# Check the Plec



## trickypetscom (Jan 16, 2012)

I've got a pleco that was about 1.5 inches when purchased 5 years ago. Now it is about 8 inches long. I have a 55 gallon aquarium. Can anyone tell me the life expectancy of this type of fish? How big should I expect it to grow considering the size of the aquarium? It has really unique markings, and I'm hoping to have it a long time. Check it out. Let me know what you think. 
Hidden Images on a Fish - Hidden Image on a Pleco Fish 2 - YouTube

*c/p*


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## utrose (Jan 19, 2012)

Wow that's a nice looking fish. In your aquarium he could reach maybe ten inches before you would need to move him to at least a 75. I have heard of ordinary Siamese plecs living as long as 15 years.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

common plecos can reach up to 2 foot long.


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## trickypetscom (Jan 16, 2012)

Wow, Thanks for the replies. It is all very encouraging. This fish is really a conversation starter. It used to hide a lot when it was smaller, but he's out in the open a lot more now, giving a good view of all of those "hidden" images. It would be amazing to have it for 15 years. Any recommendations for the best ways to maximize it's health and growth? 

I never expected that a fish could be so useful in keeping the aquarium clean and be so cool as well.


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## SuckMyCichlids (Nov 5, 2011)

i didnt see any drift wood in your tank but that dosent mean you dont have any, if you dont then you should get some, pleco's need it to chew on for fibers and what not


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## utrose (Jan 19, 2012)

Try not to keep him with any fish aggressive fish like African cichlids. They tend to not dislike slower moving fish like plecs. Besides that just be sure to vary his diet every so often. Give him some carnivore pellets or frozen sea food every now and then. You can get by with just the algae wafers but for optimum health i would go for the varied diet consisting of mostly algae wafers with some other carnivorous foods on the side / once or twice per week.


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## hanky (Jan 18, 2012)

id say hes a common pleco, can get up to 20" or so, and yes they are pretty neat looking fish


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

To maximize his health feed him a variety of foods, not just algae pellets/discs. Plecos love veggies, so some sliced up zucchini is a very good start. They also need driftwood in their tank to rasp on. As I said in the pm I replied, make sure he is in a big enough tank to grow. What size tank do you have him in now?


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## trickypetscom (Jan 16, 2012)

All,
Thanks for all the advice. I don't have any driftwood in the tank, so I'll add some. 

Summer, I've got a 55 gallon tank, with only two other small fish currently. I actually started with about 12 basic fish 5 years ago. Most lasted several years, with these three the last survivors. I didn't replace the fish because I thought I would like to try salt water after they all passed. However, now that the pleco has turned out so well, I've reconsidered the salt water conversion for the time being.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

He will outgrow that 55 for sure, if he isnt cramped already. I'd start watching craigslist and local classifieds and see if you can score a bigger tank for a good price then you can do a sw on teh 55


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## debisbooked (Jan 7, 2012)

Summer said:


> He will outgrow that 55 for sure, if he isnt cramped already. I'd start watching craigslist and local classifieds and see if you can score a bigger tank for a good price then you can do a sw on teh 55


I agree with Summer. He needs a bigger home just as much as he needs the driftwood and good food. He is a lovely guy, for sure!


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

He is a nice common. Like the markings on him. Most commons live a long life as long as they have the room and quality foods. I have one that is 18 inches now, and one in a 55 that is almost 10 inches and will need to be moved soon.

Get him some wood to rasp on it helps with digestion. At this size it will probably take him awhile to get used to some fresh veggies, but given time he will eat it.

Once they are hitting 8 to 10 inches they can handle themselves in mildly aggressive cichlids. I keep both of mine in with victorians, a friend of mine keeps his with yellow labs and demasoni and others.


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## trickypetscom (Jan 16, 2012)

Thanks SUSANKAT. I'll start thinking about a biger tank. It's hard for me to even imagine a 220 gallon tank, 4 times the volume of my 55.


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## trickypetscom (Jan 16, 2012)

Thanks for all the help. I have another question. Is there an ideal water temperature for a pleco? I do not heat the aquarium, so the water adjusts to the room temperature, which can get pretty cool in the winter.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

As long as the temps don't drop below 68 he should be fine. I don't use heaters in most of my tanks but the room is kept at about 77.


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## trickypetscom (Jan 16, 2012)

This particular room is probably always below 68 in the winter. so is a heater in order? The tank has been here since we set it up 5 years ago. It does not seem to have had an adverse affect on any of the fish, but maybe they would just do better if it were warmer. I'm also wondering if with the pleco's growing size if it might become more sensitive to the water temperature.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Plecos will survive at lower temps but they do not thrive. They come from tropical waters but on the lower end of temps. They do best at temps between 72 and 77, most won't like it any warmer.

Cooler temps than 68 they become sluggish and don't move around as much. But given once they get bigger they don't move as much anyway.


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## King James (Jan 30, 2012)

SuckMyCichlids said:


> i didnt see any drift wood in your tank but that dosent mean you dont have any, if you dont then you should get some, pleco's need it to chew on for fibers and what not


I just two bristlenose plecs one albino and one brown....about 1 inch long and they are in my 75 with 3 good sized mopani driftwood and this tank is 11 yrs established and I had no plecs all that time as I had 2 featherfin cats and one large oscar all those yrs. I traded the 3 big fish off and re-stocked with tetras and juvie angels and a couple corys and the 2 plecs. I noticed the bristlenose really chew on the driftwood or they have actually shaved it kind of and it really is looking cool too. They spend a lot of time on the driftwood so it must be true they need it as well for diet. Just my 02 cents.


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## King James (Jan 30, 2012)

susankat said:


> Plecos will survive at lower temps but they do not thrive. They come from tropical waters but on the lower end of temps. They do best at temps between 72 and 77, most won't like it any warmer.
> 
> Cooler temps than 68 they become sluggish and don't move around as much. But given once they get bigger they don't move as much anyway.


This is good info from someone that obviously knows plecos, this is why I joined this forum....to learn stuff even after 47 yrs keeping fish...can't believe how much I have picked up this past week....wow...brain overload! It is all good though....


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Thanks for the complement. Yes I do keep plecos, several types from bristlenose to commons, I have one common that is 18 inches.

I know the feeling even though been keeping fish for 30 plus years there is always something new to learn.


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## trickypetscom (Jan 16, 2012)

Great info everyone about the driftwood. I'll have to get a piece for the aquarium. Whe I first set up the tank I had a decorative piece of cork. The pleco seemed to hang out on that a lot, but I think it was just a good hiding spot. Does anyone know of they would eat the cork as well? Naturally I'm going for the driftwood, but wonder if the cork was providing some benefit for those years.


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## King James (Jan 30, 2012)

I have been observing these two little bristlenose plecs especially the last few days and they do spend a LOT of time on the driftwood and I have noticed especially on the one larger piece of mopani it had 11 yrs of a beautiful dark green moss looking almost growing on it and they have worked it over pretty good and you can see where they do chew or suck or whatever it is they do on the driftwood. These are only about 1 to 1 1/2 inches long yet. Very interesting fish as this 75 tank only had 1 oscar and 2 Featherfin Synondontis (I think that is how it is spelled) catfish in it almost that entire time and that was all and driftwood has to be good nutrition if that is what they are after. It appears they eat a super fine layer of the surface of driftwood, you could see after a week or so of introducing them where they had been. it is like they are shaving the surface or something like that, amazing creatures and I would have never known they like driftwood until I started reading posts on this forum.....intelligent group!


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## trickypetscom (Jan 16, 2012)

I haven't used live plants in my aquarium up until this point, but with all of the new information people have given about getting driftwood and some vegetables for the pleco to eat, I was wondering if some live plants might also be appropriate. I noticed that my pet store now sells bamboo for aquariums. It occurs to me that the pleco might like the bamboo stalks, but I wanted to check with all of the experts first


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## teday (Mar 26, 2011)

Just a guess but I'd say 8 inches is as big as it'll get in 55 gallon. They do get bigger, but I think you'll need a bigger tank. Ive raised three of them in a 55 gallon and they've all gotten to about that size.
What are you feeding him/her ? I started feeding mine Zuccini thanks to suggestions from this forum. The Plecs love it. *w2


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## teday (Mar 26, 2011)

Ok so I see now that I need drift wood for my plec. Can I pick some up down at the river or is that dangerouse.


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## trickypetscom (Jan 16, 2012)

I did try a cucumber last week and did not notice the plec take any interest in it. I'll try zucchini next. I still haven't added driftwood yet myself. What is the best place to get driftwood. Should I only get it from a pet store?*c/p*
Hidden Images on a Fish - Hidden Image on a Pleco Fish 2 - YouTube


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

You can find driftwood on your own instead of buying it. Look for it in clean areas where no insecticide has been used. Around creeks and rivers are a good starting place. Make sure the wood is dead and is a hard wood. Don't use things like pine as it tends to leach toxins into the water. Clean it good and scrape as much bark as possible if it has it.

You can soak it in large tub or container the wood will fit in. If it sinks you can add to tank or you can attach it to something to hold it down in the tank.


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## trickypetscom (Jan 16, 2012)

How about is I just had a small piece of clean oak lumber? Could I shape it with tools and then use it, or does the wood really need to sit in water for months before it is safe to use?


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