please help id these plecos

[ripit]

I got one pleco that I later learned could get quite large. I recently got two more that the pet store told me would not get large but I think they may have been incorrect. Could someone help me id them and let me know how large they are likely to get? I need to know if I need to plan on finding them a new home in the future.

http://www.pbase.com/richardh/pleco

The 3 pics with the pink gravel are the 2 new ones that I was told would not grow too large. The other 2 pics (I know they are not good pics, that one always hides) is one I have had for a while that is growing quite fast.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[L-ko]

Hi,

looks like a small Pterygoplichthys/Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps.
But count the soft rays of the dorsal fin, please.

Greetings
Elko

 

[xingu]

I would say 100% Pterygoplichthys, looks more like pardalis/disjunctivus.

Either way they are large fish when mature.

 

[bigbird]

by all means you are looking at a fish that can reach am impressive 20inch plus etc, so they do get very large. I hope you have a large tank as you would need it. cheers jk :thumbup:

 

[ripit]

not so big on the tanks available. One is a 55 gal corner tank (basically a 22"x22" square with the front corner chopped off, in other words, 2 22" back sides and 3 13" front sides and maybe 2 feet tall?). The bigger one is in there. The other is a 15 gal and has the 2 small ones (seems plenty big for their current size but obviously not big enough for long). The 15 gal will eventually be upgraded to a 20-30 gal (defiantly not over 30 gal and probably closer to 20 gal). I have a 75 gal (tank and lid only, no lights or equipment) and it is a regular rectangular one (about 4' long). I'm not sure it is going to get setup though. Space is a problem, the floor taking the weight is a bigger problem and I can not reinforce or jack the floor ( not my house and I'm not allowed to). The floor boards are old, dry and probably not that strong (I'm a bit nervous about the 55 gal).

I would like to eventually set up the 75 gal for sharks (just common bala and such) but there are a lot of complications in that happening.

I added a photo with the fin pretty much up on one of the smaller ones. If I'm reading it right it has maybe 11 rays?

http://www.pbase.com/richardh/pleco

 

[Irene0100]

I think you should complain to your fish shop and find one who knows what he is talking about. not only will these fish grow large but they might fight each other.

 

[ripit]

I think you should complain to your fish shop and find one who knows what he is talking about. not only will these fish grow large but they might fight each other.

I assume that they have territorial behavior? I have been thinking about calling and complaining to the store manager (or even cooperate though its a franchise chain if I'm not mistaken so who knows if that would do any good).