How rare are albino plecos?

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JamesBenjamin

Hopeless Romantic
Nov 7, 2002
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NoVA
www.thejoyofliving.net
I saw one at my local petsmart yesterday, i would have bought him, but i was on break at work... hopefully he'll still be there tomorow when i go back... are they really rare? or have i just never seen one?

thanks!
 

JamisonBWolsh

I am what I am. Defender of truth!
Nov 1, 2002
967
1
18
Hawaii
Are you talking about the Albino Bristlenose pleco? If so, they are not very common at the LFS. But they are very easy to breed. I bought 1 male and 2 females from a Local breeder and now have a total of 60+ young (each batch ahs 30 fry's).

A really nice fish. When they are young, they have a bright orange look to them :) As adults, they are yellow with red eyes

BTW:

Males have bristles
Females do not
 

pinballqueen

Roleplayer
Aug 4, 2002
723
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Sevierville, TN
www.hostultra.com
It really depends more on supply and demand than anything, I think. As long as there are people showing interest in the albinos, the lfs will keep ordering them. However, all of my experience with them has led me to believe that albino commons are really fragile, much more so than their colored cousins. Other species might be easier to keep, but I've never had an albino get to be over 3 inches long before it died...:( Believe me, it's not for lack of trying, I was going for an all-albino tank and the plecos were the only thing I had to go dark on at the time because I lost 4 of the albinos, and then just gave up on the idea... (This has been several years ago, so the strain may be a bit hardier now than it was... any albino fish were a little hard to come by at the time.)

If it is a common that you're looking at, be aware that if it does survive, it will get just as huge as any other common and require a lot of tank or preferably a pond once it reaches full size, which could top out at over 2 feet....
 

JamisonBWolsh

I am what I am. Defender of truth!
Nov 1, 2002
967
1
18
Hawaii
Pinball: what type was your albino pleco? I would be very much surprised if it was the bristlenose type (max out at about 6 inches). They are extremely hardy type of pleco and I find, not very sensitive about hiding during the day. Now wethor or not this is a "TRUE" albino - I dont know. I do know they have their own scientific name though.


http://hem.bredband.net/maxstr/fish/albino_bristlenose.htm
Great pics of them




http://www.planetcatfish.com/ilibrary/loricari/ancistru/5_f.htm
ugly pics of them though. They are much nicer to look at in person.
IMO, the females are better looking without the tentacles.

I just looked at those pics again....I dont know where they got these photos? Mine are about 6 months old and dont even look like that. The coloring is all washed out on their adults. Those guys are ugly, so I hope mine are not that type. Currently, they look very nice.
 
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JamisonBWolsh

I am what I am. Defender of truth!
Nov 1, 2002
967
1
18
Hawaii
I did some research and should have asked the breeder more specifics about my albino bristlenose. Of course, there are many types. Now to find which one mine is. I dont think mine is the common albino bristlenose however. I said my albino plecos were about 6 months. Actually, judging by their size, they are 1+ year olds.

I have 60 babies ranging from .5 to 1.5 inches, so if anyone wants a few and live in CA, I will be happy to give them up for free :0
 

pinballqueen

Roleplayer
Aug 4, 2002
723
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Sevierville, TN
www.hostultra.com
The breed I had my lack of success with was a regular old common hypostamus plecostamus, same as the monster guys we try to keep people from putting in 10 gallon tanks.... (mine was going in 72 gallons, along with an albino tiger oscar and albino cory cats... finally had to go with a regular, colored common pleco). Anything other than common plecos are very hard to come by here, and very expensive. The only non-common pleco I've ever had experience with is the Queen Arabesque, and it set me back $30, versus $4.95 for a common of similar size. I've never seen a bristlenose up-close-and-personal, because nobody sells them here. (At least, not any of the stores I care to buy from...)

Wish I lived in Callie, seems they've got a lot nicer selection of fish where you are than the backwoods stores around here....
 
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