Gibbiceps

[indigoj]

Hi, I have just bought 2 baby Gibbiceps (2-3 inches) knowing they will grow up to 2ft. So having not kept plecos before I have done some reading, joined plecofanatics and generally familiarised myself with my new fish. As with everything though I know there is no substitute for experience so I would love to hear from anyone with personal experience of keeping Gibbiceps. Thanks

 

[england]

they grow big look at mine i just got him of a couple from here.....hes huge always swimming around.....they do like shady spots as ive created in my tank .........obviously they are active at night but you do see them in the day aswell....you need a large tank with swimming space

http/s94.photobucket.com/albums/l119/djn...007vince045.jpg

 

[indigoj]

Your fish is a beauty. My 2 seem to have settled in well, one is quite shy and tends to stay hidden either on the filter or behind a plant but the other is inquisitive and has been out exploring a lot. In fact he is out now!

At the moment they are in my 3ft tank (105l) with 4 juvenile gouramis (various types, 2-3.5 inches) and one adult kissing gourami (approx 5-6 inches so not quite full grown) and they all get along well. Only the kissing gouramis chase each other really. We are planning on getting a 5 or 6 ft tank once we have decorated the dining room and putting the kissers and gibbys in there.

One question, do the Gibbiceps like to have their own kind as company or would I be ok to put just one in a tank? (with other types of fish) thinking maybe one in the big tank when we get it and the other staying in the 3ft with a shoal of smaller fish perhaps? What do you think?

 

[VampirePlec]

I am sorry but the 3 foot will be too small to house one once it is full size, a 4 ft is recomended for an adult size common pleco, i think a 6 ft is recomended for just one adult size gibbi.

 

[scatz]

I am sorry but the 3 foot will be too small to house one once it is full size, a 4 ft is recomended for an adult size common pleco, i think a 6 ft is recomended for just one adult size gibbi.

i would say bigger still, i think the rule to go by is to have a tank 4x the adult fish's length, so in the case of a gibby that could grow to 2 foot, ideally, you'd have an 8 foot tank for each.
you should be ok with a 6 foot tank but not with 2 gibby's in, i know it sounds extreme, but there is a very good reason why gibby's get called tank busters

 

[indigoj]

Yep, I know the 3ft will be too small once they reach half size even, but at the moment they are 2-3 inches and even if they grow pretty quick I'm guessing it would take several months if not a year to get anywhere close to 12inches and even longer to reach 2ft.

So once they are a bit bigger will one be happy or will they need each other for company?

 

[scatz]

one will be fine

 

[weston adam]

my gibby is about 14 in I rescued it from an estate agents near to where I live, they had decided notto keep a tank any more and had thrown it in a bucket, It's a great fish and loves nothing more than munching on courgette, they do produce a lot of waste when they get bigger so I have added a external filter as well as an internal one but do enjoy your two they are a very graceful fish and great to watch my 18month old son will stand in front of the tank for ages watching my gibby good luck,