Algae Eater getting too big

[JeffinMississippi]

I have an Algea Eater (Exactly which species I cannot recall) and it started
out about 1 1/2 inches long. Was watching it last night and realized that
this fish is getting BIG, like its about 8 inches long right now. When he
goes to the top of the tank (He sticks his mouth out of the water) his body
is over half as long as the tank is deep. Anyone know how much longer this
fish will get?

[Flash Wilson]

On Sat, 21 Jan 2006 15:59:25 GMT, JeffinMississippi wrote:
>I have an Algea Eater (Exactly which species I cannot recall) and it started
>out about 1 1/2 inches long. Was watching it last night and realized that
>this fish is getting BIG, like its about 8 inches long right now. When he
>goes to the top of the tank (He sticks his mouth out of the water) his body
>is over half as long as the tank is deep. Anyone know how much longer this
>fish will get?

Sounds like some kind of pleco, search google images on "pleco"
and see? They do gulp air from the surface, and then release it
over time as they wish.

They get huge... a foot and a half, at a guess. My fish shop has
some big ones, I'd guess unwanted ones which grew big. I have one
of around 8 inches in a 48 x 15 x 18 inch tank. It seems
comfortable, but I wouldn't like it to get bigger.

If you've got a pleco, consider giving him to your fish shop and
getting something that won't grow as long - an ancistrus for
example. As they get bigger, plecos don't really eat much algae
anymore anyway, you end up having to feed them loads and clean
the algae yourself!

Hope that helps.

--
Flash Wilson - Web Design & Mastery - 0870 401 4061 / 07939 579090
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Work: www.wdam.co.uk Personal: www.gorge.org

[JeffinMississippi]

"Flash Wilson" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 21 Jan 2006 15:59:25 GMT, JeffinMississippi wrote:
> >I have an Algea Eater (Exactly which species I cannot recall) and it
started
> >out about 1 1/2 inches long. Was watching it last night and realized that
> >this fish is getting BIG, like its about 8 inches long right now. When he
> >goes to the top of the tank (He sticks his mouth out of the water) his
body
> >is over half as long as the tank is deep. Anyone know how much longer
this
> >fish will get?
>
> Sounds like some kind of pleco, search google images on "pleco"
> and see? They do gulp air from the surface, and then release it
> over time as they wish.
>
> They get huge... a foot and a half, at a guess. My fish shop has
> some big ones, I'd guess unwanted ones which grew big. I have one
> of around 8 inches in a 48 x 15 x 18 inch tank. It seems
> comfortable, but I wouldn't like it to get bigger.
>
> If you've got a pleco, consider giving him to your fish shop and
> getting something that won't grow as long - an ancistrus for
> example. As they get bigger, plecos don't really eat much algae
> anymore anyway, you end up having to feed them loads and clean
> the algae yourself!
>
> Hope that helps.

Yep, thats it. Heres the fish (Not THE fish but one of it)
http://www.schillmania.com/photos/35mm/image/collection/at_home/pleco.jpg

[Flash Wilson]

On Sat, 21 Jan 2006 17:22:16 GMT, JeffinMississippi wrote:
>Yep, thats it. Heres the fish (Not THE fish but one of it)
>http://www.schillmania.com/photos/35mm/image/collection/at_home/pleco.jpg

Ok, so my original advice stands. Unless you have a 4 foot or
bigger tank, it's time to rehome him. Ask your fish store if they
will take him back and swap him for a species that won't grow too
big for you.

Cheers,

--
Flash Wilson - Web Design & Mastery - 0870 401 4061 / 07939 579090
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Work: www.wdam.co.uk Personal: www.gorge.org

[Jürgen Exner]

JeffinMississippi wrote:
> I have an Algea Eater (Exactly which species I cannot recall) and it
> started out about 1 1/2 inches long. Was watching it last night and
> realized that this fish is getting BIG, like its about 8 inches long
> right now. When he goes to the top of the tank (He sticks his mouth
> out of the water) his body is over half as long as the tank is deep.
> Anyone know how much longer this fish will get?

Well, that depends very much on _WHICH_ species you got.
Some of the common plecostomus species can and will grow to 50cm and more,
i.e. about 2 1/2 times as big as your's is today. Others stay somewhat
smaller.

I would suggest you get a good aquarium atlas such that you can get an
identification on your friend. Then you can find out if you can keep him in
the current tank or if you will need a much larger tank. The Mergus suggest
a tank size of at least 120cm for some (actually the most commonly sold)
species.

jue