Pleco rescue- what is he?

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H

HeyNow

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 8, 2010
37
0
0
Staten Island, NY
I picked up an 18" pleco last night. Saw him advertised on CL for free. The owner had purchased a different fish and the pleco was thrown in on the deal and he had no place to house him. He was living in a Rubbermaid tub w/o filtration or heat (not that heat is needed with the weather we are having in the Northeast this week...)

Anyway- I picked him up last night. He is truly 18"...I have him in my 224g w the RTCs and RTCxTSN hybrids.

I would like to know what kind of pleco he is. I am going to keep him unless feeding becomes a problem- and by problem I mean the RTCs/Hybrids eat everything I put in before the Pleco gets a chance to take a bite.

Right now I have a big piece of zucchini in there for him.
Here are some pics

This was when he was in the cooler last night when we brought him home
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In the tank this morning (I just couldn't QT him as I do not have a tank big enough for him for that purpose- he had to go straight into 224g)
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One of the RTCs checking him out
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Side shot
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Anyone know what he is?
 
:drool: :drool: It's a Pterygoplichthys pardalis which is a common. Out of the three different kinds of commons it has become the most 'common'. However, IMO, it seems the Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus is taking away that role as they seem to be the only ones I can find (as babies).


http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=88

Wow! I had two back in the early 90's that reached 17inches but they were not a stocky as this guy.

Someday I'm going own one that is 24inches
 
Thanks everyone...I hope he can eat the zucchini. Everything else I put into the tank, including algae wafers, is gone before it hits the bottom. I just want to make sure he is getting enough to eat. If not I will have to rehome him.
 
I have the exact same one! Even the little square between the eyes. I throw a piece of cucumber in the tank every other day and its gone within minutes. Its like candy to him!
 
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