Gender : There are no visible differences between the male and female. While people use this phrase in an absolutely romantic sense, we cannot stop thinking about the real action which happens inside the water bodies. Overall, bristlenose plecos kept in home aquariums grow to between 3 and 6 inches, with even the biggest fish maxing out at 6'5 inches. Check your water parameters with a freshwater test kit and write us back with what you find out so we can diagnose further. So, although the possibility exists that he might outgrow the tank, the odds are he won't. Can live in various conditions of tropical forests. Many will get very large with the common variety getting to be almost 18 inches (46 cm) and will outgrow most aquariums! Freshwater Aquarium; Freshwater Fish; Catfish; Clown Pleco. While the Common Pleco can grow in excess of a foot long, the Bristlenose Pleco will generally grow to a maximum length of around 6 inches, making them perfect for home aquariums with at least 30 gallons of water or more. They can grow to about 7 inches and more. The Chubby Rubber pleco, as established, will reach about 7 inches (17.7 cm), which is still not near enough a Common pleco. They come in different colors, shapes, and sizes. Make sure you choose one that does not have an inward belly. They sift through the gravel or whatever you use on your tank's floor and eat the food the top feeders may have missed. (L402) It has an adult size of about 5" max, making it suitable for smaller tanks than many of the Pleco species that DO indeed grow big. Factors That Can Affect the Growth Rate Of Plecos. They are characterized by heavy armored plates on … It was interesting to look at all of the varieties that are presented in this hub. Where plecs are caught they are often not fed for weeks and one that has had nothing at all by the time it is in the pet store is likley to be almost dead. As many, many aquarists have discovered, one of the big problems with the common plecos is that they get big. These guys tend to max out, in the average home aquarium, at between 12 and 24 inches, and some can get bigger. The nice thing about plecos is that they are not to fussy about where they live. There are too many fishes in the sea! Speaking of variety, you may be aware of the popular fish names but we are here to add one more intriguing variety to the list. There should only be one of each species of pleco in the tank cuz they get teratorial with their kind. Sailfin Pleco. Most rubber lips probably top out at around 5.5 inches when raised in an aquarium environment. Plecos are hardy, distinctive, and social (as in, they completely ignore other fish—unless it's another pleco). A water temperature between 68º and 78º Fahrenheit, a pH from 5.8 to 7.5, and soft to moderately hard water are fine. Blue phantom pleco is large size fish that can grow to a very large size. Don't just dump the pleco in, unless you want to make a lot of enemies fast. This is another great choice that can be found in a lot of the big pet chains. The tank has just him and one other fish (a glassfish), and he seems to be doing great. also all plecos produce a lot of waste so they do not keep tank clean or spotless, they might eat algae but the algae won't disappear. Albino bristlenose pleco belonging to the Loricariidae family is a small-sized freshwater fish. It has a wider head, and is much shorter, fatter and flatter than the Common Pleco. The fish is native to South America, especially often it can be seen in the Amazon river basin. plecos are generally to big for a home aquarium. Due to their shy nature they may be too shy to come out into the open to eat. This is an eye-catching type of pleco that’s highly sought-after in the fish community. Healthy plecos grow a few inches above the stated value, while unhealthy ones do not grow to the stated value. If you have a large tank or pond, don't completely dismiss the idea of getting a pleco. As your fish gets older they may eat algae less often and you will need to supplement their diet with algae wafers that sink to the bottom of your tank. Unfortunately, I couldn't keep plants with them because they were constantly digging them up and probably eating at the roots I suppose. The fish dwells in oxygen-rich lotic waters and in brackish waters of river estuaries. The main disadvantage of a pleco is that they grow unpredictably; every pleco seems to grow in their own good time. Most plecos are tolerant of waters ranging from 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit (18-30°C), though they prefer temperatures between about 75 and 82°F (24-28°C). If you purchase common pleco for your small aquarium you must therefore be prepared to eventually get a bigger aquarium or find a new home for your common pleco. I have a albino pleco with spots on it (I'm not sure there exact species but I can put up a picture later). So silly. What do you think? That said, a large tank is required to breed them due to their shoaling behaviour. I'm interested in many different types of pets, including freshwater fish, and I enjoy sharing what I've learned about them. This puts the fish at … The fish sold under the name Common Pleco in fish stores is normally no bigger than 5-10 cm (2-4 inches) but this doesn’t mean that it will stay like that forever. Usually, they are referred to as "plecos"—partly because it's a great nickname and also because of an old superstition. I want to know how big he'll get and in what matter of time he's probably 2 or 1.5 inches currently. Check out some of the member photos on the forum in the Photos thread. This fish is well known as an algae eater and can often be found stuck to the side of your aquarium. Up. People, she is asking about Rubberlip plecos. Blue phantom pleco is large size fish that can grow to a very large size. Some seem to be content to stay under a foot all of their lives. Averagely, gold nugget plecos can reach a length of about 15 cm at maturity, but it is not improbable to encounter those that will attain a length of 22 cm while in the home aquarium - though they are even much larger in the wild. Bristle nost pleco-five inches. The Petsmart near me just got new high fin spotted plecos. If you only want to keep a 10-gallon tank or less, consider a Chinese algae eater instead. They do just fine in temperature regions as well provided they are not left outside over the winter. X. xingumike Got beer? These live in a 105 gallon tank and are happy but always remember to give a lot of hiding places if you have a lot (to stop fights) and to regularly check their bellys as you can tell if they have not been eating enough because they go inwards. How big do gold nugget Plecos get? Chaetostoma sp. Size (How big do they get) Small; 4 – 5 inches (10 – 13 cm) Growth Rate: They grow at a moderate pace, reaching their full size by the time they are 2: Lifespan (How long do they live) 5 years: Sexual Dimorphism: Males: Big in size with whiskers and … Genes are one of the first things that can determine how big your plecos will grow. Check your water parameters with a freshwater test kit and write us back with what you find out so we can diagnose further. I get 11 or 12, which means it's one of the Pterygoplichthys family, most of which are sold as "Common" plecos. It's hard to say why it's doing this, perhaps it's not getting enough of something in its diet or it has developed a taste for the slime coating on the sides of fish. The eggs will hatch after 5-7 days. Your fish will really like these. If you know someone who has a backyard pond or koi pond, ask them if they need a bottom feeder to help keep the pond clean. https://pethelpful.com/fish-aquariums/How_Big_Does_A_Plecostomus_Get Thanks for asking around before you bought one. Drop in the algae wafers or shrimp pellets after you turn off the lights for the day to prevent the other fish in the tank from getting the food before your plec can get to it. Look into the smaller species as mentioned. A Rubber Lip pleco won’t outgrow 4.2 inches (10.6 cm). Diet / Foods : Opportunistic omnivores, but try to supplement their diet with algae wafers. Don't believe it? You will need to monitor your water parameters closely (ammonia, nitrite and nitrate) and perform frequent small water changes during the re-cycling process. These fish should have substantial amounts of vegetable material in their diet. You changed out the whole gravel bed? Rubbernose pleco can grow up to 5.2 inches in length , so they need minimum 30 gallon tank which has some driftwood and plenty of hiding places. It was once thought that if you spoke or spelled out the entire name of "plecostomus," a pleco somewhere would die. golden nuggets get about 8 inches in captivity or 14 inches in the wild. Those of them, who didn’t get to the tablet, swim fussy around it and eat some crumbles that fall on the tank bottom and try to get closer to the food source. He's about ten years old and still hasn't grown beyond six inches. Since your aquarium will most likely re-cycle, you will need to monitor your water parameters very closely during this process and perform small water changes as needed until the cycle has finished. The brown types are the least expensive and easiest to find. A healthy plec will have a flat(ish) belly. This will be extremely stressful on all of the fish in your tank. I'd also like to know what species he may be. This writer has seen plecos almost two feet long. Look for possibly bits of food (cucumber? Plecostomus, or “plecos” as they are often called, belong to the Family Loricariidae, which is the largest family of catfish in the world. These factors include; Genetic History: It is essential to know the genetic history of the plecos you want to get. Joined Jan 23, 2007 Messages 1,637 Reaction score 0 Location It is usually referred to as Pleco because of the superstition that if you spell it fully or correctly your fish will soon die. It has a black body … How Big Do Plecos Get??? How big do Blue Phantom Plecos get? I have a lot of plecs including an adonis, a breeding pair of bristlenoses and a royal. There are varieties that don't get as large, such as the Bristlenose which reaches about 5 inches in size as adults. Do Pleco Fish Eat Snails? Appearance of Plecostomus. If you've been getting the common pleco, they get really big (18 inches - 46 cm) and a 20 gallon will be way too small for them. However, most plecos never get that big. Hope it has been informative. Dwarf pleco-three inches. How big do Blue Phantom Plecos get? Large adult specimens normally need at least 200 - 375 litres (roughly 50 - 100 gallons) since they … If you are not They are long-lived fish that are relatively easy to care for and have a unique beauty. The clown pleco, or Panaque maccus, is a pleco that many people say is useless because it only eats on driftwood, by many people say that it is a great algae eater, which it is.. As such, they will go in a tank even as little as 20 gallons, though 30 gallons is recommended. If kept outdoors, plecos do best in tropical to semi-tropical regions. … The male will guard and fan the eggs. They have a flattened body covered in bony plates, and as they reach maturity, they sprout tentacle like branches from their head. Their body has the typical pleco shape, with a wide head and large downward facing (ventral) suckermouth: They also will suck on any sick fish in the tank and can pester a sick fish to death. Smaller species include the Bristlenose, the Gold Nugget, Zebra and the Clown (linked in similar species below). shrimp pellets that drop to the bottom of the tank are another favorite. The Plecostomus catfish, or Pleco for short, is a name used for the catfishes that belong to the Loricariidae family. Unfortunately, a lot of aquarists purchase fish without first finding out how big they can get as adults. 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