What sort of pleco do I have?

unfocusedanakin · 03-03-2008, 02:33 PM

This is my first tank, and my friend gave it to me, he's very into fish but is not sure of the breed. It is a male I believe. Since these pics he seems to be getting darker green stripes too, he is just very shy and hard to photograph.

Tanks Master · 03-03-2008, 03:35 PM

Common-- they get Ginormus and have a penchant for poo... the love to poo...all they do really...

Trixie · 03-03-2008, 03:40 PM

Yes, they are "poopostomus" but they are noble beasts. They remind me of giant aquatic zambonis.

DeputyChiefJR · 03-03-2008, 08:17 PM

Except they eventually eat the hockey players too

unfocusedanakin · 03-04-2008, 10:00 AM

isn't a common pleco usualy spotted and not green? here is a pic from this morning you can see the stripes more

joephys · 03-04-2008, 11:49 AM

There is no one type of common pleco. Many varieties are sold as common plecos, and the vast majority of them are fairly similar in their growth patterns, and care requirements.

wesleydnunder · 03-04-2008, 01:42 PM

Back in the day the one you have was called an "Armored" pleco. They still get too big for most aquaria.

Mark

unfocusedanakin · 03-04-2008, 01:51 PM

Yeah I was told he will get maybe as much as 18 inches if he lives long enough.

He is in a 55 gallon right now, but I would want a bigger tank if he got full gorwn.

Does his coloring make him rare at all? I was told that a full grown one in that color may be worth alot of money as much as $1,000.

Tanks Master · 03-04-2008, 02:12 PM

I dont think you'll get much for a common, the most I've sold to people and stores plec's that big go for about 30.00 you'll need about 180 gallons (I think) to house a common comfortably, as they age they tend to get aggressive and territorial, it's a breeding type of thing but since I was told they cant breed in general aquarium setups i dont know if it's possible.

Corax · 04-07-2008, 11:21 AM

I dunno, he looks a lot like my Rubberlip...

If it is, then don't expect a huge fish. 5-6" I believe..

SnakeIce · 04-07-2008, 12:40 PM

One of the species sold as "common" is Pterygoplichthys pardalis, but that genus all have more than 10 dorsal fin rays. Yours is likely to be one of the Hypostomus species.

sarcare · 04-07-2008, 01:26 PM

Corax's? His looks just like my rubber lip. But pleco ids are beyond me!

Trixie · 04-07-2008, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeputyChiefJR

Except they eventually eat the hockey players too

Well, maybe just the hockey sticks....

BadBud · 04-08-2008, 03:32 PM

As shown in the 1st photo, commons have ummmmmm big lips like rubberlip plecos

Corax · 04-10-2008, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BadBud

As shown in the 1st photo, commons have ummmmmm big lips like rubberlip plecos

Big maybe, but a completely different structure and not one that can be mistaken for a rubberlip. Rupperlips have very thick, fat lips. Side by side, a "common" vs. a rubberlip, it isn't even close..

BadBud · 04-10-2008, 11:57 AM

I know they look very different corax, I'm pointing out that the pleco in photo one has common lips.

OR I have the largest rubber lip pleco on record.

03-03-2008, 02:33 PM	#1 (permalink)
unfocusedanakin Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 3	What sort of pleco do I have? This is my first tank, and my friend gave it to me, he's very into fish but is not sure of the breed. It is a male I believe. Since these pics he seems to be getting darker green stripes too, he is just very shy and hard to photograph.

03-03-2008, 03:35 PM	#2 (permalink)
Tanks Master Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Mars Posts: 390	Common-- they get Ginormus and have a penchant for poo... the love to poo...all they do really... __________________ Visit Florida 3.5 million* pleco's cant be wrong. *This number subject to change ~ A True Friend is someone who thinks your a good egg even though he knows your slightly cracked ~Bernard Meltzer

03-03-2008, 03:40 PM	#3 (permalink)
Trixie Meow. Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 1,360	Yes, they are "poopostomus" but they are noble beasts. They remind me of giant aquatic zambonis. __________________

03-03-2008, 08:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
DeputyChiefJR I'm hungry Join Date: May 2006 Location: New Britain, CT Posts: 624	Except they eventually eat the hockey players too __________________ Jon 75 Gallon Mixed Africans 26 Gallon Community

03-04-2008, 01:42 PM	#7 (permalink)
wesleydnunder Resident Cannibal Join Date: May 2006 Location: La Marque, Tx. Posts: 2,275	Back in the day the one you have was called an "Armored" pleco. They still get too big for most aquaria. Mark __________________ If it can't be fixxed with a hammer, then you've got an electrical problem.

03-04-2008, 10:00 AM	#5 (permalink)
unfocusedanakin Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 3	isn't a common pleco usualy spotted and not green? here is a pic from this morning you can see the stripes more

03-04-2008, 11:49 AM	#6 (permalink)
joephys Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: auburn, wa Posts: 4,376	There is no one type of common pleco. Many varieties are sold as common plecos, and the vast majority of them are fairly similar in their growth patterns, and care requirements.

03-04-2008, 01:51 PM	#8 (permalink)
unfocusedanakin Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 3	Yeah I was told he will get maybe as much as 18 inches if he lives long enough. He is in a 55 gallon right now, but I would want a bigger tank if he got full gorwn. Does his coloring make him rare at all? I was told that a full grown one in that color may be worth alot of money as much as $1,000. __________________ WWW.RareFishy.Com

03-04-2008, 02:12 PM	#9 (permalink)
Tanks Master Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Mars Posts: 390	I dont think you'll get much for a common, the most I've sold to people and stores plec's that big go for about 30.00 you'll need about 180 gallons (I think) to house a common comfortably, as they age they tend to get aggressive and territorial, it's a breeding type of thing but since I was told they cant breed in general aquarium setups i dont know if it's possible. __________________ Visit Florida 3.5 million* pleco's cant be wrong. *This number subject to change ~ A True Friend is someone who thinks your a good egg even though he knows your slightly cracked ~Bernard Meltzer

04-07-2008, 11:21 AM	#10 (permalink)
Corax indomitus Join Date: May 2006 Location: somewhere else Posts: 373	I dunno, he looks a lot like my Rubberlip... If it is, then don't expect a huge fish. 5-6" I believe..

04-07-2008, 12:40 PM	#11 (permalink)
SnakeIce Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Orem UT Posts: 877	One of the species sold as "common" is Pterygoplichthys pardalis, but that genus all have more than 10 dorsal fin rays. Yours is likely to be one of the Hypostomus species. __________________ Hello, my name is Frederick and I'm an aquaholic Why inch per gallon is false

04-07-2008, 01:26 PM	#12 (permalink)
sarcare Lost and Confused Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 1,902	Corax's? His looks just like my rubber lip. But pleco ids are beyond me! __________________ Reality--go 'way!

04-08-2008, 03:32 PM	#14 (permalink)
BadBud happily ever after Join Date: May 2006 Location: Flor-de-da Posts: 1,200	As shown in the 1st photo, commons have ummmmmm big lips like rubberlip plecos __________________ Do not get wet, do not feed after midnight!

04-10-2008, 11:57 AM	#16 (permalink)
BadBud happily ever after Join Date: May 2006 Location: Flor-de-da Posts: 1,200	I know they look very different corax, I'm pointing out that the pleco in photo one has common lips. OR I have the largest rubber lip pleco on record. __________________ Do not get wet, do not feed after midnight!

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