Does Petco Have Bn Pleco Morphs?

My local Petco is awful when it comes to the health of their fish (anchor worms, body flukes, bacterial infections, etc) but since I now have a massive amount of medications, except for Ich meds, I'm starting to take a chance with them.
I've been looking into super red plecos, mainly longfin, but quite frankly they're a bit out of my price range. Thing is, my Petco generally has decent prices for rarer fish, and they do get some rare ones in (eg. violet gobies for $12). I'm going in the next few days to pick up a special order fish, but I'm an impatient person, so does anyone know if they carry special color morphs? I know they have albino and classic brown bn plecos, not sure if they specialize.
Or, if anyone has a place where I can get 6 or so for under $100 shipped, I would appreciate that as well.

 

There is a listing right now on Aquabid for six longfin red plecos, three bids so far.

 

I have only seen the classic brown, and albino bristlenoses in my local PetCo.

 

Here are all the plecos I cld find at this store

 

Here are all the plecos I cld find at this store

 

I think they can , sometimes. Mine got in long in albinos, but they were $25 each, and I think the reds would be more

 

My local Petco is awful when it comes to the health of their fish (anchor worms, body flukes, bacterial infections, etc) but since I now have a massive amount of medications, except for Ich meds, I'm starting to take a chance with them.
I've been looking into super red plecos, mainly longfin, but quite frankly they're a bit out of my price range. Thing is, my Petco generally has decent prices for rarer fish, and they do get some rare ones in (eg. violet gobies for $12). I'm going in the next few days to pick up a special order fish, but I'm an impatient person, so does anyone know if they carry special color morphs? I know they have albino and classic brown bn plecos, not sure if they specialize.
Or, if anyone has a place where I can get 6 or so for under $100 shipped, I would appreciate that as well.

I would start by contacting your local aquarium society: There might be a breeder in your area, since bristlenose plecos are really easy to breed and super reds are becoming a lot more common. Even if there isn't a local breeder in your area, someone might have contacts with someone not too far away.

What Petco carries is going to vary HUGELY by area, depending on what distributors they deal with, but also often many times they have local breeders selling to them. So even if I have seen them at one of the local Petco's here in Seattle, that doesn't mean they will ever have them there. But you can always talk to someone in the fish department--expressing interest is the best way to get them to carry something new.

 

There is a listing right now on Aquabid for six longfin red plecos, three bids so far.

Yeah, I saw that! I almost one the one from yesterday, but got outbid at the last second. And I contacted this seller, and shipping is going to be $45, so it's probably going to end out out of my budget range

I think they can , sometimes. Mine got in long in albinos, but they were $25 each, and I think the reds would be more

Seriously? They're normally $5-7 at mine. That's crazy! The most expensive fish at mine are large orandas ($40) and koi ($10-80).

I would start by contacting your local aquarium society: There might be a breeder in your area, since bristlenose plecos are really easy to breed and super reds are becoming a lot more common. Even if there isn't a local breeder in your area, someone might have contacts with someone not too far away.

What Petco carries is going to vary HUGELY by area, depending on what distributors they deal with, but also often many times they have local breeders selling to them. So even if I have seen them at one of the local Petco's here in Seattle, that doesn't mean they will ever have them there. But you can always talk to someone in the fish department--expressing interest is the best way to get them to carry something new.

Thanks, I've tried to contact the aquarium clubs near me, but the closest one meets three hours away for some reason, and they never actually answered me...
Lol, I'll go bother the fish person about it if the aquabid auction goes out of my price range.

 

If I were in an area where they had an aquarium society I would go there and join up. I have seen cases where several people get together to buy a box of fish, and pool their money for shipping.

 

Petco's suppliers don't provide the color morph beyond brown and albino to them, so unless someone relinquishes one they won't have it (sunpet ltd right now is also kinda lacking on fish as some they get in are wild caught or it depends on the store's selling level). A better selling store is able to get better/rarer fish in, so if your local store doesn't get in as much variety that's all it means.
They can sometimes get nicer plecos in (flash plecos, emperors, royals, that sort of thing), but just the two color morphs of bn right now.
Long fins of anything are going to cost more at a chain store, just because they would be listed as "fancier" than the regular finned ones. Sometimes they also cost more at a mom and pop shop (ex my closest local store that gets in long fin albinos sells them for 22$ each, they get some of their fish from sun pet as well). Local stores have a little more leeway as what they can order (but with a 500$ minimum for sun pet), while a chain store will be restricted with what they can order.

 

I think DarkOne said he bought a snowball from petco for $20. I’ve only seen albino and the regular BN, rubberlips, and clown plecos at my petco.

 

The one PetCo I usually go to is managed (aquatics) by a hobbyist and orders lots of fish not normally found at most PetCo's. I have seen at least 10 different pleco species there. I did buy a L102 snowball and L271 (could be a L333) for $20 and $15 respectively.

The manager said that "magnet" stores have more leeway to order a variety of fish not normally stocked. He usually orders from Segrest Farms and 2 other suppliers, 1 that's local. He said his local supplier has the healthiest fish.

 

Petco's suppliers don't provide the color morph beyond brown and albino to them, so unless someone relinquishes one they won't have it (sunpet ltd right now is also kinda lacking on fish as some they get in are wild caught or it depends on the store's selling level). A better selling store is able to get better/rarer fish in, so if your local store doesn't get in as much variety that's all it means.
They can sometimes get nicer plecos in (flash plecos, emperors, royals, that sort of thing), but just the two color morphs of bn right now.
Long fins of anything are going to cost more at a chain store, just because they would be listed as "fancier" than the regular finned ones. Sometimes they also cost more at a mom and pop shop (ex my closest local store that gets in long fin albinos sells them for 22$ each, they get some of their fish from sun pet as well). Local stores have a little more leeway as what they can order (but with a 500$ minimum for sun pet), while a chain store will be restricted with what they can order.

Good to know, thank you! My LFS isn't super local, and it takes them several months to get fish I order in, and they'd probably charge around $40 for one.

The one PetCo I usually go to is managed (aquatics) by a hobbyist and orders lots of fish not normally found at most PetCo's. I have seen at least 10 different pleco species there. I did buy a L102 snowball and L271 (could be a L333) for $20 and $15 respectively.

The manager said that "magnet" stores have more leeway to order a variety of fish not normally stocked. He usually orders from Segrest Farms and 2 other suppliers, 1 that's local. He said his local supplier has the healthiest fish.

Interesting! Hm, may be worth asking ...

 

I like buying from 2 of 10 PetCo's near me because the tanks and fish are well cared for but corporate policy is not to medicate sick fish. The mgr sometimes buys meds himself to treat some fish though.

I bought 6 CPDs last Friday and the all died by Sat afternoon. They had about 20-25 and only 2-3 survived the night so he wasn't surprised to see me Sat evening. I picked up 6 ember tetras (1 died last night). He said he has 18 CPDs from his local supplier coming Tues so he's holding 12 for me. One of the reasons I like stocking fragile fish from PetCo and PetSmart is they have a 30 day guarantee and their prices can be very good. The CPDs are $3.50 ea which is at least half the price of any other LFS near me. They can be high too so it's good to know prices of some fish you want.

 

Plus you know, most of the chain stores no longer able to have a hospital tank(s) in the back thanks to corporate. Or the suppliers sending in sick fish.

 

Try this guy, he is on youtube Pittsburgh Pets https://www.biancosfish.com he really cares for his fish and I think he did have some longfin reds. I've seen his tanks on his youtube and he does post.

 

I like buying from 2 of 10 PetCo's near me because the tanks and fish are well cared for but corporate policy is not to medicate sick fish. The mgr sometimes buys meds himself to treat some fish though.

I bought 6 CPDs last Friday and the all died by Sat afternoon. They had about 20-25 and only 2-3 survived the night so he wasn't surprised to see me Sat evening. I picked up 6 ember tetras (1 died last night). He said he has 18 CPDs from his local supplier coming Tues so he's holding 12 for me. One of the reasons I like stocking fragile fish from PetCo and PetSmart is they have a 30 day guarantee and their prices can be very good. The CPDs are $3.50 ea which is at least half the price of any other LFS near me. They can be high too so it's good to know prices of some fish you want.

Yes, the 30 day guarantee is their only saving grace, lol. There's a manager at mine that medicates the fish, but he's not there too often unfortunately. The cheap prices are a good deal though, just went actually and looks like they don't have colored morphs (poor fish person working had no idea what I was on about) but they had 99¢ pygmy cories and a 7.99 clown knifefish, so not bad prices. Tons of dead fish though :/
And they didn't order the fish I requested and forgot to phone me, and that fish no longer has a sku number apparently, lol. They can get 99¢ pygmy cories but they can't get a large fantail goldfish, it's pretty funny.

Plus you know, most of the chain stores no longer able to have a hospital tank(s) in the back thanks to corporate. Or the suppliers sending in sick fish.

Yeah, their stock would improve so much if they just quarantined for even 2 weeks, they had so much die off.

Try this guy, he is on youtube Pittsburgh Pets https://www.biancosfish.com he really cares for his fish and I think he did have some longfin reds. I've seen his tanks on his youtube and he does post.

Thanks! His prices look really good!

 

Try this guy, he is on youtube Pittsburgh Pets https://www.biancosfish.com he really cares for his fish and I think he did have some longfin reds. I've seen his tanks on his youtube and he does post.

I ended up going with a pair of his! A gorgeous longfin common male and an albino female. They came in today and look great! Just made a thread on them if anyone wants to check it out (or give me advice, I'll need it, lol!)
Rtessy's Bn Pleco Breeding Thread

 

I ended up going with a pair of his! A gorgeous longfin common male and an albino female. They came in today and look great! Just made a thread on them if anyone wants to check it out (or give me advice, I'll need it, lol!)
Rtessy's Bn Pleco Breeding Thread

Nice fish! I recently got an albino longfin BN, but I think the common longfin looks better.

I saw some snowball plecos at petco:


I also saw a candy stripe pleco for $15, but they look the same as the clown plecos. Or maybe they were mislabeled.

 

Nice fish! I recently got an albino longfin BN, but I think the common longfin looks better.

I saw some snowball plecos at petco: View attachment 512354

I also saw a candy stripe pleco for $15, but they look the same as the clown plecos. Or maybe they were mislabeled.

Oh wow, how gorgeous!
And yeah, lol, I like the common longfins too