[iKine]

I bought a dwarf pleco on saturday and im wondering if someone could help me identify him. Hes mostly dark brown with tank spots/stripes.

 

[koldsoup]

From that pic, it doesn't look like a dwarf pleco. Looks like a gibbicep, growing to over 1' long.

 

[iKine]

Hmm, I guess we will see.

If he ends up getting to large for that tank Im able to move him to another.

 

[pweifan]

Looks like a lot like the clown pleco I used to own. Stayed under 4".

 

[garfieldnfish]

Go to www.planetcatfish.com or http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/quick_find.php?AJAXtxtsearch=clown+pleco&AJAXlabel=search and check for bristlenose pleco, rubberlip pleco (L187), clown pleco, and common pleco and the odds are it is one of those. If the label just said pleco is it most likely a common, which will get very large. Clown plecos, BNs and rubberlips are often sold in chain stores but cost a little bit more than the common pleco. So the price you paid for the fish should also give you an idea. I can't tell from the picture you posted what he is.

 

[Alyssa]

Hard to be positive from that angle, but I'd vote that it's a clown pleco - I love those guys!

 

[sampster5000]

Need a better picture but it is most likely a gibbiceps (gibby) or also known as a sailfin pleco. L083. I've got a 15 incher in my 180 gallon right now. 3 years old. Will max at 18 inches.

Not a clown pleco as you can see the leopard spotting on the fins from sailfins and can see the larger than normal nostril flares. Mine had large flares like that all through his juvenile stage.

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=148

 

[causemisahastheeyes]

I vote gibby. My clowns never had the 'horns' around the eyes.

 

[shrimpNewbie]

clown pleco

Gibbi,
I vote neither, looks more like a standard but small, i may be wrong I'll look into it but for now it seems like a standard


Edit: If he didn't have spots I would agree with clown but he doesn't either way I love plecos but they are poo machines

 

[valerietheangel]

It looks like you have a clown pleco to me. I have pictures of my clown colony under my profile. You can look these up on planetcatfish.com (panaque maccus) for more info on care. Ours have maxed out around 2 1/2 - 3" TL (not counting tails).

They are driftwood eaters (like all panaques) so it won't help at all with algae control (if that's why you got it). They will also nibble at shrimp pellets but don't care for any other foods we offer.

Good luck with your new addition!

 

[garfieldnfish]

Valerie, try Ken's Fish veggie sticks, ripe mangos, shelled frozen peas, canned green beans, and fresh zucchini. My clown plecos love all of that and more.

 

[valerietheangel]

We feed our other plecos zucchini but our clowns don't care for it. We also drop in Veggie wafers but the red tailed goodeids in the tank go after those. I've never tried Ken's food but have heard rave reviews on here about it and may have to check it out. Also haven't tried mangos but we have tried heart of palm and they werent interested in that either. We love our clowns, they were the fancy plecos that started our interest in fancy plecos

 

[iKine]

my SAE's and CAE's take care of my algae. I've always loved plecos and was hoping for something for the 25 gallon, so I picked him up.


This picture looks more like him, so I'm guessing he is a Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/image.php?species=pterygoplichthys+gibbiceps&image_id=593


I'll also try to find a better shot when hes out and about.

 

[sampster5000]

My huge gibby still downs the glass algae. He loves cucumber, zucchini and blood worms

 

[shrimpNewbie]

A true clown pleco eats wood and anything else isn't natural, though i'll second the shrimp pellets or live small crustaceans

 

[grogan]

possible Marble horn? Looks almost the same but has bigger horns

 

[valerietheangel]

my SAE's and CAE's take care of my algae. I've always loved plecos and was hoping for something for the 25 gallon, so I picked him up.


This picture looks more like him, so I'm guessing he is a Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/image.php?species=pterygoplichthys+gibbiceps&image_id=593


I'll also try to find a better shot when hes out and about.

Gibbys have spots and do not have stripes so the stripes on your pleco's nose are what indicates clown pleco to me.


Here's an example of what I'm talking about:

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/image.php?species=panaque+maccus&image_id=8366