Rescue Plecos?!?

[**sarahp**]

OK - bear with me this may be a long post

My OH went to see a friend the other night and our new fish tank came up in converstion. So he said to OH - I've got some damn plecos you can have (I dont think he likes them very much ) anyway OH went to have a look - apparently one is in a small tank with a goldfish and no heater the others are in a Cichlid tank (OH said they were in with Sicklies ) but I reckon he meant cichlids cos he said they didnt look ill!!!!! There are 5 in total ranging in length from 2 inches to 8 inches - no idea about age - sorry

anyway I digress - my tank has just finished cycling so I could take them in a few days and at least give them the correct environment to live but I'm not sure I want them on a permanent basis, firstly I have no idea what they are but they may be one of the massive species, secondly I actualy want some starlight BN not some unidentifieds

I'm outta my depth here (scuse the pun) if it was a dog or a cat I'd take 'em in a heartbeat (not just cos of the cuteness but I know what to do with rescue mammals) I have no clue about re-homing these guys so I need some help guys

If I take them how easy/difficult is it to rehome them, will I end up stuck with them (dont take that the wrong way!!) will a LFS take them, how would I make sure they'd gone to a good home??? Oh the responsibility!!!

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[roseK]

depending on the pet store they might take them or they might not. if its a store like petsmart they wont, but if its non chain store and family based owners, im pretty sure they will. or near me theres a giant fish store that has millions of big fish people didnt want anymore and now they have a chance to be taken in by people who can ttake care of them.

they will probably be stressed at first so u need to make a comfortable environment and let them get used to it. and we shall see what happens from there

 

[-germ-]

From the sounds of things, your friend isn't bothered about the plecos, so personally i'd feel obliged to take them.
Passing them on to your LFS obviously depends on the relationship you have with them. I'm sure they would take them off your hands, without any financial benefit to yourself regardless of relationship, or at least in my experience most LFS would.
Then again, a little charm goes a long way and i would have thought you'd be able to wrangle some store credit.
You could also try and sell them via ebay or similar, or offload them onto a decent fishkeeper (or at least one whose fishkeeping skills you can check to some extent, via posts they have made)via the buy/sell/swap part of this forum.
Even if it means losing out a little yourself eg.by paying a postage charge, you'd be doing the right thing to take them, at least that is, in my opinion.
Could you not get pics in advance to identify the species?

 

[**sarahp**]

From the sounds of things, your friend isn't bothered about the plecos, so personally i'd feel obliged to take them.

yeah I do feel obliged - I cant leave them now I know about them - tis not fair poor things dont deserve to live like they are I suppose my main concern is what the hell I do with them once I've got them. could kick the bloke up th arse tho for leaving them living like they are

I'm sure they would take them off your hands, without any financial benefit to yourself regardless of relationship, or at least in my experience most LFS would.

I did wonder about that - but it'll have to be a local independant one - I cant give them to pets at home - I'd worry too much

Even if it means losing out a little yourself eg.by paying a postage charge, you'd be doing the right thing to take them, at least that is, in my opinion.

Oh I dont care about costs - its their welfare that concerns me I just dont wanna take them from one bad situation and put them in another so I need to know they are going to someone who gives a damn

Will try and get pics - although I will probably only go round to his house once - to get them cos otherwise I may strangle the selfish $%*(£$&%^

 

[SuperColey1]

apparently one is in a small tank with a goldfish and no heater

It is a problem keeping a Pleco and a Goldfish in a small tank because they are both poop machines and they are most likely to be common large growing versions. Its no problem keeping them with no heater in the UK because most of us have our house temperatures at a decent level for fish even in the winter. (Assuming people set their thermostat to 22 or above. lol) I personally have a heater but it rarely ever turns on due to the house temperature.

the others are in a Cichlid tank (OH said they were in with Sicklies ) but I reckon he meant cichlids cos he said they didnt look ill!!!!! There are 5 in total ranging in length from 2 inches to 8 inches - no idea about age - sorry

HE said "sicklies" because Cichlid is pronounced Sick-Lid

A pity you're in Dorset because if they are smaller species I would take them from you. Do you have any pictures? I could pay for postage if they are smaller than 6" at adult age.

Andy

 

[**sarahp**]

A pity you're in Dorset because if they are smaller species I would take them from you. Do you have any pictures? I could pay for postage if they are smaller than 6" at adult age.

Andy

Dont hav any pics yet - my tank only finished cycling on Friday so its all a bit sudden really. My plan is to get these guys out of where they are by the end of this week. As soon as I have them I'll be taking pics so that I can post 'em on here to find out what kind of plecs they are. As soon as I know what they are and am sure that they are healthy and ok I'll be letting them go free to good homes My preference would be for them to go to people on here as I then have some degree of certainty that they are with people who know what they are doing.

If you want any of them when they have been i.d'd I'll be more than happy to post them to you