Do Pleco's grow into their environment?

sodapopdima · Post by **sodapopdima** » 06 Jul 2004, 08:03

The subject line says it all.

If anyone read any of my other posts here they would know I am restricted to a very small tank (only 10 gallons) and must be very careful what I put in there. I am interested and have access to purchase a L114 Leopardus pleco, something very similar to L133 but whith smaller white spots, and also a zebra L046 pleco but I see that the Leopard Pleco can grow as much as 10" whilst the zebra can only grow half of that. Can't identify the other one as of now.

I am stumped as to which is better for me to get. I welcome all opinions.

Thanks!!!

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 06 Jul 2004, 09:08

Hi!

You can forget about the L114 unless you take a way bigger tank, it is often a misbelief that fish adapt their size to the size of the tank, that is totally false...
a L114 will not be happy in anything smaller than a tank at least 100gal big...

10 g who be just good enough to keep some Otocinclus or Parotocinclus...

it could work out with Hypancistrus zebra but I wouldn't risk it....

Cheers
Yann

Bowsa · Post by **Bowsa** » 06 Jul 2004, 13:23

I can only agree with Yann, I learnt the hard way but thankfully I had space for a larger tank. In my case it was Megalechis personata that kept growing.

My smaller tank now has 3 species of Otocinculus in it, lovely friendly fish which keep the tank and plants very clean. Also a very cheap option, only 3 Euro's. Worth a try.

sodapopdima · Post by **sodapopdima** » 06 Jul 2004, 18:21

yannfulliquet wrote:Hi!

... it is often a misbelief that fish adapt their size to the size of the tank, that is totally false...

Thanks, I had a feeling this was something like a long passed along fallacy.

Thanks for clearing it up, will try to stick to species under a 5" mx lenght growth, until someday (me thinks in a year or so) I can have a larger tank to my desire.

racoll · Post by **racoll** » 06 Jul 2004, 18:28

it's a myth that a fish will grow as big as the tank you put them in.

fish will grow as big as they are genetically programmed to (given enough food).

although i do not suggest starving a fish so it doesn't grow big.

10 gals tanks are too unstable for more demanding species of loricarid.

saradora · Post by **saradora** » 08 Jul 2004, 04:20

What about a peckolita vittatta? They are very small plecos. I have a tiny clown pleco that I have had for over a year that is still the exact size it was when I purchased it (2") while my other plecos have grown inches. I am unsure of its max size, but I think it is like, 5". I can vouch for mine definitely growing very slowly. The problem with small tanks (even for small plecos) is that you need to be very attentive to water quality (a.k.a. do a lot of water changing).

Post by **Rusty** » 08 Jul 2004, 05:04

is quite a different fish from what is commonly sold as a clown pleco (a bunch of spp. similar to ). IME, the Peckoltia get quite a bit larger than the Panaque.

Rusty