Leaopard sailfin pleco

[Koikeeper99]

I just got one of Them at my LFS for 11$ is this. Good deal? And the employee told me it was great at cleaning algae and wanted to confirm this with you guys and if you guys have any tips with these guys let me know!

[armymp327]

what size tank will you be keeping him in? those plecos get very big, upwards of 20 inches at adulthood and should be in no less then 80 gallons (as the only inhabitant) they also require driftwood in their diet to be healthy, and will eat algae but it is not their main diet, driftwood is

[Koikeeper99]

Originally Posted by armymp327

what size tank will you be keeping him in? those plecos get very big, upwards of 20 inches at adulthood and should be in no less then 80 gallons (as the only inhabitant) they also require driftwood in their diet to be healthy, and will eat algae but it is not their main diet, driftwood is

He/she's about an inch in a 55 gallon tank I have a piece of driftwood for him/her I guess I'll have to get a 125 gallon in the future because I thought they rarely grow over a foot.. Are they fast growers?

[armymp327]

no they grow slow and live up to 15 years, so you have some time to get that bigger tank (and an excuse to do so)

they probably rarely grow over a foot because they dont live as long as they should due to improper care. look into what they eat and need, you have the driftwood part down, though i would not rely on just that and any algae in the tank, look into other things like blanched zucchini and so on

[Cactuspixie]

Originally Posted by Koikeeper99

I just got one of Thea at my LFS for 11$ is this. Good deal? And the employee told me it was great at cleaning algea and wanted to confirm this with you guys and if you guys have any tips with these guys let me know!

About 1/2-1/3 of the price here.
I have 2 the same age and size. They started in 170g together, but once they grew to 5 1/2 inches they began fighting. I took the Agro one out, and in his new tank he still hates any and all plecos no matter their size. The guy I left in the 170g is a pushover- I watched a small bristlenose challenge him for apiece of choko last night, and the sailfin backed off!! Lol

Mine don't eat wood- they even prefer rock caves to the driftwood ones. Mine eat ANY food I drop in the tank- algae discs, carnivore pellets, blackworms, fresh vegetables, seaweed sheets etc.

Basically they are very individual- try everything and see what he likes

[Koikeeper99]

I would be feeding him algae wafers and the occasional veggies.

[Koikeeper99]

He's not very big yet. Ill post a pic of his colors later when the lights are on.

[em_witt]

I had one of these for about a year and a half in a 75 gallon. In that time he grew from 1.5" to upwards of 14"......tha sail fin on that thing was amazing, no flaws or anything. Just huge.

[Koikeeper99]

So I can expect mine if well fed to grow about an inch a month?

[em_witt]

Originally Posted by Koikeeper99

So I can expect mine if well fed to grow about an inch a month?

That sounds reasonable. I had to get rid of mine bc it was too territorial.

[Koikeeper99]

Well mines the only bottom dweller in the tank and the other fish are all 5 times larger than it

[em_witt]

Originally Posted by Koikeeper99

Well mines the only bottom dweller in the tank and the other fish are all 5 times larger than it

What's ur stock?

[Koikeeper99]

Originally Posted by Fish4bass8

What's ur stock?

4 medium sized koi either going in a pond next month or selling if the pond doesn't work out. So it will be the only thing in the tank unless I split up my Goldies from my other 55 gallon.

[Koikeeper99]

Very nice coloring for a juvenile IMO