Pleco "shortage" in western chicago burbs.

[TomK2]

Well, I was shopping for a new bristenose pleco today. I went to three LFS and they all had plenty of them, but they were all less than an inch long! Lots of fish, all on the tiny side of small. I wonder how long it would take such a tiny pleco to grow to 3 inches.

A month or two ago and there were many 4 inch fish to choose from. Amazing. Fotunately, there are many more LFS to try, if I travel a little further. Musta got spoiled with 3 LFS within 15 minutes of home.

 

[Guest]

personally i like to buy the smaller fish because in my mind... they live longer... the bigger the fish the older it is? I don't know if my logic is even correct, but it makes sense to me.

 

[duugong]

i agree, my clown loaches are babys and my friend tells me to ge some bigger ones but its fun watching them grow up together.

 

[Guest]

yes, i got small, i mean really tiny angels, and now they are about 4" and its been awesome "raising them" and watching them grow. My clown loaches are babies as well, they are only an inch or two long and are growing very slowly.

 

[BrianNY]

I've been keeping and breeding DBN plecos for about 2 years now. You take your chances when you purchase less than full size fish. There is a very high incidence of dwarfism in this species. Many otherwise healthy plecos will remain at under an inch for their entire life.

 

[Jchillin]

Gosh...I feel really guilty now. I just happen to have a total of 9 baby BN's, which includes 4 DBN's. BrianNY advised me of the problem he mentions several months ago so I've kept my eye out for any chance to get my hands on em.

The bright side is...after I've grown these babies out, I will have to find homes for them.

 

[BrianNY]

I want the brown ones JC.

 

[Jchillin]

You mean...one of these?

 

[Acer]

man if you would of been at the auction i went to this weekend that would of took your woes away.. they had plent of bristle nose plecos ranging from 1 inch to 4-6 inches for cheap too!! they are having a swap meet next month, it's in the south side of chicago really close to I-55 exit Central south.. let me know if you want info.. i'll be there