plecostomus questions/opinions needed

[Jarledge]

Hi everyone. I have had some good advice from Oscar98. I would like other opinions as well. I have a pleco that is about 3 years old and I have been keeping him (or her) in a 10 gallon aquarium. I always knew that I would have to upgrade when s/he got bigger. I am upgrading to a 55 gallon tank this weekend. Bob is now about 8-9 inches long. He still swims around the tank, eats, and is generally healthly looking. I see no signs of disease or anything like that. The petstore told me that as long as there is 1 gallon per inch of fish, Bob should be fine until the upgrade. So according to their math, Bob is still okay in the 10 gallon aquarium. After doing some reading, I am now concerned that I may have inadvertently stunted his growth. Does anyone know how big a pleco should be at 3 years of age? Is there anyway to tell if his growth has been stunted just by looking at him? Will moving him to a bigger tank help if his growth has been stunted? What age are plecos considered full grown? I sure would like to let him live out his 20 year lifespan...

P.S. - If he outgrows the long (not tall) 55 aquarium, I will upgrade again.

 

[Mcor]

What sort of pleco? Someone will be able to help you I'm sure, you just need to tell us what type? Common? Bristlenosed? Etc etc
Edit: Assume common if 8-9inches. They get huge! I don't know how fast they grow. Hope someone can help you!

 

[Oscar98]

Its common pleco

 

[Rivercats]

The inch of fish rule is outdated and totally not even remotely true. That pleco honestly should not have been in a 10g to start. At his size already a 55g is not large enough and the best thing you could do for it would be to rehome it. I've been in this hobby for over 30 years and while you obviously have taken care of him for him to have grown so well his bio-load is very heavy and think of how cramped his living conditions are. I'm not jumping down your throat but I want you to understand this isn't an acceptable scenario for the fish. Don't worry about how big he should be now as you can't go back and change anything. What you can do is sell or rehome him to a place that has a properly sized tank for him to live unless you want to get a 100g or larger tank.

 

[Oscar98]

I kinda agree but a 55g tank can hold him until he hits 10-12" as long as it has good filtration and weekly water changes

 

[Rivercats]

Yes, it can be done but it doesn't mean it should be done. I've seen many huge fish in too small sized tanks that have lived like that for years but IMO if we are going to be fishkeepers it is our responsibility to provide the proper sized tanks for our fish in addition to providing good water quality and dietary needs.

 

[Jarledge]

Thanks for your advice. I bought Bob at Wal-Mart without really researching the species to begin with. Trust me, I have learned my lesson. Now, I have to do the best I can to make sure I take care of him as best I can. Regardless, the 55 gallon tank will have to work for little while until I can upgrade again because I don't know anyone who will take him. Bob hasn't been 9" for too long. To some, it might seem cruel to have placed him in the 10 gallon tank (or even a 55 gallon) and I understand where they are coming from, I really do. I didn't know any better at the time. I just noticed that he was getting a little big for the 10 gallon a few weeks ago and started planning the upgrade (which is going to take place this coming weekend). I also understand that everyone wants the best for any animal and I am one of those people. I think Bob could have gotten a better home but, on the flip side, he could have gotten a whole lot worse. I will plan another upgrade as soon as possible to a bigger tank. That is just the best that I can do.
It is true that what is done is done and I can't go back and change anything but I can do better going forward.
Does anyone know at what age the common pleco is fully grown?

 

[Mebbid]

I'm not sure what age the common pleco is fully grown at, but I feel the need to point out that some of the responsibility lies with the people selling the fish. Questions should ALWAYS be asked to someone buying fish. The guy that runs my LFS even remembers the stock I keep in my 55g community and makes recommendations on new fish to buy. Common plecos are CONSTANTLY being brought to my LFS because they get too big.

 

[Mcor]

I'm not sure what age the common pleco is fully grown at, but I feel the need to point out that some of the responsibility lies with the people selling the fish. Questions should ALWAYS be asked to someone buying fish. The guy that runs my LFS even remembers the stock I keep in my 55g community and makes recommendations on new fish to buy. Common plecos are CONSTANTLY being brought to my LFS because they get too big.

Agreed. Mine are quite good, they have a form that needs filling in before they'll give you the fish. Asks for tank size, current stock, age of the tank, etc etc. I do wonder why there are always common plecos available for sale. I'd be very willing to bet that only a tiny proportion of customers actually have a tank big enough to house one.

On a tiny side note, I love your avatar! Gorgeous betta!

 

[NYgiantsRP]

I'm shocked it grew 8-9" in a 10 gallon, I figured it would have stunted and died within 3 years. But getting it in a 55 should be alright as long as there isn't much else stocked in the tank. They can grow up the 2 feet long.

 

[Jarledge]

Nothing else will be put in the tank with Bob. He will have it all to himself. This particular tank is longer than 3 feet (it takes 2 people to carry it because it is so long), about a foot wide and maybe 18 inches tall. That is just eyeballing it because I haven't really measured it. I am sure it will do for awhile.

 

[Mebbid]

Nothing else will be put in the tank with Bob. He will have it all to himself. This particular tank is longer than 3 feet (it takes 2 people to carry it because it is so long), about a foot wide and maybe 18 inches tall. That is just eyeballing it because I haven't really measured it. I am sure it will do for awhile.

A 55 should be sufficient.. for a while at least. In any case Bob will be ecstatic about the change.

Agreed. Mine are quite good, they have a form that needs filling in before they'll give you the fish. Asks for tank size, current stock, age of the tank, etc etc. I do wonder why there are always common plecos available for sale. I'd be very willing to bet that only a tiny proportion of customers actually have a tank big enough to house one.

On a tiny side note, I love your avatar! Gorgeous betta!

Thanks! he is my newest addition. I just finally got his tank fully put together.

 

[Oohitsae]

I have to agree with the 55 being okay for a while.

Much better for him to go into a 55 than back to a petstore/LFS and be sold to someone that doesn't know/care any better and will put him right back in a 10-20 gallon. You never know, and from my experience, I've noticed that there are much more people out there than don't care to research their fish and just buy what looks cool over people that truly care. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that he has a much better chance with you than going back to the store, even if it is only a 55 for now...just try to upgrade as soon as you can. (Bonus in that is having all the smaller tanks left over for more fishies!! LOL)

As for stunting his growth, if he grew 9" in a 10 gallon tank, I'm assuming that you haven't stunted his growth too much. And I believe that common's don't stop growing till they die, but maybe it's at around 7-10 years...not 100% sure on that, just remember reading one of those two things somewhere before.

 

[plecopsycho]

I feel bad for commpn pleco because theres so many of them and they need a huge tank too...right now i have a common pleco and a baby albino bristle nose pleco in my 55 gallon fishtank and they are doing fine but its sad that they will outgrow the 55 gallon....plus people always say that "they poop more then they eat" which is probably true. In my opinion its.good for people to buy the common plecos at the letstore even if its like a 10 gallon tank they jave because they probably will just sit in the tiny tanks at the petstore. Besides i dont see alot of people with fishtanks over 100 gallons

 

[Mcor]

I feel bad for commpn pleco because theres so many of them and they need a huge tank too...right now i have a common pleco and a baby albino bristle nose pleco in my 55 gallon fishtank and they are doing fine but its sad that they will outgrow the 55 gallon....plus people always say that "they poop more then they eat" which is probably true. In my opinion its.good for people to buy the common plecos at the letstore even if its like a 10 gallon tank they jave because they probably will just sit in the tiny tanks at the petstore. Besides i dont see alot of people with fishtanks over 100 gallons

Ah, yeah, but that gives the pet stores the impression that there is a demand. I'm sure they wouldn't stock them so keenly if they weren't selling.

 

[Mebbid]

What I feel worst about for plecos is people's misconceptions on how to care for them entirely. Almost all of them will die a slow death from starvation because people don't think they need anything but algae

 

[plecopsycho]

Yeah i give mine algae wafers.....thats about the only time it comes outta hiding ...but i would expect some people to know bettwr because if you have a big fish obviouly its going to want alot of food. Petsmarts fish tanks are so clean and they like fit a bunch of plecos in a small tank. I wonder how they keep them alive?

 

[reefdiver]

I like to add one thing... Price. They sell them at petsmart for $2 while the bristle go for $6. So people look at price tag more than what the fish needs.

 

[plecopsycho]

Wait can bristle noses live in a 55 gallon?

 

[reefdiver]

Yes they get around 6" but I think albinos are smaller. Or at least that is my case. I have one maybe 4". The regular one Ihad was bigger than them albino.