# What is this?



## Alcemistnv (Jan 29, 2012)

I may be taking him home with me to get him out of his now .5 gal bowl.

I already made a tthread in the Care thread but it's going SUPER slow...


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## registereduser (Jul 30, 2010)

looks like a cory cat?


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## Alcemistnv (Jan 29, 2012)

That's what I thought as well. 

There were originally three in the bowl, and now he's the only one left...

He's small, so I was thinking he was some sort of pleco. The tank is decorated on the outside and the water is foggy so I can't get a good look at him other than what I have anove.


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

That is most definitely not a Cory....in fact, I'm almost totally positive its a Common Pleco. 3 in a .5 gallon bowl?! :shock: Geez....a single one needs around 75+ gallons, they get MASSIVE.....

If you end up rescuing him, start hunting around for someone with a huge tank that might be interested in taking him ASAP unless you have or are planning to get something very large set up in the near future. Though I'm sure anything you have will be much better then that horrible .5 gallon death rap, keeping him in too small of a tank for too long will stunt his growth, causing all kinds of problems.
Sigh. I sort of wish pet stores would stop selling these guys.....they really don't even eat much algae, if any, and they get too big for the average keeper....


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## Alcemistnv (Jan 29, 2012)

This guy was about 1.5 inches, maybe less.

I've seen the big ones, they have those in the pet store as well,but these guys are tiny. 

I do plan on having a 10 gallon tank so I might kkeep him til then.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

It's tiny because it's a baby, it'll grow if it can survive.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Alcemistnv (Jan 29, 2012)

How fast? 

If/when I get him, he will be in a 5 gallon.


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

Yes.....most of the time they sell these guys tiny, very tiny, which is the bad part. He may be small NOW, but he WILL grow. How quickly I'm not entirely sure, but without the proper space TO grow he'll be stunted(someone else correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe this is when their growth-rate slows due to lack of space, but their insides continue to grow), and this can cause all kinds of health problems. 

If this is a Common Pleco, which I am almost totally positive it is judging by the coloring, then you're not going to be able to keep it in even a 10 gallon for very long without running the risk of some serious stunting problems later on, provided he survives. You could probably manage a few months, but you'll REALLY want to find someone with a large tank unless you want to invest in something 75+ gallons for him as soon as possible if you really want to save this guy.


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## Alcemistnv (Jan 29, 2012)

Unfortunately, I'm in college and I'm at my limit for tank space 

Plus, I don't think the Pet Store will take him back, especially since as I said, I think it's been a few weeks...

And the other two are already in other tanks, small ones too.

Has the damage already been done?


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

Hm... Why don't you go on TFK and go to the fish profiles? That should help you a lot. You already asked the pet store about what he is, right?


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## Alcemistnv (Jan 29, 2012)

No, no.
I haven't been to the pet store for him.

My friend got him awhile ago from the pet store, but I don't think they accept any returns, and only do refunds on dead fish.


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

Since its been several weeks that hes been stuck in that .5 gallon, I assume with a lack of proper water changes or aeration,....its possible he may not survive too long, even if he was transferred into idea conditions tomorrow. The damage may very well already be done....though these guys can be hardy. It all depends, its hard to say.

You could always check a local store or two anyway and see if they may be willing to take him anyway? I don't know if the big chains do it, but I know sometimes local stores will take fish for store credit. 
Any chance you could ask around/advertise and see if someone in your area might have a large enough tank that may want him?


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## Alcemistnv (Jan 29, 2012)

I can do it, but since it's mainly my friend's fish, it's kinda something I feel she might have to do :/

If not, either he stays in the bowl, or I just take him for the short amount of time...


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

Yeah, you're really not left with a lot of options.....explain to her the situation and try to get her to find a proper home for him, take him and look around yourself....or just leave him.....

Best of luck. :/


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

i had a common pleco in a 29 gallon for over 10 years. not perfect conditions at all, but that alone should tell you how long they can live. he was well over a foot long, too. :I poor little guy you got... some pet stores will take random fish for in-store credit. my local pet store does. they ALWAYS get huge Oscars and goldfish. had an arowana once. beautiful, but super scary looking fish.


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## bettasaur (Sep 17, 2012)

Luimeril said:


> my local pet store does. they ALWAYS get huge Oscars and goldfish. had an arowana once. beautiful, but super scary looking fish.



Sorry, this is completely random. But I had to google what an arowana was & found a video of a GIANT one eating a live mouse. I'm pretty sure I'm scarred for life. 

ANYWAY-I second the local fish store idea. You'll probably have more luck with them than big chains like Petsmart. Good luck!!!


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## LionCalie (Sep 24, 2011)

That poor thing. The conditions the Pleco is being kept in makes me sick. :-(

Try searching for local fish stores in your area online. Hopefully you will find more than one. Either you or your friend can call around and ask if one would be willing to rescue/take him in. Often times the local fish stores will take in fish needing new homes.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

bettasaur said:


> Sorry, this is completely random. But I had to google what an arowana was & found a video of a GIANT one eating a live mouse. I'm pretty sure I'm scarred for life.
> 
> ANYWAY-I second the local fish store idea. You'll probably have more luck with them than big chains like Petsmart. Good luck!!!


yeah. .- . they're scary fish. this one was eyeballing me. needless to say, i didn't go fish-shopping that day. 8V

local pet stores will almost always take in fish. in my experience, anyways. :V


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## Alcemistnv (Jan 29, 2012)

I just want to clarify to everyone that she just got into fish keeping. She wasn't told about how big he could be. I've already brought up the issue of being in a small tank hence why there is only ONE there now, not the three. I thought tha the pleco was already full grown, and I told her that it might need at least 5-10 gallons. This is partially my fault as well. 

I just let her know about how big plecos can get. What she chooses to do is up to her. If she doesn't want to bring it back to the pet store, then I'll adopt the little guy for a bit, give him some room and a nice tank now, and once he gets big and strong enough, I'll do my work.


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## Alcemistnv (Jan 29, 2012)

Just just got in contact with me, and things are being worked out. Thanks everyone for the help~


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

There is a huge demand for adult common plecos because oscar enthousust love the look with there giant pal and no one farms adult aquabid will help you find a good home I suggest websites for monster fish keepers many will have a great interest in a common pleco.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Luimeril said:


> yeah. .- . they're scary fish. this one was eyeballing me. needless to say, i didn't go fish-shopping that day. 8V
> 
> local pet stores will almost always take in fish. in my experience, anyways. :V


I see mine at petco it is a silver and one was recently sold to someone with a 120 gallon or was that the adult common pleco I love arronana they are adorible.


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## LadyVictorian (Nov 23, 2011)

Yeah Pleco's get huge. Mine grew to be large enough to eat up 10 neon tetra and two red fined sharks. He also accidentally slurped up shrimp and snails. Not sure he meant to but they just were too tiny and he was too big. We kept him in a 30 gallon until he outgrew it then got him his own 50 gallon but he outgrew it as well so we ended up giving him away to a guy who kept huge fish and a common pleco was the only bottom feeder that was too large for the fish to eat. That fish was almost the size of a small shark last I saw him, good weight on him too and he obviously was thrilled to be in a massive tank with other large fish his size. A lot of people who deal with bigger fish breeds and have large tanks love their common pleco's since like I said. In a lot of cases it's the only bottom feeder that is too big for their fish to eat.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Plecos are awesome. My Petco had two adults full grown for adoption they found them great homes.


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## TheCheese909 (Aug 11, 2011)

A friend of mine has two of them, she got them about the same size as that fella which was in June of last year, they are now about 4 1/2 inches long from snout to tip of the tail. They currently are in separate 10 gallons with other fish as well as with a good filter. Frequent, regular water changes are given and they are fed algae wafers as well as some (microwaved in water) cucumbers and squash (to make them soft). 

They are healthy and happy and can stay in a 5 gallon or 10 gallon by themselves for a while. People usually flip out when this is said since this really isn't a permanent tank.. Some pet stores (like our local one) will take in Pleco's who have outgrown their home and will trade you for a smaller one.

They do get very large like this photo below:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F5kA4CnauvA/TtOA_ghxflI/AAAAAAAAAjo/2CK_q6Uidx0/s1600/Pleco-3.jpg

Typically when they reach such a large size they will start eating smaller fish in the tank, which is always a risk, but that usually doesn't happen until they are quite large.


I'm telling you, the OP, this because I want you to know that for right now, you taking this fish and placing it in a 5 or 10 gallon with a good filter (hood too cause they do like to jump sometimes) and a nice diet of algae wafers and blanched cucumbers and squash and even some romane lettuce will be fine for atleast a year until you can either find him/her a better home, a petstore who will take him/her or even grabbing yourself a larger tank and keeping him/her for yourself. ANYTHING is better then that tiny little bowl.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Cant not wait tell those plecos are out of their tempary tanks you shold post pics when they do.


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## Kytkattin (May 15, 2011)

Though it is getting closer to winter now, I know a lot of pond keepers like to keep plecos with their goldfish during the summer months. It actually caused a bit of a problem for the local store once it started to get colder. They would get sold out in spring, but when fall came they would end up with about 50+ in their bathtub tank.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Wait how does that work?


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