Help with ID

[Taysius]

I've had this guy for a few months and he's growing pretty well. Was sold to me as a "gold spot butterfly pleco" and I was told it would max around 11" I've been trying to figure out what it is but I am extremely inexperience with IDing plecos. Its a shoddy pic, I know. I have a heck of a time shooting him. He sees me with the camera and ducks for cover.

I never see him on any driftwood. He prefers to hang out on the back glass and hides in the plants. Likes zucchini but not lettuce. PLEASE, if you make an ID suggestion, point out what features you're looking at. I want to learn as well!

 

[Narwhal72]

Looks like a Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps AKA "Sailfin Pleco" or "gibby". This fish has black spots on a lighter brown to golden background. The "Gold Spot Sailfin Pleco" is Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus which has light gold or brown spots on a black body. It's still a young fish and you will be better able to tell the identity of the fish as it gets older and the spots start to separate more.

They don't get as big as the common plecos and around 11" Standard Length (SL) is about right. Standard length is the length of the fish from the snout to the base of the tail. It does not include the length of the tail.

Andy

 

[GEV83]

P. gibbiceps is correct. These fish are super easy for me to ID but 11" for this species is incorrect. 18" is very easily obtained by these guys. P. joselimaianus is a smaller species getting a little over a foot. You have P. gibbiceps though.

 

[fishorama]

yep, a gibby! Pretty! Omnivore (both plant & animal foods). Don't starve him, he needs lots of foods of all kinds to grow to his potential.

 

[Taysius]

Ugh. I hate that I got something that 1. Was incorrectly ID'd for me and 2. My tank can't handle.

I can't get a grasp on the Pleco IDs to do it for myself and now I got screwed because of it.

Any idea how long I have before he gets huge on me?

 

[fishorama]

In a 75g you should be ok for at least several years. The whole TL (total length) vs SL is a source of much confusion & frustration...similar to fish seller's exaggerated fry sizing, lol. Gibbys have large tails, I don't think I've ever seen a truly 18 inch 1, more like 12 plus tail, maybe 16 inches TL. Still, a big fish.

 

[Taysius]

Well that is a little bit of hope then. As far as feeding him, any tips? I feed zucchini and squash already. No one in the tank liked romaine much. I'm not sure how to get any protein to the pleco. The cichlids devour any pellets I throw in. :/

 

[leshrimp]

Well that is a little bit of hope then. As far as feeding him, any tips? I feed zucchini and squash already. No one in the tank liked romaine much. I'm not sure how to get any protein to the pleco. The cichlids devour any pellets I throw in. :/

Try feeding him an algae pellet. A lot of them have protein included in them. For example I feed my plecos O.S.I. Spirulina Wafers. The ingredients are fish meal, and then spirulina. The fish meal offers protein. The pellets are 37% protein 5% fat, 5% fiber.

 

[fishorama]

You can also make small slits in zucchini & put pellet or wafer pieces in them. They often feed at night if your cichlids grab all the food in day time. Or you can put food in his pleco cave hiding place...he'll need a big 1 like driftwood propped on a big rock. My plecos always loved Tetra Tabimin, not the most nutritious but I think it's the potato they like, must make it kinda sweet plus they can grab 1 & go hide. You should look at the sticky of pleco foods at the top of this page too.

 

[Taysius]

Thanks. I moved some fish around the other day and he comes out a LOT more now that the convict isn't in there. He has been hanging out on driftwood and flares out his fins more.

I hate throwing in wafers at night because I never know if they get eaten or not. Hope for the best, I guess.