Freshwater Question...

[cbianco]

Hey All

I am trying to get a positive ID on this Pleco. The fish store only labeled it as a "Pleco" with no details.

Thanks for the help!

Christopher

[GaryP]

Try doing a search for Hypostomus plecostomus

[Louie3]

I used to run a fresh before a salt it just looks like the common ones they sell at petstores but search what garry said

[MattK]

I think it looks more like a Hypostomus punctatus. There pretty cheap and one of the most common at LFS.

[GaryP]

Whatever they are, there are some huge ones in the San Antonio river.

The population established in Bexar county, Texas was introduced through an escape from the San Antonio Zoological Gardens (Courtenay et al., 1984). Hubbs et al. (1978) reported this population as abundant, and collected 50 specimens from the San Antonio River. These ranged in size from 13 to 238 mm SL. They found several individuals with mature gonads among those collected. Additionally, specimens have been collected from Comal Springs, Comal county, Texas (Whiteside in Howells, 1992). These are believed to have been released by recreational aquarists (Howells, 1992).

[MattK]

That's interesting. I wonder if there is still a strong population or if they have eradicated them.
On a side story, I was fishing in a pond on a golf course and caught an Oscar. Big sucker, it gave a pretty good fight. Every time I catch a fish in that pond I hope it's him, just to see his growth.

[TexasState]

Off subject,
I keep a Bristlenose Pleco in my planted tank. They are more costly but they stay small. They usually hide their ugly self during the day.