]\/[onster Plecos

[davo]

There are so many plecos, but not too many (in comparison) "monsters". theres a thread on small plecos, but this is MONSTERFISHKEEPERS, so this thread is for the monster plecos out there....

go for all plecos that reach 15" or over...

first the MEGAlancistrus sp.

Megalancistrus parananus - 2ft

[davo]

Acanthicus adonis, remember loses its spots when older. Planetcatfish has now got it marked they reach 39.4", anyone beat that :D?

[davo]

Acanthicus hystrix - 2 ft +

[davo]

Pseudacanthicus sp. L025. - 18"+

[davo]

Panaque nigrolineatus (all variations) - 15-18"

[davo]

anyone feel free to post monster plecos. also if you have your own pleco bigger than 15", lets see it!!!

Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps - 20-24"

[katycichlid]

In a nutshell, what are the differences in a L-24 and L-25?

How big does a H. Luteus need to get to show those incredible colors in the photo of it in "Under Water"?

Thanks.

[rasdbo]

awesome great plecos guys need more pics of big plecos please:WHOA: :woot: :clap :headbang2 :thumbsup: :swear:

[WyldFya]

Pseudacanthicus histrix 36"

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j217/WyldFya/Pleco/PsuedacanthicusHistrix.jpg

[WyldFya]

Scobiancistrus aureatus 18"
http://www.riverwonders.com/mypictures/goldie_pleco.jpg

[WyldFya]

Isorineloricaria spinosissima 22"

http://www.amazonian-fish.co.uk/images/Pterygoplichthyssp2.jpg

[WyldFya]

Megalancistrus barrae 15"
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/science_math/res_area/loricariid/fish_key/Acanth/barrae.jpg

[WyldFya]

OOOPS... forgot the easiest of all hypostomus plecostomus 20"

http://fishbase.sinica.edu.tw/images/species/Hyple_u0.jpg

[WyldFya]

Somewhat recent discovery, and can't find a picture for one... Spatuloricaria euacanthagenys at 21"

[WyldFya]

L283 Pseudacanthicus sp. is hitting pretty big at 28-31" No pics...

[WyldFya]

Too bad I don't have a picture of that old HUGE common, but here is one from my cell phone of the last common that hit 18".

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j217/WyldFya/Pleco/Oldcommon.jpg

[IoStrisciare]

L283 Pseudacanthicus sp. is hitting pretty big at 28-31" No pics...

saw a pic of it in Aqualog....

seems to be a platinum base colored L160...

but with a flatter profile...

[davo]

how big is the L24. surely not above 15"?

[davo]

this was a double post as it mucked up so ill say instead that that is a beautiful Scobiancistrus aureatus specimen

[quix]

nice pics... you stay in yishun?

have anymore pics of the L24 and peru green?

hey...how do u know!?
hahaha

no other pics for now

[IoStrisciare]

hey...how do u know!?
hahaha

no other pics for now

my friend went to ur place to view your royals...

what number is peru green?

[Daniel Machado]

In a nutshell, what are the differences in a L-24 and L-25?
Basically, L-25 has more colors, kinda more defined pattern and redder fins. L-24 is a "washed" version of the scarlet. Dull-colored and less defined pattern. They look similar, BTW. :D

Best regards.

Daniel.

[davo]

they are both Pseudacanthicus sp. and the L24 grows smaller, and like daniel machado said, considered a bit drabber in looks, as the L25 has more red colour in the fins and more pronounced black spots

[Thomascl]

WOW AWESOME PLECOS

[katycichlid]

Thanks, davo and Daniel, on the distinction.

[davo]

np :thumbsup:

Pterygoplichthys sp. (L164) - 16-17" (v. similar to a gibby)

[SuPraScOObY]

awesome plecos!

[HiGhTiMeZ]

not mine... juz want to share. u do the measuring :P
http://www.plecofanatics.com/images/bg1.jpg

[dark stranger]

awesome thread:headbang2 huge fishes:jaw:

[ato318]

Damn dats one huge ass pleco!!

[Oddball]

One of my former big cats. Lost the royal in an overfeeding mishap involving a quarter of a pumpkin. The royal was just shy of 19".

[Oddball]

This was my largest armored cat. The titanic panaque was a hefty 36". Included is a shot of his potato grinder. The blue strip is the 1/2" rear panel of the 180gal Q tank I had him in before placing him in the 650gal.

[davo]

This was my largest armored cat. The titanic panaque was a hefty 36". Included is a shot of his potato grinder. The blue strip is the 1/2" rear panel of the 180gal Q tank I had him in before placing him in the 650gal.
was waiting for this beast to be re shown oddball. :D dont think anyones had a bigger pleco on here

[Joefish]

L24 and L25 grow to the same size, L24 will have a more greenish body with dull red fins, but i have seen some L24's that had very bright red fins, so depending on location I'm sure has allot to do with it, both are quite eye pleasing IMO and there both stubborn as well. dont beleave the hype on PC of there sizeing.

http://planetcatfish.com/catelog/image.php?image_id=5821 i do not beleave that is a max 11" L24

again i have seen them larger then 12"

[davo]

i dont think ive heard of them getting as big as some of the giant L25, but 11" lol. thats one way to sell a fish

[Joefish]

I see it time and time again, just because it hasn't been documented it doesn't exist, well that's a load of crap. they may not reach the exact size as adults but I'm pretty sure that L24 out grows the size listed in PC :) i am growing a L24 out right now so only time will tell :cool-1:

[davo]

lol. ill document they get bigger than 11", i could find a couple of specimens around me that are at least 12-14"

[Joefish]

lol. ill document they get bigger than 11", i could find a couple of specimens around me that are at least 14-15"


well what is the largest documented L25? that you know of?

[davo]

ive heard of a 20" one, but without a ruler next to the pic, i wont ever know, because in my opinion, they are quite bulky and even at 12" look like they are quite big in photos. the L24 and 25 are fish id love to own... maybe someday. i here they are real slow growers, specially towards the 15"+ specimens

[Miles]

Heres a few..

[davo]

nice. whats that last one?

[Joefish]

ive heard of a 20" one, but without a ruler next to the pic, i wont ever know, because in my opinion, they are quite bulky and even at 12" look like they are quite big in photos. the L24 and 25 are fish id love to own... maybe someday. i here they are real slow growers, specially towards the 15"+ specimens

bust thing i have found to help the pseudocanthicus grow is lots of fresh prawns / shrimp raw, all of mine grow quite fast compared to before i started feeding them this. now i can tell a difference.

[davo]

have they coloured up nicer too. i swear by a lot of protein (even for veggie plecos) just makes the colour so much more vibrant. are all your pseudocanthicus getting along ok still after initial scraps?

[Miles]

nice. whats that last one?

A huge gibby I came upon.. Its pretty THICK. About 16", too.. Sorry about the rippled pic

[Joefish]

have they coloured up nicer too. i swear by a lot of protein (even for veggie plecos) just makes the colour so much more vibrant. are all your pseudocanthicus getting along ok still after initial scraps?


yup colors are great and everyone is fine i even added another 10" L25

i also added some caves and my big L25 has takin over it and keeps trying to court my L273 into it, im pretty sure my L273 is female :)


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/plecojoe/Plecos/newsrlt004.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/plecojoe/Plecos/newsrlt007.jpg

[quix]

have they coloured up nicer too. i swear by a lot of protein (even for veggie plecos) just makes the colour so much more vibrant. are all your pseudocanthicus getting along ok still after initial scraps?

Hi..Although high protein diet is great for the carnivores or omnivorse..I would really advise against giving a high protein diet to plecos like panaques whose diet should really be predominantly wood plus some vegetable matters which wont harm them. There has been researchers who found that panaques fed on high protein diet will eventually get intestinal probs and live a short life (potentially dead within 5 years). some protein a couple of times in a month is fine, but they seriously do not need it often. In fact they can do well on wood only diet plus some supplements occasionally. Juz two cents worth. :)

[davo]

im not a panaque keeper really lol. i just meant most people feed there plecos veggies, algae wafers or hope algae would keep em alive. i was just saying its important for veggies to ALSO have a varied diet, like panaques and ancistrus etc. there aint a pleco that is just vegetarian. but your right without roughage and lignin panaques dont do well. but you should supplement :thumbsup:

[tb_077]

I hope this 14" L025, which I lost a few months ago, still qualifies for this thread.:D



http://www.plecofanatics.com/gallery/data/512/100_1051.JPG

[Joefish]

heck ya it does tony!

speaking of YOUR plecos.. i think were all waiting to see pics!!



joe

[tb_077]

heck ya it does tony!

speaking of YOUR plecos.. i think were all waiting to see pics!!



joe



I'm still working on getting a full body pic of the gold fella. He loves that damn flower pot.:irked:


You keep nagging me about the pics Joe.... I'll sue you for using that avatar!!!:swear:


:j/k: :D

[davo]

nice scarlet or was...

[MiDi]

ok here is my two big guys, a common that is now an easy 18" and a gibby that is prolly 24 to 29"
i also have 6 more plecos that are not in this shot and they all are about 12" +
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/neopark/IMG0275.jpg

[StiffMeister]

its really hard to tell the size of that monster of yours. what do you mean by prolly 24-29"?? what happened to good old measuring?

[Plowed]

Measuring? Overrated...it's all about guestimation :headbang2

[StiffMeister]

well, dont wanna be rude or anything but 5 inches is a big difference...

[Plowed]

I was being sarcastic....I work in construction....a difference like that could get me fired...:ROFL:

[Gr8KarmaSF]

All very nice pics!!!

[davo]

29" is big for a gibby

[WyldFya]

Yeah, no kidding.

[StiffMeister]

well, dont wanna be rude but if i look at the pic, if the other is 18", the big doesnt look like he is 29"...

[MiDi]

well they are what they are,still huge for most.
dosent matter anyways my store is going tits up and the owner seized my tanks even tho i payed cash for them and the fish. i am in the process of criminal suits. and on top of this my wife invested over 50K into the company! with now no returns. i'll be lucky to see the owner in jail and my plecos home!

[davo]

that sucks. hope you get to keep the monsters

[Steve_89]

Beautiful plecos featured in this thread...

I really need a monster panaque for my 600...

Keep the pix coming :thumbsup:

[WyldFya]

ok here is my two big guys, a common that is now an easy 18" and a gibby that is prolly 24 to 29"
i also have 6 more plecos that are not in this shot and they all are about 12" +
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/neopark/IMG0275.jpg
What are the dimensions on that tank?? for that fish to be 29" long the tank would have to be a 48" tall tank.

[amindbesideitself]

my old common pleco i had with my oscar...mysteriously died...couldnt figure it out. RIP

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v149/amindbesideitself/bigfishy.jpg

[WyldFya]

How big is that common? Did he get to the size where he becomes carnivorous?

[wayne the pain]

Some more for ya :eek:

[StiffMeister]

sick!! the panaques rock!

[WyldFya]

Nice panaques and pseudacanthicus.

[somthinsfishy]

I've got a good monster for ya.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y174/041082/Loricaridae/random076.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y174/041082/Loricaridae/random077.jpg

[WyldFya]

That is one big boy. what is he about 14"?

[somthinsfishy]

Yeah somewhere between 12" and 14". I can't get enought of it. New digi cam should/better arrive today. I get some macro shots of the spines, and the mouth.

[WyldFya]

Sounds good. What size tank is he in?

[StiffMeister]

hes a fat pseuda for sure, compared with the bn hes huge :D

[davo]

how big is the BN? i like that pic. if funny the little and large

[somthinsfishy]

Sounds good. What size tank is he in?

He's in a 125 right now.

[somthinsfishy]

how big is the BN? i like that pic. if funny the little and large

The bn is about 3.5"-4". I thought it was funny to. Gives you a good idea of how big it really is.

[Kin Corvida]

OMG...

I am such a fish noob.

I didn't even know what a pleco was, much less how big they get, and those colours and patterns!!! Absolutely gorgeous! Love the black amoured-looking ones the most...

All i ever knew about them, they were just called sucker-fish at the lfs near me, is that they were just additions to a tank as part of the clean-up crew. They cost all of $2 and i never cried when my lobster ate them up, just grouched that no one would clean the algae off the concrete walls anymore... :(

Shikes. Those beauties you all have should be so treasured...


Kin

[davo]

yea lobsters and fish arent always a great mix. there are many different species of "plecos" in the loricariid family. all different characteristics, and need different care. a very diverse family.

[davo]

Thought I'd add a few more of the interesting ones to the thread...

Pseudorinelepis sp. (L152)

[davo]

Pseudacanthicus sp. (L380)
16"+

[davo]

Pseudacanthicus sp. (L320)
16"+

[Oddball]

Luv the L152. I've only seen them available a couple of times. Thanks for posting it.

[davo]

Ancistrini sp. (L350)
17"+

[davo]

Luv the L152. I've only seen them available a couple of ties. Thanks for posting it.

yeah, i agree, its a beautiful pleco, shame they aren't about more. How are the pelligrini's doing, they probably qualify for the thread by now! I don't know but didn't Massive agression say they are going to be getting a lot of fish from the Orinoco. I wonder if they could get them in-might be worth a check Phil.

[jconley]

I have one of those in the store, sold to me as a "Pineapple" pleco lol. Didn't know what it was 'till right now, so thanks!

[vpw]

Love the plecos, never knew they could grow that big.
Where I'm from, they are always sold as "cleaner" fish...
I've never even seen most of the ones posted here.

[davo]

A lot of the common ones are mainly Hypostomus and Pterygoplichthys. These also tend to get reasonably large.

[Mystix212]

The albino up there scared me, at first thought it looked like it was the size of the whole dam crawling onto the bank.

[WyldFya]

I wish I would have had my camera with me the other day. They had a HUGE sailfin pleco that was near 20"SL.

[Bogwoodbruce]

Here was a 24" Gibii and 14" albino that i was given. The box is 36" i should have turned off the airstone.

Heres the picture.
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r35/BogwoodBruce/Catfish/croppedplec.jpg

[mercury904]

just sharin him

[T time]

Thats cool how you can see the teeth, i see that he is bloody?

[Bogwoodbruce]

Cool pictures, good angle.

[RodG]

Amazing photos and even more amazing fish:headbang2

[jimsuy]

wow... nice pics...

[wolfcichild027]

i have 2 plecos one leapord and one i guess common or normal

[maniac]

WOW!!!! What amazing plecos you guys got! Keep on posting some more pics.

[Mudskippy]

Some pretty big plecos there...:)

[marcello]

OH MY GOD!!!!!! go on like that this thread is simply awesome argh never seen such a big plecos

[ausknife]

my mate has a 2 ft gibbi i will try to get a pic
my common is about a ft but hes only 2 yrs so i think he will get bigger :p

[sandtiger]

14" royal, actually won him from MFK. He's dead now.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y58/sandtiger/royal.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y58/sandtiger/boxpleco.jpg

[sandtiger]

Some photos from the web

[T time]

4" royal, actually won him from MFK. He's dead now.

That sucks man, what happened?

[kyleking007]

my what I think is just a common? older picture its around 22'' now. I have another but its probably only 20 inches and I have no pics of it.

[sandtiger]

That sucks man, what happened?

I don't know, one day he was munching on a cucumber and the next he was dead, the other fish in the tank were fine. I got him at that size so perhaps he was old? I like to think that was it.

[StiffMeister]

To revive this thread;

Anybody here knows the size of the biggest royal ever seen/reported/photographed? Anybody knows how big these guys really can get?

[jd300]

One of my former big cats. Lost the royal in an overfeeding mishap involving a quarter of a pumpkin. The royal was just shy of 19".


wow thats awesome looking royal how old do you rember him being?

[koop171]

what is the albino one ? from post 114 on page 11 ?

[davo]

what is the albino one ? from post 114 on page 11 ?

your post is 114... do you mean the one in sandtigers post? That is Parancistrus aurantiacus, they can change colour through their lifetime and vary in whitish yellow-gold-grey-almost black in a number of patterns. Shown here http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=82 No L number for this one mate. Don't think they quite get to the size your after either, but a nice species though, if a little pricey.

[koop171]

WHA !!! they change the entire body color over time?! thats sweet. they do look a tad small for what I want. The L95 is looking better all the time.

Do you know what causes the color change ?

[davo]

age/maturity related and takes place in both genders.

[koop171]

that is crazy. I would like to have one but maybe a single specimen tank. and document the color change. but not in my community tank

[shadowspar]

i was castnetting in a local pond and caught the biggest snowking plec ive ever seen. it was def over 2ft maybe 3ft. ive got to figure out how to get the picture off my phone though...

[Dreamsofpeace54]

send the pic to your email address.

[lispykid7]

nice lookin plecos eveyone!

[Dreamsofpeace54]

my big common who unfortuantly died about a month ago
16"

[davo]

Hey man, that sucks, was a nice looking common.

[Dreamsofpeace54]

was free too, cant beat that

[thebestincali2000]

L-083, glyptoperichthys gibbicep
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=284&pictureid=2064

this is an old pic, he was about 5-6 inches here
hes now 15 inches

[davo]

So wheres the updated monster pic?!?!

[chefjamesscott]

ill have to drop a few pics on the thread of mine just have to take some pics ill subscribe and do it in a day

as an aside note im very close to gettin an adonis

[chefjamesscott]

well I was able to secure a male an female wc adonis plecs

not quite monsters yet but in the making

http://i320.photobucket.com/albums/nn352/chefjamesscott/frontosa/DSC06788.jpg
http://i320.photobucket.com/albums/nn352/chefjamesscott/frontosa/DSC06786.jpg
http://i320.photobucket.com/albums/nn352/chefjamesscott/frontosa/DSC06790.jpg

I do have 3 other plecs a common 14 inch, some kinda high fin 12 inch and a 8 inch that is like an armoured tank, I also picked up a bristle nose as a common at walmart and have an brown bristlenose adult

[catman]

Here is my common pleco at 22".


http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1198&pictureid=12033 (http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1198&pictureid=12033)
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1198&pictureid=12031 (http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1198&pictureid=12031)

[Poklei]

howd he die

[uting]

When I was you I used to bow fish for common pleco (hypostomus plecostomus). I did it since the government encourages and pays you to kill plecos 0.04cents for each one no matter what size. Plecos are do great damage to the already dead river in Manila. Good thing someone found a way to make them in to biofuel and use their leather and I've hear some dudes even eat them but they say plecos really taste bad.

[paopanlilio]

When I was you I used to bow fish for common pleco (hypostomus plecostomus). I did it since the government encourages and pays you to kill plecos 0.04cents for each one no matter what size. Plecos are do great damage to the already dead river in Manila. Good thing someone found a way to make them in to biofuel and use their leather and I've hear some dudes even eat them but they say plecos really taste bad.

they also use em as fertilizers ive seen truck loads of plecos in the marikina area after getting em from the river

[Bogwoodbruce]

My new 7" Leporcanthus, - did some serious damage to the poly box in transit
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r35/BogwoodBruce/DSLR/CSC_0154.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r35/BogwoodBruce/DSLR/CSC_0155.jpg

[Warborg]

These are insane, I knew for 18 years that plecos could get over 2 feet but to have just gone thru this entire thread...what can I say? other then wow!

It will take me a few days to convert an old movie to a still picture of my departed 19.5 inch Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus (snow king; dark verson)

[Warborg]

Ok, the first 3 are of(were) my 19.5 Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus. In the 1st picture their is a 3-4 inch clown loach. In the 3rd there is a giant danio above. The 4th is of a 17 inch Pterygoplichthys Pardalis.

Sorry for the blurry pictures. I filmed this back in 1993 then video taped the film and then did still pictures for here. I also had another 17 inch P. Pardalis in the tank along with a 16 inch that I was never sure if it was a hybird P. Pardalis or something else.

[Bobtastic6]

didn't see any albinos, just got a youngin gonna have to post a pic soon

[Warborg]

didn't see any albinos, just got a youngin gonna have to post a pic soon

Page 1 post 6

[Bobtastic6]

Page 1 post 6

haha just noticed that..... i bought mine as a "chocolate albino", any truth behind that or are they just albinos?

[eyft23]

heres my dull eye.
http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo88/eyft23/DSC02619.jpg

[eyft23]

here the papa.
http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo88/eyft23/DSC02514.jpg

[eyft23]

http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo88/eyft23/DSC02435.jpg

[eyft23]

http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo88/eyft23/DSC02509.jpg

[Warborg]

haha just noticed that..... i bought mine as a "chocolate albino", any truth behind that or are they just albinos?

Chocolate albinos really are not albinos. Funny when they first hit the market back in the early 90's they were sold as red eye red plecos. I guess they are considered a poor man's albino for those that can't afford the real thing.

[BigJ]

MORE PIC'S!!!

[ryanj612]

nice pics. hey how big can a common pleco get in a 30 gallon tank. and how big can a koi get in the same 30 gallon tank.

[MsMassPoly]

my 12 inch beauty.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x116/HotFishGirls/plecocity4014.jpg