Big Pleco Care

[blue2fyre]

I just got a 10" pleco from a friend of mine that has kept it in a 35 hex for 5 years. I took it in and rehomed it in my 80 gallon. I was told it was a butterfly pleco but after searching the name it's clearly not the case. After doing a lot of research I have determined I have a rhino pleco.

I want to make sure I'm giving the correct food for this species. The first thing it did was attack my algae and has cleared the glass really well! I dropped in some zucchini last night but the pleco won't touch it. I tried some NLS pellets and I think it ate some of those. Do I need to add some drift wood? How much will a 10" pleco eat? I imagine some stunting has occurred will that be reversed at all in a larger tank with good water? How much risk is there for the pleco to go after my fish?

Anything else I should know? This is the biggest pleco I've ever had. I've had 1 BN beforehand that has done really well. The rhino basically sits in the same spot all day. On the first day I was terrified it was dead but when the magfloat got too close it moved slightly. At night and early morning it's very active.

 

[GEV83]

Any pics? If it truley is a Rhino then the pleco is only bout an 1" off of there max size. Rhino's or Pterygoplichthys scrophus are one of the smaller of its kind. Now P. gibbiceps and P. pardalis can attain lengths of 18" Rhino's rarely hit 12".

Also given it time to adjust in due time it will eat the zuchini. Also driftwood is something that all pleco's should be provided with. It helps aid in there digestion.

 

[GEV83]

Does it look similiar to this one???

This Rhino is owned by me. I own 2 of them currently.

 

[blue2fyre]

I just snapped a couple pictures. They aren't great I had to guess where he was since the tank lights are off.





He looks a lot like your picture just bigger. Even has the yellow across the top of the tail.

 

[GEV83]

Yup thats a Rhino alright. Looks healthy enough. Just give it time to adjust. Stunting shouldnt be a problem since its not a species of monster pleco. What other fish is it housed with besides the lil africans???

 

[blue2fyre]

The africans and some syno petricola. I'm keeping an eye on the mbuna. So far they are terrified of him. I know mbuna are not ideal tankmates, but it seemed better than the dirty 35 hex

 

[GEV83]

Oh ok they should be fine unless the mbuna's get brave then they may be able to beat up on the Rhino. Your syno petricola should also be ok although if they end up going for the same piece of food then you may have a lil scuffle. Nothing major IMO. That is a nice Rhino. You mentioned yellow on its tail. Thats a trait of most Rhino's. Some get it on the top of there tail and also on the first main ray on there dorsal fin.

 

[blue2fyre]

Well cool. The mbuna have left the syno petricola alone for over a year. They mainly bicker with each other. They will watch the bottom feeders and try to steal food but don't bother them otherwise.
Thanks! I thought he was a neat looking pleco. When I saw him in the tank he was just dark brown all over. After adapting to my tank he's show great color. I was terrified at first it meant something wrong but after doing some reading I see it's normal.

 

[blue2fyre]

Tried zucchini again and this morning it was GONE. Not a trace of it left

 

[lswartz33]

Nice! My pleco's love zucchini and cucumbers, or even some watermelon. Amazing to see just the skin or rhine left the next morning, hungry little buggers.

Tried zucchini again and this morning it was GONE. Not a trace of it left