Help IDing pleco

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Llamalord

Gambusia
MFK Member
Jun 17, 2009
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Montana
Hey just recently got a new pleco, it was sold as a Hi-fin spotted plecostomus but I haven't been able to find much info on them so I believe that is just a common name for them and not their scientific name. Anyway and ID and some info would be much appreciated, I haven't got many pictures because the little guy is shy and doesn't seem to want to cooperate. Anyway I'll try and get more pics later my camera is having trouble focusing so I'll have to get a buddies' to get better pics.

Sorry for the poor picture quality like I said my camera is having trouble focusing, I'll work on getting more later today.

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Looks like a common pleco to me pal. Nothing special but still sweet. Hopefully u didnt pay more then 4$!
 
I'm going to say Sailfin.

F1 VET said:
Looks like a common pleco to me pal. Nothing special but still sweet. Hopefully u didnt pay more then 4$!
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Why? i'd say anything under $15, Sailfins can be really nice when there big.
 
A better pic would make it easier to tell, but I'm pretty sure it is a Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps (aka gibby, L-083, leopard sailfin pleco, etc.). There is plenty of info on them around the internet, but to cover the basics: they need at least a 125g as adults; many sites list their maximum size as 20", but mine is 19" and only a little over 2 years old, and I have personally seen one (at the Shedd Aquarium) that was more like 24", if not larger; they will eat just about anything that is cut into small enough pieces for them to swallow, but they should be fed a balanced diet consisting of some combination of fruits/vegetables, sinking pellets/algae disks, and shrimp, krill, tilapia, bloodworms, and other frozen foods, and it is good to provide driftwood as both a hiding place, and a dietary suppliment (which I see you already have).

Any specific questions, feel free to ask. :)
 
janiners305 said:
I am by no means an expert, but it kinda looks like a common to me. I'm sure the real experts will be chiming in here soon
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F1 VET said:
Looks like a common pleco to me pal. Nothing special but still sweet. Hopefully u didnt pay more then 4$!
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You can tell that it isn't a common by looking at the size of the spots. The spots on Pterygoplichthys pardalis (the "common" pleco) are smaller and much less uniform, decreasing in size toward the nose/mouth area. The only thing that makes me slightly unsure of its ID is that there are a few Hypostomus species that have very similar patterns, and since none of the pics clearly show its dorsal or caudal fin, it's kind of hard to tell for sure that it isn't a Hypostomus sp.
 
It was a guess as it looks like all the common plecos ive had. Atleast i didnt say suckerfish lol
 
Hey guys, thanks for the replies and help, I'm fairly certain he's a gibby. I've been doing some reading and noticed some reports of them not working well with discus, can anyone confirm this? I've been planning a 75g discus tank and was planning on putting him there until I can get around to a 150g pleco tank.

As for price, he was $3 from a friend who didn't want him anymore :( he didn't have any info other than the name he bought it under.

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