My Plecos!

[Carolinesugar]

hi all, just need a few pointers on ,my baby plecos!

i have neva liked plecos cus they all seem 2 grow really big and sulk all the time behind filters.

i went to the store abt 3 weeks ago and asked 4 advice on which pleco 2 get.

i have since brought wot they told me wud remain small plecos!

i have a golden nugget in my mums tank (30" long, but their all moving into the 40" nxt week)

and a bulldog pleco in my 24" tank (which will move in2 the 30" wen mums moved hers and its been cleaned and cycled)

are these plecos really only going to reach the max size of 5 - 6 inches ?

im asking now, b4 i grow to adore them 2 much 2 take them back n say they grow 2 big 4 my tank.

i wana be sure that they have enough space and gud living conditions, so my best intentions are 2 make sure they have a gud life in my tank (if i can keep them! )

 

[ryan]

There are three species of Golden Nuggets L18 to L177 classified by spot size, do you know which one you have. Most sources say 6-12inches for Golden Nuggets but I have only ever seen them reach 7inches and that took some time as they are very slow growers so you will be ok, the Bulldog Plecs only reach 4-6inches so again you are fine.

Good Luck

 

[Carolinesugar]

There are three species of Golden Nuggets L18 to L177 classified by spot size, do you know which one you have. Most sources say 6-12inches for Golden Nuggets but I have only ever seen them reach 7inches and that took some time as they are very slow growers so you will be ok, the Bulldog Plecs only reach 4-6inches so again you are fine.

Good Luck

thanx!!


well i am going back to the store 2day, so i will find out which species nugget is!!! i cnt wait 2 see my bulldog develope his personality more, hes soooo shy!

 

[ryan]

Good to hear, lets me know if you find out the Golden Nuggets exact species. Over time they will venture out more as they feel more secure so be patient.

 

[Carolinesugar]

Good to hear, lets me know if you find out the Golden Nuggets exact species. Over time they will venture out more as they feel more secure so be patient.

hi all, well, just got back frm the pet store, turns out that hes not 100% sure if the golden nugget is species number L18 or L81. but is certain that it is 1 of the 2!

the stop were very helpful - think the guy that i spoke 2 2day has 2 be the most helpful at that store! as he looked up tb in a book he had, and showed me, he had a look at my poorly gourami, and sed he thinks it cud be the start of tb, but to carry on treating with melafix.

i think i sud be locked away frm the fish store though, as i got 6 female guppys! but i think they will be ok, as they are in the community tank with the boys, who had started picking on the 2 pregnant and 1 who had just had her babies. so now they have enough girlfriends not 2 pester just 3 of them! lol

soooo... L18 or L81 ne1 no wot the difference is ? then i can be very sure!

 

[ryan]

The three species are classified by spot size, fishes growth size and I also believe by the origin of the fish and gold bands on the dorsal and tail fin edges.

 

[Carolinesugar]

The three species are classified by spot size, fishes growth size and I also believe by the origin of the fish and gold bands on the dorsal and tail fin edges.

the 1s with the orange on the dorsal and tail fins are usually called mango gold nuggets i think ? thats the identical 1 2 mine!

im not sure if that makes him a L 018 or L081 now though ? lol. the spots are small though he cud still be a baby ?

my bulldog has started being more adventuous now! im so pleased he is movin abt more, as he was so shy b4

 

[ryan]

All Golden Nuggets have the golden tips to both dorsal and tail fins. There is no such thing as a Mango Golden Nugget unless they have been hybredized by humans. The ture Mango Plec or L047 is a cmopletely different species with a dark green back ground colour and gold tip fin edges.

 

[Carolinesugar]

ok, im only going on the info i read on another site.

does ne1 know the exact number of my fish ? its either an L018 or an L081 how do i tel the difference ? the spots are very small, but i cnt find a pic of 1 or the other ?

ive just found a site that has them both on the same page, but also lists the other gold nugget plecos. im stocked to discover that the pleco i have, if it turns out 2 be a L018 it is a common pleco!! which cud grow up2 14" long!!!

i brought this pleco because i wanted a small 1, and didnt wana get a baby big 1 and then have 2 get rid of him cus he outgrew my tank.

the site sed that,

the L018 = This is the "common" gold nugget with medium sized spots. This is a picture of a juvenile. L018 is found in area around Altamira on the Rio Xingu. This is about 75 miles downstream (North) of where the Rio Iriri joins the Rio Xingu.

and the L081 = This is the small spot gold nugget from the lower Rio Xingu. The yellow colouration on this fish (spots and fin seams) tends to be paler. This is a picture of a young sub-adult.

but the site then went on and sed ,

Size The adult size of L177 is unknown although it is likely to be the same as L18 / L85 which is around 12" - 14". Vires states that L81 is a smaller species and only reaches 7".

this is worrying me bc i was told that the max size of the golden nugget that i brought wud be 5 to 6" !!!

 

[ryan]

Alot of info on the Nugget species say they can reach up to 12inches but I have kept an L177 for over a year with no growth and the biggest I have ever seen the fish is at 7inches. I know that 12inch wild specimens have been caught so it is possible.

http/planetcatfish.com/core/index.htm

This site will help you identify your plec, scroll down to the letter L and check them both out.

Good Luck let me know what you find out.