jchillin]

Yes, it is mislabled. That is an albino bristlenose in the link. Try here instead.

 

[Musket]

These pictures are not very clear. He does have some characteristics but not all. His dorsal fin is not "sailish" like that, his nose is not so narrow.
THe coloring is correct, and he does have kewl ridges down his sides, and the nasal flutes are correct. It aslo says they will eat almost all plants &/or uproot them. Mine have NEVER eaten or uprooted a plant.

Their characteristic description:
These plecos have two horn-like protrusions from their head that are actually nasal flutes. The also have alligator-like ridges along the sides of their body. Colours range from a rich brown to black to mottled brown.

I wouldn't call them "horn like protrusions" they are not that big.
So what do you think, enough characteristics to be a chocholate? Or should we keep looking?
Are there other plecos that have ridges down their sides? (hours later updated )Okay, I answered my own queston there, yes many.., so that part of the chocolates description isn't that helpful.

 

[Musket]

I went to the store to get cat litter and of course just had to paroose the fish section. I found 3 beauties. I got a whiptail for the big tank, for $1.99, almost 3 inches long, thin. Such a cute face. And a white cat with black spots, and a teeny tiney tan cat with black stripes. They were both labeled bumble bee, one was labeled a cat and the other something I can't remember. Just thought I'd share my joy.

 

[TwoHobbies]

Never.... Never.... Never..... paroose the fish section, just get the cat litter and get out.

Yea.. ok I can't do that eather

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

When discussing the "chocolate Pleco's" they had at my LFS, they had said their natural length is between 30 and 36inches. they are not small by any means. How old is yours @ 4"? Most of what I'm reading says 14"..

 

[Musket]

I've had him about a year and a half. He was a half inch when I got him.

 

[RoK]

That is an albino bristlenose in the link.

It's actually not a BN, scroll down to about the middle of this page: http://www.azgardens.com/algae_eating_fish.php

 

[SeymourFRESH]

30-36 inches?! i knew some plecos got big but not that big! jeeez

 

[Jarred Darque]

I have seen afew pics of them pulled out of rivers in the 3 foot range but even the biggest never get over 18in in a tank...I wonder what you would have to do to grow one to 3ft?