Clown Pleco Not Growing?

[stanleo]

Hey all I'm wondering if you could help me? I have had a clown pleco that was 2 inches when I bought him over 6 months ago and he is still only 2 inches.  I have 3 pieces of driftwood in the tank and is heavily planted. Tankmates all are doing well and have noticable growth. I keep nitrates to 10ppm. Tankmates are one angel, 3 pearl gouramis, 8 von rio tetras, 9 harlequin rasporas, 5 otos, 15 corys, and some inverts. Tank was fishless cycled and the pleco was added shortly after that. I feed sinking shrimp pellets and 3 algea wafers and flakes every other day and 3 algae wafers every night after lights out. On the off days I feed frozen shrimp.  Tank is 55gl. When I do catch sight of him he seems to look very healthy and seems active. There are pics of the tank in the journal linked in my sig. Why is he not growing? 

 

[fluttermoth]

I also have a clown plec that's never grown very big; he's about 2.5"
 
Like yours, mine is in a well planted 55g with low nitrates, so I'm 100% sure he's not stunted in any way.
 
BTW, mine is 18 years old now, so you should be able to enjoy yours for many years yet 

 
Oh, I forgot to say, I'm fairly sure mine is the usual Panaqolus maccus, not another species; there are a few different ones sold as 'clown plecs' though, I think.

 

[stanleo]

That makes me feel better, thanks. It's weird though. 

 

[Byron]

In my experience, fish of the same species attaining different sizes even in the same aquarium is fairly common, so I wouldn't worry.  I've seen this in corydoras, characins, cyprinids.
 
Fluttermoth, your Clown is certainly doing well at 18.  I believe P. maccus is the species most commonly seen as "Clown," but as you say there are others, presently nine species described in the genus Panaqolus, all sharing similar basic patterning.  In Planet Catfish there are several more "L" numbers that may turn out to be distinct species.  With collectors venturing into new areas so often now, one almost has to know which river the fish came from.
 
Byron.