hope

I have a common plecostomaus that I am having to give away because he has gotten to large for my tanks at thirteen inches. Hes going to a good home ( 180 gallon tank). The guy im giving him to has a pleco that is thirty six inches long that he keeps in a heated, lined stock tank in his garage.He raise his pleco on raw potatoes. cucumbers, zuchinni and a variety of other things and it is huge!
My problem is this I want another peco but I dont know what other plecos I could get that won't get so huge. I have a 29 gallon tank right now and am hoping to get a 75 galon before too long but I dont want to make the same mistake again and get attached to a fish and grow it all those years and have to find another home for it later. Are there plecos out there that dont get so huge? I have heard of the bristle nose not getting so huge but I have in all my years never seen one in my area. Any ideas on sources and additional species of smaller plecos would be very helpful. I miss him already and hes not even gone. Thanks in advance.

Hope

Lucy

Hi Hope Welcome to Fish Lore

There are a few plecos you could choose from. I don't have personal experience with them but Bristlenose pleco gets to be about 4-5".
http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Catfish,...ristlenose.htm

Here's a good resource for checking out different plecos:
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/index.php

Good luck and enjoy the forum.

Butterfly

Bristlenose stay 4-5 inches - http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog...?species_id=49
but there are several others that stay small. A few are-
Clown Pleco - http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog...species_id=734
http://www.planetcatfish.com/cotm/co...article_id=118
King Tiger - http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog...species_id=174
L169 -http://www.planetcatfish.com/cotm/cotm.php?article_id=179
www.planetcatfish.com is an excellent place to research plecos and find what will suit your tank before buying
Carol

musicman4567

BN Plecos are amazing. I breed them and can answer most questions you have about them. Rubbernose plecos are also great and stay smaller.

hope

Thanks for the replies folks. I really appreciate your help. I did say farewall to my pleco today as I had previously mentioned, Hated to see him go but I know he will be in a better place. It was bitter sweet. I wasnt able to find a bristle nose, although I may still look for one for a different tank I am going to set up, however I did find the sutest little rubber lip pleco. He/she is so small compared to my big pleco. Question is what do I feed him or her. Is this one an omnivore or herbivore?


Thanks a bunch Hope >((((*>

Lucy

It must have been tough to give him up. I'm sure he'll love his new big home!
Here's some info on your new pleco.
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/pleco/rubberlipped.php

hope

Well, Im not having much luck with plecos these days. My new pleco died just three days after I got him.
I think I will wait before I get anything else.