Hypostomus plecostomus

[cichlidmaster]

Next time you consider buying that cute little 1" common pleco just remember this.................................


That cute little 1" pleco can grow up to look like this.................................

CM

 

[Alien Anna]

Hah! A mere fry! I've seen common pleco's in Bristol zoo that were 3 ft long, if you include the tail.

Sadly, I have no photographs so it'll have to remain a fisherman's tale

 

[david27]

Hi Anna
I've seen the length 2.5ft stated in several of your posts and it did seem a bit on the long side, so I decided to do some checking, the range of sizes I can find is between 30-50cms the larger of which is for wild caught examples and is a maximum.
These sizes have come from reliable sources including fishbase.org which use's data from field researchers.
Perhaps what bristol zoo have are pterygoplichthys multiradiatus which one source claims exceed 50cm

Either way 30cm or 90cm they are still to big for a lot of peoples tanks.

hope you find this interesting

David

 

[Xiphophorus Nezahualcoyotl]

there acually little ones at most of the shows over here there of double the size of the pictures there last one i kept along with a Sail-Fin Gibbicep was 38" in length with the gibbicep measuring in a little under 31" with a 16" from bast of the first ray on the dorsal fin to the tip of it which i bought as a 2" fish when i first started the hobbie and still had it after 9 years of keeping and breeding tropical fish

 

[Alien Anna]

Hi Anna
I've seen the length 2.5ft stated in several of your posts and it did seem a bit on the long side, so I decided to do some checking, the range of sizes I can find is between 30-50cms the larger of which is for wild caught examples and is a maximum.
These sizes have come from reliable sources including fishbase.org which use's data from field researchers.
Perhaps what bristol zoo have are pterygoplichthys multiradiatus which one source claims exceed 50cm

Either way 30cm or 90cm they are still to big for a lot of peoples tanks.

Like I said, fishkeepers tales

Besides, if you include the tail a 50cm monster could easily come out at 70cms or even longer! Perhaps the monsters in Bristol zoo are not Common Plecos but I asked a keeper and he said they came mostly from private owner's and I wasn't aware you could easily buy another species commonly. I definitely don't think they want any more - he said they'd had to turn them away (as well as pacu, silver sharks and piranha).

 

[lighter]

They're indeed giants! Many of these overgrown fishes in aquarium are thrown in canals over here because they dont know they can grow that big.

 

[david27]

Hi Anna

I Don't doubt the size of what you saw, It just did seem a bit large from what i have read If I'm wrong I accept it with good grace.

I agree with your stance on people buying these fish without the tanks to keep them in. I don't have the room to keep a common plec and I have 150 imp Gal tank as well as a 120 imp Gal tank.

But I also feel that many owners don't have the depth of knowledge of more experienced fish keepers and are poorly guided by many fish retailers IMO.

Cheers

David

PS you think people have got problems with plecos see below

http/www.fishbase.org/images/Brfil_u0.jpg

 

[J_acon]

I got myself a bristlenose, hehe almost same look but not as big.

 

[Idolz]

We have them that big at out lfs