Rescue Plecos

[**sarahp**]

I rescued two common plecos on Sunday. They were living in the most awful conditions - they were in a 24" x 12" x 12" tank with at least 10 goldfish I dread to think of the water stats

anyway they seem happy enough - but one seems to consider himself a bit of an aquascaper I came down this morning to discover that he had been digging under the bogwood and has made a HUGE mound of sand at the front of the tank; half the plants are uprooted and its really not the look I was after

But he seems happy enough

The bloke I got them from reckons they are 2 years old and they are only about 7" not included tail - do you think they are stunted? I am going to rehome them once I know they are fit and healthy. I also want to make sure they are going to people with tanks that are suitable - I'm not rescuing them to then send them on to conditions like they came from

 

[indigoj]

Good Luck!

 

[england]

yep thats plecs for you DESTROY the tank lads lets goooo.....n the poo...
glad you helped em out....sounds stunted...prob because they was in a cold water tank...slows down mentabolism

 

[**sarahp**]

sounds stunted...prob because they was in a cold water tank...slows down mentabolism

will they recover or is that it - once the damage is done no recovery?

 

[KhaosInc]

if they are 7" w/o the tail, I would suspect that they haven't been stunted too much, and most commen Plecos tend to be pretty hardy fish IMO. I think they will be happy messing up your tanks for years to come..

 

[jollysue]

Funny thread!

 

[**sarahp**]

Funny thread!

One of 'em is now called Alan - as in alan Titchmarsh (a famous TV gardener) cos of all the plants he's moved round

 

[ICEEGRL]

I got one that came with my 29g when I got it. It had stayed about 2" for over a year with the previous owner. Within 6 months with me it had grown to almost 9". They didn't ever feed it. They left it to get what grew in the tank. The tank was badly over stocked too. The water was so green you couldn't see the fish.
I am fairly sure that he didn't grow because of the really bad water conditions. Once the water was better he started growing like crazy.
I think that will probably be the case with yours too.
Mine tore plants to bits. I had to rehome him. I didn't have a tank big enough, and he just wouldn't stop tearing up and moving things. I hated to give him up though...
Good luck!