zpecialt

In researching some of my future fish, I've been unable to locate information that breaks down how quickly certain breeds reach adult size. I know that plecos and bala sharks can get quite large and my fiance and I are planning to start with a 40 gallon tank and eventually add a 75-100 gallon tank since our new livingroom has lots of open space.

Not having an estimate on how rapidly either will grow, I'm trying to decide if I can start with young balas and a pleco or if we should just wait until we purchase the larger tank in about a year to get either variety.

Can anyone with plecos or balas shed some light on their growth time frame?

Neville

hi, welcome to fishlore!!!

plecos grow very fast i know, but i think u can keep one adult pleco in a 40 gallon for a year (but i will suggest to start with a small one). balas r schooling fish; it is better to keep 3-6 of them in a tank. they look beautiful when they school!! they grow up to 13 inches, don't know actually how long it will take them to reach adult size (usually all fish take 6-12 months to reach adult size) but i think it is safe to keep 3 juvenile balas in a 40 gallon for one year with a small common pleco. but u have to buy a 100 gallon tank within a year i guarantee. don't forget to cycle your tank properly. balas r good jumpers, they r very peaceful, active and they need large swimming space.

good luck

Butterfly

It depends on the pleco, Bristlenose breed at about 7-10 months, Zebras (L46) about 15 months, others still older so its really hard to say.
Carol