how big do common plecs grow?

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gibbylover2
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how big do common plecs grow?

Post by gibbylover2 »

hi there

i realise that there are different names and potentially different species with the name common plec, but with chocolate-coloured "albino" ones (not the albino gibbies) how big will they grow? on this website it says 30 cm max, but other resources i've found say 60 cm. that's a big difference!

help! confused and need to know!
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MatsP
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Post by MatsP »

They grow quite big.

One of the problems is that "Common pleco" is used for a few different species, and some grow bigger than others. In the Cat-eLog, if you look at "Common names", you'll find three entries for "Common Pleco", which are three different species. There's even worse "confusion" if you take into account that some LFS's are not so careful when giving the common name of fish. "If it looks like a common, it is a common".

Hypostomus Plecostomus grow smaller than the Ptericht-whatever species (same genus as Gibbiceps), which in the wild can reach about 60cm, but that size is rare in aquariums.

Count on them growing to AT LEAST 30cm whichever variety.

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Mats
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