Cheap Common Small Pleco

[pkppv]

Im sure im not the first person looking for a cheap, common, smallish pleco. I have a 40 gallon tank, and a pretty limited petstore, so basically im asking what is a pleco that is quite common and can live in my 40gallon aquarium. All the water parameters are perfect, so thats not an issue. I like the common pleco, but the petstore says they grow to 24 in so thats probably a no-no (tell me if im wrong). I dont really need it to be fancy, as i really like the plain colouring of the common plec (but i dont really like the albino bristlenoses i see at the store) Help would be great, Thanks!

 

[xingumike]

a 'normal' bristlenose ie not albino

 

[Liquid skills]

I agree bristlenoses normal colour

But you can get a long finned or short finned in the normal brown colour

Got short and long finned my self and the bristlenoses only grow to 8" so your laughing

 

[moochy13]

never ever in my life have i ever seen an 8 inch BN. 6 inch is more common in captivity. just yesterday i saw some mature males with serious face hair going on, they were barely 6 inches.

 

[Greg_DS]

Try a Bulldog Pleco

 

[JenCliBee]

never ever in my life have i ever seen an 8 inch BN. 6 inch is more common in captivity. just yesterday i saw some mature males with serious face hair going on, they were barely 6 inches.

Ive seen 7 inch common BN's but tbh as you say they very rarely get this size (average would actually be 4-5 inches)... However there are other BN (non common) that reach 8+ inches quite easily

 

[xingumike]

Try a Bulldog Pleco

I wouldn't say Chaetostoma fall into 'normal' tropical tank parameters and flow

 

[pkppv]

Is it true about how big common plecs get? (sorry i dont know the scientific name) and if so whats their minimum tank size, because i have seen some grown ones in some pretty small tanks... ex: my uncle in a 40

 

[Liquid skills]

never ever in my life have i ever seen an 8 inch BN. 6 inch is more common in captivity. just yesterday i saw some mature males with serious face hair going on, they were barely 6 inches.

Oh yeh ive never seen one either but some do

 

[xingumike]

never ever in my life have i ever seen an 8 inch BN. 6 inch is more common in captivity. just yesterday i saw some mature males with serious face hair going on, they were barely 6 inches.

A friend in the UK had a full grown A. punctatus (L182), that was a beast, at least 8 inches (TL) I have a photo of it somewhere but I can't find it.

Is it true about how big common plecs get? (sorry i dont know the scientific name) and if so whats their minimum tank size, because i have seen some grown ones in some pretty small tanks... ex: my uncle in a 40

Yes, expect 12 inches so 4x2x2 tank wise

 

[fluttermoth]

My ex had a common that was 22 inches...

 

[xingumike]

My ex had a common that was 22 inches...

That seems remarkably big, even for a common, got any pictures?

A wild one was just caught in Texas, record for a rod caught fish in the state and that was only 21 inches.

 

[fluttermoth]

No, I'm afraid I haven't; it was after we'd split up, though I did see it. It was certainly longer than the width of the tank it came with originally, which was 18 inches.

 

[xingumike]

This is the 8+ plus L182, found the photo