Hi Everyone :hi:, Around 5 years ago my dad got a 2ft tank and bought some fish one of which was a pleco. He wasn't given any information on the Pleco and was told to feed it tropical flakes. Not knowing any different he kept it for 3 years till my son decided to take up fish keeping and spoke to another fish shop who informed us of the proper diet for this fish so we have the diet sorted out but since it's diet has been changed I have noticed it has got bigger. It is now too big for the small tank and we don't have the room for a bigger tank. I have got very fond of this fish so I need to find it a suitable home so I decided to give it away on gumtree but I have specified I will only let it go to a good home with suitable tank size and experienced keeper. I have had some interest but I'm worried the fish might grow even bigger once given space it requires. Please can anyone help me identify this fish and let me know what size it can reach and what size tank would be suitable. I want the new keeper to have as much information as possible. I had someone with a 6ft x 2ft tank asking for the fish but he keeps american cichlids and various other plecos, one of which is 22 inches in his tank. I feel this would be overcrowding and too many plecos in the one tank. Any advice would be appreciated as I only want the best for the fish. Thanks in advance
Desperately need help with ID and set up
- Thread starter Gina
- Start date
Thanks Bigjohnnofish
Thank you Bigjohnnofish :thumbup: Do you think a 6ft by 2ft tank would be suitable for this type of fish. I've had someone else asking for it so I've sent a message asking what other fish he has in his tank just to make sure they're compatible.
Thank you Bigjohnnofish :thumbup: Do you think a 6ft by 2ft tank would be suitable for this type of fish. I've had someone else asking for it so I've sent a message asking what other fish he has in his tank just to make sure they're compatible.
suitable for a while.... when fish gets longer than the tank width/depth then its prob time to think about a bigger home... so a 6x2x2 would be suitable for some years....
Looks like a 'common' pleco to me. Most likely a Pterygoplichthys pardalis.
The difference between a gibbi/sailfin and the common is a gibbi/sailfin is black/brown and orange where as the common is black/gray and white.
Both can get up to the same size and both can live about the same age.
http://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=88
The difference between a gibbi/sailfin and the common is a gibbi/sailfin is black/brown and orange where as the common is black/gray and white.
Both can get up to the same size and both can live about the same age.
http://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=88
Thanks Warborg. The pleco looks more black/brown with slight orange tips at the edge of some fins and underneath his markings are entirely different. He is far lighter underneath with perfect wavey lines. Unfortunately I still haven't managed to photograph him below as every time I see him these days he's either on the bottom or up the back of the tank at the filter. I've had some good news for him as I think I've found him a much more appropriate home with a sea life sanctuary.
The wavy lines on the belly would actually make it a Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus(still a common) which is nearly the same as a Pterygoplichthys pardalis.
A Pterygoplichthys pardalis and a Gibbi/sailfin both have a circle-like pattern on their belly.
A Pterygoplichthys pardalis and a Gibbi/sailfin both have a circle-like pattern on their belly.