# Plecs



## TianRunty (Apr 15, 2008)

I was wondering what size tank you guys keep common plecs in ie:








This isn't my actual plec but it looks just like that and is roughly 1ft long. I have a second plec that I can never find any pics of online and although he was sold to me as a gold spot/golden nugget I'm completely not convinced. He's almost hybrid looking from all the pics I've seen, he's about 8inches long.
I'm just being curious since there can sometimes be a big difference between each persons perception of what is ok for these guys to live in


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## exoticsandtropics (Mar 11, 2007)

a big one . common plecs be it plecoctomus or gibbiceps will both get fairly large and so a large enough tank is needed at least a 4ft for an adult. they will both get about 30-40cm long


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## Andy53 (Jun 20, 2008)

I kept my common plec in a 3ft aqaurium, but when he got to 1ft long I gave him away, mainly because he was polluting the tank, even with a heavy duty external filter. I think a 3-4ft tank is ok, depending on what else you have in it.

As for the other one, if it is a gold nugget, then he will live quite happily in a 3ft tank, providing there is plenty of cover for him. I keep mine with a royal plec, in a 3ft tank, and have no problem at all. What does yours look like? A gold nugget is usually a dark frown, with yellow spots, and a yellow tip on the tail.

Andy


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

mimimum would be 6ft x 3ft x 3ft, imo. : victory:


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## paulchall84 (Jun 12, 2008)

that pic is of a gibbi:2thumb:
not a common


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

paulchall84 said:


> that pic is of a gibbi:2thumb:
> not a common


often sold as a "common", though.

What exactly is a common anyway? About 4 different species are sold as "common plecs"


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## paulchall84 (Jun 12, 2008)

Esfa said:


> often sold as a "common", though.
> 
> What exactly is a common anyway? About 4 different species are sold as "common plecs"


 
there are lots of commons [pattens/colours] most are black some are brown with like spots some are sold as common but are loo1 gold spot plec go on planet catfish and look for common plec


if there a pick of your plecs i will try to id them for you:lol2:


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## Marinam2 (Sep 4, 2007)

30/40cm are you sure i have seen specimens much bigger!!

Mine is currently living very well in a 4x2x2.

Marina


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## paulchall84 (Jun 12, 2008)

Marinam2 said:


> 30/40cm are you sure i have seen specimens much bigger!!
> 
> Mine is currently living very well in a 4x2x2.
> 
> Marina


 
post a pic of the big boy:2thumb:


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## TianRunty (Apr 15, 2008)

my other plec has sides like this fella 
PlanetCatfish • Cat-eLog • Loricariidae
but not that colouration. he looks almost armored(sp) along his sides and has yellowy blotches/spots/squigles lol i'll try and get a pic of him asap.
looking at the pics there he's def not a golden nugget


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## TianRunty (Apr 15, 2008)

ok i just went and took some pics to show you guys my big lads(or little lads depending on what fish you are used to lol)
heres my 1ft long one








and here's the fella I'm not sure about, you can't really see his sides properly in these pics cos I had to use my phone camera and the flash always goes nuts. but they are like the one in the link above just not plain black


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## Marinam2 (Sep 4, 2007)

I havent got a photo thing account hense the reason i have NO pic anywhere on this bloody forum.
If i could upload directly it'd be game on!
Marina


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## paulchall84 (Jun 12, 2008)

TianRunty said:


> my other plec has sides like this fella
> PlanetCatfish • Cat-eLog • Loricariidae
> but not that colouration. he looks almost armored(sp) along his sides and has yellowy blotches/spots/squigles lol i'll try and get a pic of him asap.
> looking at the pics there he's def not a golden nugget


the little lad could be a l001 PlanetCatfish • Cat-eLog • Loricariidae


PlanetCatfish • Cat-eLog • Loricariidae


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## paulchall84 (Jun 12, 2008)

the first one is a gibby


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## TianRunty (Apr 15, 2008)

he does look like the one in the first link. i never spotted that pic. any idea how big he'll get?


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## paulchall84 (Jun 12, 2008)

TianRunty said:


> he does look like the one in the first link. i never spotted that pic. any idea how big he'll get?


 

*very big lol*


*i cant rember now i think its about 18" but dont quote me on that both will be very big boys*
PlanetCatfish • Catfish of the Month • July 1997


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

first one will get upto 24"
second one upto 18"

as i said before, 6ftx3ftx3ft would br the minimum size tank for them. : victory:


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## paulchall84 (Jun 12, 2008)

Esfa said:


> first one will get upto 24"
> second one upto 18"
> 
> as i said before, 6ftx3ftx3ft would br the minimum size tank for them. : victory:


6ft x3ftx3ft <---------------- Esta you forgot to say EACH :lol2:


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## mrsfluff (Jul 15, 2007)

Heres one of my babies

















Goldspot plec

He's about 14" long and fully grown.
I also have 2 'common' Plecs at about 12" and 10" and still growing! and 1 royal plec.
They are all living happily together in a 7x2x2 beast of a tank!!


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## Marinam2 (Sep 4, 2007)

I was always told that plecs are very intollerant of their own kind so how do you keep three together??

Marina


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## mrsfluff (Jul 15, 2007)

They got plenty of space and there is plenty of wood in the tank for them.
No problems at all!:2thumb:


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## paulchall84 (Jun 12, 2008)

Marinam2 said:


> I was always told that plecs are very intollerant of their own kind so how do you keep three together??
> 
> Marina


i have about 8 in 1 tank but only 1 is a gibbi.
i have bristlenose sp3,whiptails l184 starlight bns 
some of them like there own space and dont get on well with others but there 1000s of plecs out there and most are gentle gaints but not all


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## paulchall84 (Jun 12, 2008)

mr fluff the first 1 looks like a l001 gold spot in the next pic the 1 on the bottom looks like a gibbi from here


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## mrsfluff (Jul 15, 2007)

paulchall84 said:


> mr fluff the first 1 looks like a l001 gold spot in the next pic the 1 on the bottom looks like a gibbi from here


Yep both pics are of a gold spot plec the one on the bottom in the second pic is a 'common' plec, not as pretty as a gibbi!!!

Just looked at the second pic again, He does look like a gibbi in the pic, but he's a lot darker than that!!!!


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## paulchall84 (Jun 12, 2008)

common are more spots gibbis are like a honey cone that what makes me say gibbi


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## mrsfluff (Jul 15, 2007)

paulchall84 said:


> common are more spots gibbis are like a honey cone that what makes me say gibbi


I'll see if I can get a better pic of him tomorrow when the lights are on.
He is defo more spots than honeycombe!!


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## paulchall84 (Jun 12, 2008)

i know i sat lookin at the pic for 10 min an now think gold spot l001 but its hard to tell with a face shot commons have white


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