# Common Pleco



## cjayBetta (Jan 18, 2011)

How often do I feed him a algee tablet? 

Also, how do I make my betta stop eating them when I put one in!  He is sooooooooooooooo bloated right now.


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

A common pleco? Like not a bristlenose pleco? I think you've got larger problems than when to feed him an algae pellet. Common plecos get around a foot long and produce a ton of waste. If you've got a 50+ gal tank you can plop him in, that would be much better. They really do best in tanks larger than 75 gallons.


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## cjayBetta (Jan 18, 2011)

I asked how much to feed him not what size tank he should be living in. PLUS how do you know he isnt living in a 75g community tank that happens to have a betta in it?

So again... how much and how often do I feed him.


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## cjayBetta (Jan 18, 2011)

He looks like the bristlenose Pleco (i think)


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

Nope. He's a common, not a Bristlenose. Bristlenoses have little "hairs" on there "nose". That fish doesn't have them. You shouldn't feed him only those algae wafers. Ideally you should add supplements like cucumber, zucchini, etc. and they should be in a 75+ gallon tank. Bettas aren't compatible tank mated for them, because as they get older. They get more agressive and a 2 ft. Pleco would easily kill a betta


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Foods metioned, plus sinking pellet food once an evening after light's are off for the day over the tank.
Is indeed common pleco, and for fishes sake,as well as water quality,,I hope he is in 50 gal tank or larger.


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

female bristlenoses dont have the bristles
but idk how to tell what you've got


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Are you guys sure? Isn't 12 rays on the dorsal a bristlenose? I counted the rays right, correct?
Anyways I think Cj and Bekah are right and it's a female BN.

For amount to feed, which is indeed being not answered, I'll tell you what I did for my cories. Day one, 3 wafers, all eaten by the end of the night (when I feed). Day two, 4 wafers, all eaten. Day three, 5 wafers, all eaten. Day four, 6 wafers, leftovers. I feed 4-5 wafers nightly now. So just trial an error, unlike betta/goldfish, these fish should stop eating when full so that's a good indication.
Anything called "bottom feeder wafers" will have meaty product in it, whereas algae wafers are generally just algae. So he can enjoy both.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## lorax84 (Nov 3, 2010)

Thats a gibby (Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps) you can tell by the dorsal rays. Bristlenose only have 9 dorsal rays, your fish has 13. He is goig to get big (12"-18")


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Oh poo it is 13!  I counted 12.
I thought the BN had 12 rays though? Ancistrus dolichopterus, L183? Is that the common species?
Anything over 10 rays is a Pterygoplichthys, (except A. dolichopterus). 
This guy will potentially be larger than a common plec. o-o

EDIT: also this guy may decide to eat a betta once he's big, right?


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## lorax84 (Nov 3, 2010)

As far as I know all ancistrus species have 9 rays. Ancistrus dolichopterus is L183 (starlight bristlenose) and it also have 9 dorsal ray. If we are being honest, most common bristlenose are crosses of Ancistrus triradiatus, Ancistrus pirareta, and a number of other strains because all ancistrus can cross breed and people were not as good at identifying the different strains when they were first imported. 

To address cjayBetta's original question though, what you have is a sailfin pleco. It will get huge, it will poop a lot, and as it gets older it may become very aggressive (or not) I personally would not keep a Sailfin with a Betta. Bettas are notorious over eaters, as you have experienced, and there may be aggression issues later on.

edit: plecos should be fed every day. If feeding algae wafers is making your betta fat try feeding fresh veggies like zuchinni. The pleco will love it and the betta will not eat much if any.


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## cjayBetta (Jan 18, 2011)

k so now we think its a common? Im so confused now.... Now this dude was my husbands impuls buy so I wasn't here when he was put in the tank - that is now why I am looking for advice. I just need to know what he is so I know how to care for him correctly.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

No, it's a sailfin, bigger than a common. :/
Again I'd rehome it soon- easier to get rid of a smaller one, as it can get a taste for betta blood quite soon. I can't guarantee that it'll kill your betta but there's the chance. x.x

Does the feeding advice answer all your questions?

I swear, what is with husbands and plecos? Someone else's husband also snuck a plec into their betta tank on here.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## cjayBetta (Jan 18, 2011)

I dunno, there kind of manly looking  - Ugh now im annoyed.....


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

see if you can convince your husband to get a bristlenose! they still need 20 or 29 (idr) gallons but the males turn kind of beastly.


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## cjayBetta (Jan 18, 2011)

Well we already have it now so I guess I have to figure out what to do with it.


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

can you return it?


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## cjayBetta (Jan 18, 2011)

I dont think so.... Im searching for a bigger tank.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Tell the hubby he did this and now you need another, bigger tank. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## cjayBetta (Jan 18, 2011)

I explained to him last night that this is why we reasearch first buy 2nd....


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Hahaha, I can only imagine that went well. :lol:
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Thomasdog (Jan 26, 2012)

Need to post a pic of my pleco... hoping I'm going to be able to keep him in my 20g...  I might have to give him away.


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Thomasdog said:


> Need to post a pic of my pleco... hoping I'm going to be able to keep him in my 20g...  I might have to give him away.


Why not just compare him to other pictures of plecos. You can see pictures of different pleco species in the TFK Fish Profiles section; just type in Pleco and about 7 possibilities come up. If you can figure out his species from there, you won't have to try to get a picture of him.


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