Pleco.'s

PEMfish · 11-03-2007, 06:12 PM

I`v seen pics of people with with huge plecostomus they caught in South America. And I know that they will grow as big as a tank will let them. Up to 2' in the wild! Has anybody ever had a really big one, I just want to know more about mature ones, but nobody on profile sites has tanks like that... do you?

reefjitsu · 11-03-2007, 07:22 PM

I have never kept any of the large species of pleco. I have had a couple friends who had a few that were in the over 12 inch range. I really like the plecos and there are soooo many kinds of them. They range from 3 inches to several feet. I recently saw a species on a television show that was almost 6 feet in length.

PEMfish · 11-03-2007, 07:55 PM

6 ft WOW! Common plecos get to the 2 ft range.

lcstorc · 11-03-2007, 07:56 PM

I had a friend who had on in a 20gl long tank. It was the only fish and stretched the length of the tank. I think he finally sold it back to a LFS but it was easily 1 1/2 to 2ft.

PEMfish · 11-03-2007, 08:01 PM

That poor fish. Thanks for the replies so far. dose anybody know anything on the mature ones, not just from what you hear on the internet. That info is so passed around, something first/second hand would be more reliable. Its a big info hole, I want to know whats fits in it.

2455coop · 11-03-2007, 09:06 PM

I primarily had dwarf species of Plecos when I was doing fresh. I had a golden nugget and a zebra. These fish are related to the catfish. I don't know what you read on the internet but mine was primarily a vegitarian scavenger and totaly nocturnal. They love algae and anything left on the bottom. I used sinking pellets shrimp pellets, Hikari sinking pellets and the sinking algae wafers to supplement their feeding. I don't know what other kinda of info you are looking for but if I can answer it I will.

PEMfish · 11-03-2007, 10:30 PM

Yeah, I know about plecs as far as normal keeping them. But When they grow up, I know its another story, one I have not yet been told.

Frankie · 11-03-2007, 10:45 PM

I know mature pleco will eat dead fish. I had one for about 5 years that would catch the dead or weak fish and chow down on them. It was a common pleco. I don't know the sci. name for it.

Octoman · 11-03-2007, 11:46 PM

Hypostomus plecostomus It's been many years, but we used to have an 18" pleco in a display. If I remember correctly, he was pretty much just a detritivore with a healthy apettite.

sirrealism · 11-04-2007, 08:45 AM

hi paul, I have had several big ones and yes they will get all of 18" in a tank "no mater the size of the tank" for the common ones. some of the excotic ones will get very big 2. I had a bannana pleco that was at least 18" and I have a goldy now that will get 18" mind you I will sell him before he gets that big. just remember that the common is really the only good alge eater, the rest have a mixed diet and thats why most poeple cant keep them. there is a river in tampa fl were I live that has common plecos in it and at times you can see hundreds of them all over 12" and as big as2' but they are not native hmmmm wonder how they got from south america!!!! If you want to know about plecos go to planitcatfish.com

sirrealism · 11-04-2007, 08:48 AM

hi paul, I have had several big ones and yes they will get all of 18" in a tank "no mater the size of the tank" for the common ones. some of the excotic ones will get very big 2. I had a bannana pleco that was at least 18" and I have a goldy now that will get 18" mind you I will sell him before he gets that big. just remember that the common is really the only good alge eater, the rest have a mixed diet and thats why most poeple cant keep them. there is a river in tampa fl were I live that has common plecos in it and at times you can see hundreds of them all over 12" and as big as2' but they are not native hmmmm wonder how they got from south america!!!! If you want to know about plecos go to planitcatfish.com

PEMfish · 11-04-2007, 11:03 AM

Hmmm, So thats quite a change in appetite over their life. Didn't think that. Whats there behavior then. Nocturnal, dinurnal, mating, etc. Thanks.

Fionn_Matt325 · 11-04-2007, 09:37 PM

i had one on my first trip down freshwater lane. i had it for a few years, and i'd say it only got to about 8", then for some reason it died. i must have found it when rigermortis set in, because that thing was like a rock. it was pretty gross.
i was told that snails do a better job cleaning, but from my experience my one pleco did a better job than the handful of snails did.

PEMfish · 11-04-2007, 09:44 PM

I`ll bet it died in the winter... right? Plecos as a cleaner is a myth! And they are an armored catfish, they are always hard, Dead or healthy. Thanks.

Fionn_Matt325 · 11-04-2007, 10:02 PM

don't remember the season. than if it wasn't the pleco i had a ghost cleaning my tank, cause i didn't have any snails or other clean up crew at the time. and i meant stiff like an arrow, cause it didn't go limp in the net.

11-03-2007, 06:12 PM	#1 (permalink)
PEMfish Reef Lobster Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 1,634 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Pleco.'s I`v seen pics of people with with huge plecostomus they caught in South America. And I know that they will grow as big as a tank will let them. Up to 2' in the wild! Has anybody ever had a really big one, I just want to know more about mature ones, but nobody on profile sites has tanks like that... do you? __________________ Paul `EM My cichlid tank plans, or Piranhas...; See how it all came to be; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...g-catchup.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ets-ready.html Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes.

11-03-2007, 07:22 PM	#2 (permalink)
reefjitsu Plate Coral Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: The Magic City Posts: 740 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Pleco.'s I have never kept any of the large species of pleco. I have had a couple friends who had a few that were in the over 12 inch range. I really like the plecos and there are soooo many kinds of them. They range from 3 inches to several feet. I recently saw a species on a television show that was almost 6 feet in length. __________________ You can't give up hope just because it's hopeless. You got to keep on hoping and cover your ears and go "blah blah blah blah"- Futurama

11-03-2007, 07:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
PEMfish Reef Lobster Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 1,634 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Pleco.'s 6 ft WOW! Common plecos get to the 2 ft range. __________________ Paul `EM My cichlid tank plans, or Piranhas...; See how it all came to be; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...g-catchup.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ets-ready.html Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes.

11-03-2007, 07:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 16,456 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Pleco.'s I had a friend who had on in a 20gl long tank. It was the only fish and stretched the length of the tank. I think he finally sold it back to a LFS but it was easily 1 1/2 to 2ft. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g Jawfish enjoyment ASM answer girl. Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

11-03-2007, 08:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
PEMfish Reef Lobster Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 1,634 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Pleco.'s That poor fish. Thanks for the replies so far. dose anybody know anything on the mature ones, not just from what you hear on the internet. That info is so passed around, something first/second hand would be more reliable. Its a big info hole, I want to know whats fits in it. __________________ Paul `EM My cichlid tank plans, or Piranhas...; See how it all came to be; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...g-catchup.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ets-ready.html Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes.

11-03-2007, 09:06 PM	#6 (permalink)
2455coop Pistol Shrimp Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Amarillo,Texas Posts: 266 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Pleco.'s I primarily had dwarf species of Plecos when I was doing fresh. I had a golden nugget and a zebra. These fish are related to the catfish. I don't know what you read on the internet but mine was primarily a vegitarian scavenger and totaly nocturnal. They love algae and anything left on the bottom. I used sinking pellets shrimp pellets, Hikari sinking pellets and the sinking algae wafers to supplement their feeding. I don't know what other kinda of info you are looking for but if I can answer it I will. __________________ Bill 75 gal D.A.S. 15 gal refugium

11-03-2007, 10:30 PM	#7 (permalink)
PEMfish Reef Lobster Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 1,634 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Pleco.'s Yeah, I know about plecs as far as normal keeping them. But When they grow up, I know its another story, one I have not yet been told. __________________ Paul `EM My cichlid tank plans, or Piranhas...; See how it all came to be; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...g-catchup.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ets-ready.html Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes.

11-03-2007, 10:45 PM	#8 (permalink)
Frankie Angel Girl's Daddy Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: The End Of The World Posts: 6,035 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Pleco.'s I know mature pleco will eat dead fish. I had one for about 5 years that would catch the dead or weak fish and chow down on them. It was a common pleco. I don't know the sci. name for it. __________________ Visit my aquarium -->Frankie's 120 gal Experiment Bruce: Today's meeting is Step 5: Bring a fish friend. Everyone brought a fish friend? DIY=DO IT YOURSELF! If we ignore the environment maybe it will go away....

11-03-2007, 11:46 PM	#9 (permalink)
Octoman Elegance coral Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Savannah, GA Posts: 1,045 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Pleco.'s Hypostomus plecostomus It's been many years, but we used to have an 18" pleco in a display. If I remember correctly, he was pretty much just a detritivore with a healthy apettite. __________________ Mark "If you were traveling through outer space, I mean like you're going real fast, like the speed of light, you know... hoooohhhhh... and all of a sudden you started screaming... aaaahhhhh aaaaahhhhh... Do you think your brain would blow up?" My tank thread... http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-euphoria.html Tank build... http://55reef.blogspot.com/

11-04-2007, 08:45 AM	#10 (permalink)
sirrealism Tunicate Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 9 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Pleco.'s hi paul, I have had several big ones and yes they will get all of 18" in a tank "no mater the size of the tank" for the common ones. some of the excotic ones will get very big 2. I had a bannana pleco that was at least 18" and I have a goldy now that will get 18" mind you I will sell him before he gets that big. just remember that the common is really the only good alge eater, the rest have a mixed diet and thats why most poeple cant keep them. there is a river in tampa fl were I live that has common plecos in it and at times you can see hundreds of them all over 12" and as big as2' but they are not native hmmmm wonder how they got from south america!!!! If you want to know about plecos go to planitcatfish.com __________________ 150 gal reef with a 24 nano split in 2 with one side a refuge with a 8"sand sub and the other side for my carpet aniname and clarki "when the carpet was in display tank I kept loosing sand sifter gobies hmmm" then 2 30 gal filter boxes, not sure what the brand of my skimmer is but it sure does a good job 55 gal reef for frags. 120gal fresh planted with rainbows and exotic plecos 25 oct fresh for my favorite fish chaca chaca " african frog mouth" that I have had for 11 years

11-04-2007, 08:48 AM	#11 (permalink)
sirrealism Tunicate Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 9 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Pleco.'s hi paul, I have had several big ones and yes they will get all of 18" in a tank "no mater the size of the tank" for the common ones. some of the excotic ones will get very big 2. I had a bannana pleco that was at least 18" and I have a goldy now that will get 18" mind you I will sell him before he gets that big. just remember that the common is really the only good alge eater, the rest have a mixed diet and thats why most poeple cant keep them. there is a river in tampa fl were I live that has common plecos in it and at times you can see hundreds of them all over 12" and as big as2' but they are not native hmmmm wonder how they got from south america!!!! If you want to know about plecos go to planitcatfish.com __________________ 150 gal reef with a 24 nano split in 2 with one side a refuge with a 8"sand sub and the other side for my carpet aniname and clarki "when the carpet was in display tank I kept loosing sand sifter gobies hmmm" then 2 30 gal filter boxes, not sure what the brand of my skimmer is but it sure does a good job 55 gal reef for frags. 120gal fresh planted with rainbows and exotic plecos 25 oct fresh for my favorite fish chaca chaca " african frog mouth" that I have had for 11 years

11-04-2007, 11:03 AM	#12 (permalink)
PEMfish Reef Lobster Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 1,634 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Pleco.'s Hmmm, So thats quite a change in appetite over their life. Didn't think that. Whats there behavior then. Nocturnal, dinurnal, mating, etc. Thanks. __________________ Paul `EM My cichlid tank plans, or Piranhas...; See how it all came to be; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...g-catchup.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ets-ready.html Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes.

11-04-2007, 09:37 PM	#13 (permalink)
Fionn_Matt325 Star Polyps Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 164 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Pleco.'s i had one on my first trip down freshwater lane. i had it for a few years, and i'd say it only got to about 8", then for some reason it died. i must have found it when rigermortis set in, because that thing was like a rock. it was pretty gross. i was told that snails do a better job cleaning, but from my experience my one pleco did a better job than the handful of snails did. __________________ 34 Gallon Red Sea Changed from 10 gal. basic freshwater after a few years. It always comes back to Nemo

11-04-2007, 09:44 PM	#14 (permalink)
PEMfish Reef Lobster Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 1,634 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Pleco.'s I`ll bet it died in the winter... right? Plecos as a cleaner is a myth! And they are an armored catfish, they are always hard, Dead or healthy. Thanks. __________________ Paul `EM My cichlid tank plans, or Piranhas...; See how it all came to be; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...g-catchup.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ets-ready.html Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes.

11-04-2007, 10:02 PM	#15 (permalink)
Fionn_Matt325 Star Polyps Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 164 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Pleco.'s don't remember the season. than if it wasn't the pleco i had a ghost cleaning my tank, cause i didn't have any snails or other clean up crew at the time. and i meant stiff like an arrow, cause it didn't go limp in the net. __________________ 34 Gallon Red Sea Changed from 10 gal. basic freshwater after a few years. It always comes back to Nemo

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