Pleco, Please Identify

[Kiwi2016]

I bought this pleco but would like to know which type of Pleco it is. He/she's about 4-5 inches long. Thanks.

 

[fluttermoth]

Is there any chance you could get a pic of its dorsal fin? What was it called in the shop?

 

[Kiwi2016]

I bought it on Kajiji and don't know what type of pleco he/she is.

 

[fluttermoth]

I think it's almost certainly a rusty plec, Hypostomus cochliodon.

In future, please, please don't buy fish if you don't know what species they are. Some commonly sold fish, especially plecs, can grow very, very large, and you don't want to get stuck with a fish that's going to grow to four foot (as adonis plecs can), or even bigger (iridescent/paroon shark catfish).

 

[Kiwi2016]

Thank you fluttermouth. When I bought the fish tank it came with the fish and this was my first introduction to fish. As I go along I'm learning more The aquarium store told me about the potential growth of plecos and so I wanted to know what type it was. If it's one that's supposed to grow large then I'd give it to the store. I also wanted to know what type of pleco he is to find out what water he prefers, including water hardness. Thank you so much for identifying my pleco, I do hope he's only meant to remain at 5" or close to it?

 

[fluttermoth]

Ah, I can sympathise then, it's always difficult taking on someone else's fishy choices!

Luckily rusty plecs are pretty hardy and undemanding, so you shouldn't have too many worries there. They can get up to eight or nine inches. How big is your tank?

 

[Kiwi2016]

My tank is 26 gallons. The tank came with the pleco, 6 penguin tetras and a platty. I got the tank a year ago and since then one tetra had died and the platty. I've also bought other platties, mollies and guppies. In the course of a year I've had had about 9 fish die which has really upset me. Each time I lose a fish I go to the aquarium store to have the water quality checked. Anyway, I'm running out of reason's for why the last two fish died, but someone mentioned the hardness of the water. Our tap water is very soft and what I've read is that live bearers like hard water so I'm wondering if that's part of the cause. It's been so upsetting losing the fish andI was considering giving everything away. Instead, I bought a water testing kit to see if I can keep on top of things before problems arise. If the water hardness if the culprit I don't want to make it too hard so that it has a negative impact on the petras and the pleco. More I need to learn. I'm so pleased I found fishforums.net to help me.

 

[ginaekdal]

Nice looking fish.
 
You know given that you have managed to keep the pleco and the tetras well for a year you must be doing something right. Now the hardness might have been a factor in some of the livebearer deaths, but sometimes it is also just one of those things, like losing a tetra that came with the tank. A fish might have been old, or sickly, already from purchase on. Some guppy strains for example might also be weaker due to the breeding, and less than ideal water parameters might have been the final straw.
 
With very soft tap water you have so many species of fish to choose from! I keep a folder of information about species I like that fit my water (mine is very soft, too) and that I would like to keep some day... when I get a fish room. It is easily tens of species now that I hope I can house someday when space permits. A girl can dream.
 
Point being if you were to try soft water species instead of the ones you have been having bad luck with (hard water species by the sound of it), you have virtually unlimited choices still for a fantastic and colourful looking tank if you so wish.

 

[BaylorPerez]

if he is the only fish in the tank the 26Gal should be ok for the time being, Although you may want to see about getting some other fish to help the pleco not get to stressed out. As all of my plecos loved to hand around my Corie catfish, it was interested to see my corys clean the Pleco from time to time when peices of algae would seem to grow on the pleco

 

[fluttermoth]

I bought a water testing kit to see if I can keep on top of things before problems arise. If the water hardness if the culprit I don't want to make it too hard so that it has a negative impact on the petras and the pleco. More I need to learn. I'm so pleased I found fishforums.net to help me.

We're all here to help

If you post the results of your tests (I was going to recommend you bought one!) when you've done them, we can advise you further

 

[NickAu]

Feeding a pleco.
 
I feed mine
Omega One Veggie Rounds
Hikari Algae Wafers
Kens veggie sticks.
Blood worm
Brine shrimp
Every now and again a tiny bit of OX heart
New Life Spectrum Thera Plus pellets.

And they need fresh veggies.
This is a list of vegetables and fruit that are popular with most plecs.

    Zucchini/Courgette
    Cucumber
    Peas (deshelled)
    Sweet Potato
    Green Beans
    Melon/Melon rind

    Aubergine/Egg plant
    Avocado
    Broad Beans
    Broccoli/Stalk
    Butternut Squash+ other squash
    Capsicum/Bell pepper(not the hot ones)
    Cauliflower/Stalk
    Carrot
    Coconut
    Grapes
    Kale/Collard Greens
    Kiwi Fruit
    Lettuce
    Lima Beans
    Mango
    Mushroom (common plecs and goldspots love mushroom)let it float,they will reach it.
    Papaya
    Potato
    Pumpkin
    Spinach
    Sprouts
    Swede
    Tomato
    Yam

 

[Kiwi2016]

Thanks to everyone for your much appreciated help. Had I have known about this site sooner, I could have saved my fish. When I mentioned the soft water issue to the guy at the aquarium store he felt it was unlikely because all of their fish have the same soft water and are doing fine?
 
I would never of thought to feed the pleco veg fruit and veg, how am I to prepare them? Would this have a negative affect on my live bearer fish?  I have ordered my water testing kit and waiting for it to come in, then I'll be less paranoid of over feeding the fish. However, I did get a GH & KH kit so will check this soon, although, I don't know what KH is?

 

[fluttermoth]

Thanks to everyone for your much appreciated help. Had I have known about this site sooner, I could have saved my fish. When I mentioned the soft water issue to the guy at the aquarium store he felt it was unlikely because all of their fish have the same soft water and are doing fine?

There could be all sorts of reasons why you lost your fish; I'll ask you loads of questions at the end of this post that might help us get to the root of the issue

 
 
 

I would never of thought to feed the pleco veg fruit and veg, how am I to prepare them? Would this have a negative affect on my live bearer fish?  I have ordered my water testing kit and waiting for it to come in, then I'll be less paranoid of over feeding the fish. However, I did get a GH & KH kit so will check this soon, although, I don't know what KH is?

Vegetables are best blanched briefly; just pour boiling water over them and let them sit for a minute or two, then rinse in cold water. You can stick a teaspoon through them to make them sink. Fruit can go in as it is. Use pieces about the size of your thumb, and leave in overnight, as many catfish prefer to feed in the dark. It won't bother your livebearers, and it won't be bad for them if they pick at it too.

GH and KH are different ways of measuring hardness. Give us all the results, once you get your test kit. Could you also tell us;

how often and how large your water changes are
what filter you have, what's inside it, and how you clean it
the exact, or as best you can, numbers and species of fish in the tank
the dimensions of the tank
temperature
a full tank picture would be useful

Really sorry for all the questions, but fish tanks are little ecosystems and you can't just look at one thing, you have to look at the whole picture

 

[Kiwi2016]

Hello Fluttermoth, here are the specifics you requested:
 
I generally do a water change every two weeks about 1/3.
 
Filter, I don't know the make because I got this when I bought the tank but the contents are Aqua Clear activated carbon (50) for 20-50 us gallons, Biomax stones and foam.
I dismantle the filter and wash everything under tap water using a tooth brush, then submerge everything in the removed tank water before placing it back into the tank.
I replaced the foam April 2015 and was told to do this annually.
I replace the carbon once per month. I did this about every two weeks for a while trying to remove tannin from the tank.
I replaced the stones Sep 2015 and was told to do this every 6 months.
 
I add API tap water conditioner, API Aquarium Salt and Flourish plant supplements.
When introducing new fish I add API Melafix for 3 days. 
 
Current fish in the tank
1 x Pleco (likely a Rusty Pleco) - original owner bought in Sep 2013
5 x Penguin Tetras - original owner bought in Sep 2013
1 x black Molly female - bought January 2016
1 x red Molly female - bought April 2016
1 x gold Lyretail Molly female - bought April 2016
2 x Dragon Guppies femal - bought April 2016
 
Tank dimensions: Width 29 5/8" x Height 16 1/4" x Depth 12 1/2" 26 US Gallons.
Temperature: 77.7 F
 
Still waiting for my other kit but have tested KH & GH as follows:
dKH 5 degrees = 89.5 ppm
GH 89.5 ppm
 
As you mentioned, the tanks are little ecosystems, this new hobby of mine makes me appreciate all the more the delicate balance of our ocean and water ways.
 
I don't know how to upload a photo of our tank on a reply post so will have to do this on a subsequent post.
 
Thank you.
 
Thank you for your help.

 

[BaylorPerez]

it does sound like a 26-30Gal tank, thats for sure. As for your fish, i am guessing the males have died?