pleco - how big?

[Briarmoor]

My mom is a lucky fishkeeper, she doesn't change water like she should and overfeeds. I get onto her a lot and do partial water changes when I visit her house which isn't often enough for the fish.

Yesterday, her nitrates were 200in the 30g! I admonished her and my younger sister (who says she doesn't have time!) and changed about 5 gallons from the 30g tank which was all I could do before I left.

She has a pleco in this tank that is getting pretty big. I guess it is a common one, but I don't know much about them. It is brown spotted on a black body and very shy. It can no longer get its tail into it's hidey decorations without maneuvering. I read the pinned pleco article, but can't tell from it what it is.

I told my mom some months ago how big I read plecos could get. This one is about 6 inches long. I told her I would ask if its growth would get stunted in a 30g and what her options are if she has to find another situation. It does a good job cleaning algae and I have her giving it spinach and squash soemtimes. I told her to get discs for it too.

It shares the 30g with 2 fancy goldfish, 3 corys, and a small frog or 2. Her nitrites were 0 so at least the fish just dealing with nitrate. I turned up her filter too.

What should I tell her about the plecos future? She will listen. I hate to say it but she also has one in a 10g with 4 neons and 3 little tetras of some type and a betta. She said they never told her at the pet store how big they got. . They always seem to forget that part.

P.

 

[@ombomb]

I don't know much about common plecs either, except that they are very messy and grow to around 18" which is way too big for your mother's tank. It needs to be rehomed and replaced with a smaller plec like a Bristlenose, which is a very active algae eater.

 

[breezer40]

My last common was 13+ inches and its by no means the biggest I had seen. He was in a 240L (55 UK gal) tank and that was way too small for him in the end. You need to get through to her and tell her the tank is just too small! @ombomb
is right a bristlenose is a much better plec for that tank.

 

[black angel]

i agree that the plec is too big and a bristlenose would do better. the fantails need 10 gallons each so those the tetras and the bristlenose would be perfect.

 

[Briarmoor]

If the pleco is about 6 inches long right now, how long does she have to rehome it before it is too big for the 30g? She has had it over a year. Any ideas of who would take it? Is there any chance it is a smaller variety? Could you tell by the description of "brown spots on a black body" what kind it is? Poor fellow.

P.

 

[hello kitty]

the tank wont stunt the growth so it will grow to its full size, it needs rehoming! i have seen plecos that have been about 20 inches long

try www.planetcatfish.com for your id

 

[black angel]

can you get a pic of it.

 

[Briarmoor]

the tank wont stunt the growth so it will grow to its full size, it needs rehoming! i have seen plecos that have been about 20 inches long

try www.planetcatfish.com for your id

No, I realize the tank won't stunt the growth. I am asking at what point in its growth will the internal organs keep growing and damage the fish? So how long does she have in a 30g tank with a pleco that is 6 inches long and has been in there a year to rehome it? Months? A year? That is what I am after. I'll go try to ID it with the link you sent. Thanks!

P.

 

[hello kitty]

oh sorry i misunderstood! i am not sure how long it would be sorry mate! there are a few sites about that have good info on fish, try www.timstropicals.com

 

[Briarmoor]

Kitty, the site you sent was informative. I really need a pic of that pleco to make an ID. I didn't realize how many varieties there were! I'll see if my sis can take one and email it. I don't get why the pet stores keep selling these things. How unfair to the fish. No excuse for folks not to do research on how big plecos get. Same thing goes on in dogs, people get one based on looks and have no idea what the breed's original purpose was. In 6 months they are tearing their hair out and can't get rid of the dog fast enough. Happens all the time in a "non-beginner" breed like mine. Rescue is always overwhelmed.

P.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Actually, if she does do hardly any water changes, it quite possibly will stunt it. My understanding (true? Or no?) is that the fish release some kind of hormone. And when the hormone is too concentrated (IE, space is small), it stops growing. Obviously this isn't meant to happen.

 

[Briarmoor]

Should I offer to take the pleco when my 55g is cycled? I really want a bristlenose for my tank, but I am feeling sorry for my mom's overgrown common one. How much time would a 55g give this guy before he is too big for that too? He is 6 inches long and my mom has had him a year.

P.

 

[andywg]

Actually, if she does do hardly any water changes, it quite possibly will stunt it. My understanding (true? Or no?) is that the fish release some kind of hormone. And when the hormone is too concentrated (IE, space is small), it stops growing. Obviously this isn't meant to happen.

From my studies I would say this isn't exactly how it happens (though not far off it).

Some studies (forget who did them, will try and look up later after work) found that fish react to certain internal and external stimuli by creating hormones to develop growth (i.e. at certain times of the year a fish may suddenly become very sexually active or start eating more and processing that food to grow quickly while an abbundance of food is available).

Without these stimuli some fish do not reach their full potential size - think Pimelodus pictus; it can reach 12" in the wild but in the aquarium will seldom exceed 6" which (I feel) can be attributed to it missing out on some of the later stimuli to promote the final growth stages.

The above can lead to some fish not getting too big for a smaller aquarium (like P. pictus) but will never prevent them growing physically too large for a tank or pond. I have seen a koi about 2'6" at a lfs that has a constant curve in his body due to having been in a too small pond or tank and having to constantly turn. I also know of a few people on here who have seen similar things with large tropical fish.

If you have nowhere else then I'd say a 55 is better than a 30 but he would probably outgrow that in around 6-12 months as well. But better he gets another few months of better living while you try and find a better home than he stay cramped

 

[Briarmoor]

If you have nowhere else then I'd say a 55 is better than a 30 but he would probably outgrow that in around 6-12 months as well. But better he gets another few months of better living while you try and find a better home than he stay cramped

Okay, I really want a bristlenose for my 55g, but I can take this guy in a month or so until I can find an alternative for him. Can they live in outdoor ponds in warm climates? If I could find someone south of me for it? I read they can only tolerate temps down to about 68, is this true? He'd have to live in south FL to be outside!

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[pica_nuttalli]

well, they do make pond heaters...