mgudyka Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 I think I have made a poor decision. This past Saturday I went to a store three hours from where I live to buy 2 rope fish. While there I expressed that I wanted to get some other fish to go in the tank, especially an algae eater. The guy at the store recommended a pleco for me. I told him what size my tank was (75g) and he showed me this very handsome sailfin marbled pleco. He told me it would get to be 8-10" so I said sure. This guy knows what he's talking about. I decided I would buy repashy for him after reading corys article about plecos and how they really won't thrive on algae and algae wafers alone but made the solid point to find out what specifically my type of pleco eats. I never found out because the first thing I saw on the first page I looked at was "max length 1 foot 6 inches". Excuse me what? I checked other pages. 18 inches? These guys get almost double the length I was told and they need probably 100, 125 gallon tank. What! I don't think my house (husband) can handle another even larger tank to support that size. Do I return this fish? I don't want this guy to be miserable and stressed because he isn't in a large enough enclosure. If I *do* return him, how do I transport him comfortably for a three hour ride back to the store? Thanks everyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 (edited) It depends on which species of sail fin pleco you have the smaller species like pterygoplichthy joselimaiauus get to 12in pterygoplichthy gibbicep get to 18-19in Edited May 13, 2021 by Colu 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Cory Posted May 13, 2021 Administrators Share Posted May 13, 2021 If it were me. I'd return it in a bucket with 30% water. And try to exchange/pay the difference for a bristlenose pleco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWilson Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 Gosh he's beautiful. I'm so sorry this happened. I don't have advice on the species or how big he will truly get but when I recently purchased a pleco at my lfs the guy said that they can easily get caught in nets (even though they will use a net to catch them at the store), so it's better to try to catch him with a container, or possibly with your hands. If you have a large specimen container you could transport him in that or a bucket so you don't have to bag him? You could use a usb airstone for the ride but I don't know if that's completley necessary for 3 hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefty o Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 bristle nose, clown, and rubber nose are ones that get 5-6", and are good for modest sized aquariums. there are others, but these are relatively common, and affordable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sun.singh1991 Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 Bristlenose and Rubberlip plecos work amazing for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgudyka Posted May 13, 2021 Author Share Posted May 13, 2021 1 hour ago, Cory said: If it were me. I'd return it in a bucket with 30% water. And try to exchange/pay the difference for a bristlenose pleco. Thank you Cory. I will be calling to ask about their exchange policy tomorrow. Just fill a bucket 30% of the way and I'm good to go? I hope it's no worse than being shipped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgudyka Posted May 13, 2021 Author Share Posted May 13, 2021 1 hour ago, SWilson said: Gosh he's beautiful. I'm so sorry this happened. I don't have advice on the species or how big he will truly get but when I recently purchased a pleco at my lfs the guy said that they can easily get caught in nets (even though they will use a net to catch them at the store), so it's better to try to catch him with a container, or possibly with your hands. If you have a large specimen container you could transport him in that or a bucket so you don't have to bag him? You could use a usb airstone for the ride but I don't know if that's completley necessary for 3 hours. I definitely have a bucket I use for aquarium stuff only. I do have the usb air pump and an extra air stone if that's necessary. They told me they had spines that could get you pretty bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgudyka Posted May 13, 2021 Author Share Posted May 13, 2021 1 hour ago, lefty o said: bristle nose, clown, and rubber nose are ones that get 5-6", and are good for modest sized aquariums. there are others, but these are relatively common, and affordable. I really like the way clown plecos look. Wow! And I would definitely be able to see one against my dark driftwood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgudyka Posted May 13, 2021 Author Share Posted May 13, 2021 1 minute ago, BIG GREEN said: I learned not to listen to the folks at LFS, if I come across a fish I no nothing about I pull the phone out do a google search. By the way, that is a coool lookiong placo, its a shame you can't keep him/her I mean it's all my fault. He seemed very knowledgeable and he had made good suggestions and echoed a lot of the things I poured over for months when deciding on getting ropefish, so I felt good about getting suggested from him. He also suggested another fish that I had planned to get to go with my ropes. I didn't want to seem rude pulling out my phone as he was talking to me after I had asked for suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgudyka Posted May 13, 2021 Author Share Posted May 13, 2021 47 minutes ago, Sun.singh1991 said: Bristlenose and Rubberlip plecos work amazing for me. I will have to look at what other plecos they have at this store. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG GREEN Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 4 minutes ago, mgudyka said: I really like the way clown plecos look. Wow! And I would definitely be able to see one against my dark driftwood I got 3 clown placos, and hardly ever see them, never see them on the tank glass. I think 4 inches is their max size.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefty o Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 8 minutes ago, mgudyka said: I really like the way clown plecos look. Wow! And I would definitely be able to see one against my dark driftwood be advised, clowns are very cool looking, but they do like to hide. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 18 minutes ago, mgudyka said: I will be calling to ask about their exchange policy tomorrow. I'd show up with the fish in a bucket and tell them what their exchange policy is. 'Course I'm old and grumpy. The smile in my avatar made my face hurt. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgudyka Posted May 13, 2021 Author Share Posted May 13, 2021 14 minutes ago, lefty o said: be advised, clowns are very cool looking, but they do like to hide. There's plenty places to hide in my tank if that's what they want to do ☺️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgudyka Posted May 13, 2021 Author Share Posted May 13, 2021 5 minutes ago, Ken said: I'd show up with the fish in a bucket and tell them what their exchange policy is. 'Course I'm old and grumpy. The smile in my avatar made my face hurt. I am not looking for trouble, my friend!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 21 minutes ago, mgudyka said: I am not looking for trouble, my friend!! It was mostly in jest, but they know what they did. If you show up with the fish it really limits their options. On the phone they can blow you off 'cause that's what's easiest. In person, with an insistent customer, it's much harder. Listen to Cory, he sells fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalmedByFish Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 I'm sorry this happened. I'd guess it's a high percentage of us that have gotten terrible "info" from store workers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samanthabea Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 If you do hand catch careful not to get nicked not sure if it's true to all pleco species but I have a story of a pleco who beat another fish trying to eat it and left a huge swollen welt on it either way it hurts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H.K.Luterman Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 12 hours ago, mgudyka said: I mean it's all my fault. He seemed very knowledgeable and he had made good suggestions and echoed a lot of the things I poured over for months when deciding on getting ropefish, so I felt good about getting suggested from him. He also suggested another fish that I had planned to get to go with my ropes. I didn't want to seem rude pulling out my phone as he was talking to me after I had asked for suggestions. It's understandable. If you get into that situation again, after they recommend something you aren't sure about, just tell them you want to look around a bit more before you decide. And when they leave, pull out the ol' Google. 🙂 I hope the transport back to the store works out well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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