Can Plecos be sexed?

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purplecandle

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 29, 2010
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North Carolina
Forgive me if this is posted somewhere else..

But can you sex a pleco..

I have a pleco that I guess is called one of the commons..

I did some research on the species when he got bigger than the pet store said he would and out grew his tank!

I counted the rays and with the help of another friend..it's max size would be about 12 inches..

I cannot remember the name of the species..sorry!

I have had him for about 2-3 years and I think he has probably gotten to about 8 inches..I got him when he was smaller than my pinky finger..I am just curious to know the sex if possible..

Also, if some one know the life span that would be great thanks!
 
I know it's different from pleco to pleco, so you need to be 100% sure of what you have. I can't sex them myself, but know that WyldFya can. It's best you post a picture of the pleco if you can so it can be identified with 100% certainty, then you might need a picture of the pleco from above depending on how that pleco is sexed. WyldFya will chime in and help you with this soon, I'm sure. If he doesn't, private message him...he's the master of Pleco's.
 
Let me go see, if I can find that information again..

Normally I know the name of everything I have..but for some reason..all I can seem to remember is that he is a pleco!

I have had him for so long...and I really want to name him..

It will be later tonight before I can get a picture..so let me go and try to find the species..
 
I believe nearly all plecos can be sexed, however it's pointless to sex commons as they need mud ponds to bred in(another words, they WILL NOT breed in your tank).

A better ID would be needed for the size as there are 3 types of commons. The 2 Pterygoplichthys species can reach 2 feet in a tank. While the Hypostomus species can nearly reach 2 feet also...that's in the wild. In the tank it's about 12 inches max(from what I've heard and seen).
 
Oh, I do not want to breed it, just name it :)

I am still looking.. He has 12 rays if that means anything to you..and he eats meats as well as veggies..

Oh, and he has a bad attitude as well :)
 
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