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billemsick · Wiggler Joined: 04 Apr 2007 Posts: 9 Location: omaha, ne

I have no idea what kind of pleco I have - it was just a standard one that I picked up at the pet store on a 3 for $5 sale - thank goodness the clerk talked me out of the 3 saying they get to big. I am colorblind so I can't even give you guys the color - I could take a pic but won't get to it until late tonight. The main reason I am writing - my little guy (I have no idea how to sex them, I just tend to refer to it as a him) anyway - he is huge. I have a 10 gallon tank - I was able to measure him the other day and he appears to be at the 8 inch length and about 1.5 inches wide at the head.

I am just wondering, if there are places to trade them out when they get too big - he seems to be causing more of a mess than he is cleaning it at this point, plus I just don't know how big I should allow him to be - it's only a 10 gallon tank. I called the pet store I picked him up from and they said he was too big to trade with them but they would take him off my hands and I could purchase another. I have no problem with that, but am not sure if I am worrying about something that I shouldn't be worrying about? Any suggestions for me?
thanks,
bill

AnneRiceBowl · Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:00 pm Post subject:

What store did you get him from? Most stores that I have been to will take oversized fish. If he is just a random pleco, he is more than likely a common pleco, which grow to be a few feet long and are huge poop machines.

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for a reference guide. Clunkster and mpp should be along this evening to give you a better answer than I can. They are the resident pleco fanatics.

billemsick · Wiggler Joined: 04 Apr 2007 Posts: 9 Location: omaha, ne

I picked it up at Petland and they did say they would 'take him off my hands.'

AnneRiceBowl · Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:08 pm Post subject:

If you take him to a local shop, you may get store credit--if you want to go that route.

The only one person at that store that knows anything is James.

billemsick · Wiggler Joined: 04 Apr 2007 Posts: 9 Location: omaha, ne

they said their 'fishguy' could answer my questions better. I will call him later.
bill

AnneRiceBowl · Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:15 pm Post subject:

It will be interesting to know what this "fish guy" has to say.

clunkster · Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:50 pm Post subject:

Hi, without a pic it is very hard to id which L number (plec) you have, going by the price i would say it is a common or a sailfin either one is far too big a fish for a 10 gal tank, in fact at the size you say it is at now is too big for your tank, also no L number is a cleaning fish, also as you have noticed they produce a lot of waste so you need very good filtration with big L numbers. So post a pic and i will tell you which one you have Wink

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i dont keep fish i keep water that fish can live in what do you do ?

billemsick · Wiggler Joined: 04 Apr 2007 Posts: 9 Location: omaha, ne

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Here are a couple pics of the fish - I hope they are well enough ot see - How do I know if it is male or female?

thanks,
bill

MelonHead · Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:41 pm Post subject:

You might try posting "free pleco to a good home" ad with pics here and on the Midwest Cichlid Association site. Bet it wouldn't take a week to find someone who wants him. Or craigslist.

billemsick · Wiggler Joined: 04 Apr 2007 Posts: 9 Location: omaha, ne

so is it not a good idea to return it to the store if they said that they would take it?

funkyj · Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 4:10 pm Post subject:

Your fish will get to be right around 18". Too big for a 10 gallon and as clunkster stated, he is too big for a 10 gallon now.

At the lfs I work at, we would take him back and give you a new one. Straight across trade. Then we would sell the plec you traded in for $9.99.

Clunk, plecs are cleaner fish, scavengers to be more appropriate. They clean excess food off of the bottom and some also clean the glass of algae. They are not poo eaters, however.

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MelonHead · Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:47 pm Post subject: Re: petland

billemsick wrote:

so is it not a good idea to return it to the store if they said that they would take it?

That's up to you. I don't know what kind of credit the store would give you - but you could do either. It's not a bad idea at all - depends on what you want to do.

clunkster · Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 8:05 pm Post subject:

funkyj wrote:

Clunk, plecs are cleaner fish, scavengers to be more appropriate. They clean excess food off of the bottom and some also clean the glass of algae. They are not poo eaters, however.

In the wild not, they will scavenge if and when needed, i.e. the normal diet is not around or it is an oppertunist feed, so in a tank not a full brainer Evil or Very Mad

They need to be fed a proper balanced diet. Wish people would realise L Numbers ARE NOT THE DUSTBIN FISH OF TANKS. Sorry to shout but it does me head in hate-cry2

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i dont keep fish i keep water that fish can live in what do you do ?

AnneRiceBowl · Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:49 am Post subject:

clunkster wrote:

funkyj wrote:

Clunk, plecs are cleaner fish, scavengers to be more appropriate. They clean excess food off of the bottom and some also clean the glass of algae. They are not poo eaters, however.

In the wild not, they will scavenge if and when needed, i.e. the normal diet is not around or it is an oppertunist feed, so in a tank not a full brainer Evil or Very Mad

They need to be fed a proper balanced diet. Wish people would realise L Numbers ARE NOT THE DUSTBIN FISH OF TANKS. Sorry to shout but it does me head in hate-cry2

I understand the feeling. Just like how people think bettas can live in a cup of water with NO water changes, or those damn betta-in-a-vases.
OR
How people think shrimp are scavengers and eat poop!

Who the hell would think anything besides fungus and bacteria would eat FECES?!?!??!?!?! COME ONE!!!!!!!!

funkyj · Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 6:36 pm Post subject:

Actually there is a fish that DOES eat poop. It's the tilapia.

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You can see more on the discovery channel, dirty jobs with mike rowe, "vomit Island". The tilapia is used in the hybrid striped bass fish farm.

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