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55g and 75g are completly different in footprint size. its more then just 20 gallons more. my 75g is 48x18 footprint.

I wouldn't have the heart to sell him, (pretty sure it's a him since it has a bump instead of a females indent, according to one website at least.) he develops a personality, similar to clowns..

I guess some have no problem selling fish, I wouldn't have a problem if it was a young fish, but he's a part of the tank now.. not to mention most people looking for big plecos are interested in putting them in a tank with aggressive fish, and it would be bad to see what happens to a gibby's personality in those conditions.. (at least IMO) I'ld rather just get a bigger tank



Last edited by Wizzard~Of~Ozz at 03-Jan-2005 18:35

Well heres my 2 cents.I had a gibby(my favorite fish ever),bought at 1.5",started in a 20 went to a 30 and then the 55. Well I sold him bout 3 months ago at 8+", 2 weeks before I got my 120. I owned him for 11 months. Great algea eater and beautiful fish. I now own a albino gibby. He is in my 55(4 days now)and will be going to my 120 in bout 5-6 months. I do not believe I will be able to keep him for life in that size tank. IMO, never keep a fish over .75 of the width of your tank. Think of the fish. Grow him and sell him is cool if you know of a place that will take(and maybe pay LOL) for him. Good luck/great fish.

...and a beautiful one at that. Nice fish you've go there.

Yep, that's a Gibbiceps.

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

I wish the stores would tell people about the size plecs can reach, they look cute when they're 1-2" but then you get what I got, I inherited a 20Gal tank with a gibby in it (at least that's the best I can identify it) that was 9", I've got him in a 75 Gal now, and 4' won't be long enough soon, he can clear the distance when startled in less then a tenth of a second, if this isn't a gibby then could someone enlighten me?

http://woo.gotdns.com/t_000_0175.JPG

if it is, then you may consider upgrading your tank in a couple of years, this one is about 3 years old. and they do reach 18" long. I've never seen him attack a fish but I've seen him clean up fish that have died(neons killed by congos)[/font]



Last edited by Wizzard~Of~Ozz at 31-Dec-2004 17:57

My parents common pleco killed their oscar cuz the two were in such a small tank (35g), and it wasnt fed for a week (we were on vacation, our house sitters were lousy! came once).

I wouldnt put a fish that large in a 50g tank.
I would say nothing short of 5 foot long and at least 2 feet wide.
A fish of 14-26 inches needs room to turn around.
My parents common at death measured 23 1/2 inches.


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I have a Gibiceps too! But I have the brown variety with gold spots. Oh, and yes I have seen a white Gibeceps in Osterely, Maidenhead aquatics centre.
JJWhiptails +Catfish

The poor thing wont even have enough room to turn in an 18" wide tank.

i meant it was more then just that, there are other differences then that. not more gallons

I am aware of the dimensions of a typical 75 gallon tank...

Even in an 18" wide tank, that's still not enough room. The pleco would have to bend its tail at a right angle just sit facing forward in the tank, which isn't possible (therefore the fish still cannot move around comfortably).

And last time I checked, a 75 gallon is only 20 gallons larger than a 55...

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

I went to my lfs a brought a Gibiceps pleco, never heard of them before but was told to look after it just like a common pleco.
It looks great it is white with brown lepard patches.
I will try a get a picture. He is only very small like a baby plec.

Has any one seen these before?

Here is a picture but not my fish.
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loricari/pterygop/148_10.php



Last edited by stew at 24-Dec-2004 03:13

Peas and zuccini are both relished by these and many other plecos. Just par-boil them for about min or so, to make them sink in the tank. Also, remove the skin of the peas, as they will take them much quicker. With the zuccini, you can tie it down or just use some kind of weight to hold it down, if you just want to add it raw. This is the way I do mine.

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There is always a bigger fish...

Thanks. I never heard of a gibbiceps before. He is only a baby at the moment in 50 gal tank but i am defininately investing in a much bigger tank not to far in the future.
I am feeding him on plec pellets and algae wafers and any uneaten flake at the moment. But i might try lettace or greens when he is bigger.

No Vic, it is Pteryboplichtys gibbiceps, or sailfin pleco.

As for tank size, most sold will fit nicely into a 55 gal tank. And be quite fine for a while. However, they will most likely be stunted and not grow normally, if not given enough space to do so. And in the end, they will probably not live to their normal life expectancy. I too would suggets nothing less than a 125 gal tank. And, unless your lfs will take them back in trade when they get larger (a couple years tops), I would suggest you not purchase one of these fish, without a larger tank to keep them in.

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There is always a bigger fish...

At the store I work at, we have several large [15-18"] plecos of this genus. We keep them in 55 gallon tanks, because those are our largest real stock tanks.

After seeing plecos that huge in 55 gallons, seeing how cramped they are and how they can barely move, I cannot imagine them being kept their whole life in a tank that's only 20 gallons larger. It's just too small.

These fish would need a 100 gallon tank just to be able to easily turn around, and a 125 would be the minimum size to actually keep these fish happy and comfortable.

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

I've had some painful experiences with plecs, but none of them related to pectoral fin cuts. How the heck can a lorcariid pectoral fin cut through anything? Those things are thick and blunt in front. As for tank size, gibbies are not to be kept in anything less than a 100 gallon. A 75 gallon may be fine for a small 5-6" indivdual, but anything pushing 12" is going to need something larger.

i agree shini, but 99% of the time it doesnt result in injury. ive never seen it happen in my tank and ive seen my gibby give a good fight for food. majority of the time if a huge pleco is rushing toward a smaller fish they move lol. i know i would lol. i really wouldnt worry about a gibby going rougue and takeing out an entire tank, unless of course its known for serious agression by personality. for the most part its a gentle beast that will stand its ground against even larger far more agressive fish.

isnt that "gibbous"(sp?) another name for a sailfin plec?


As far as i know, sailfins need a 75g tank min.

They arnt agressive but wont be pushed around either. sometimes they get territorial about thier cave but usually just rush tresspassers to scare them out. not very active in the day but might see it once in a while.

Not 100% true. Gibbiceps and other large plecs are sometimes known to use their pectorals to slice up other fish in battle if they're going for food or something of that sort. And let me tell ya, wounds from a plec look VERY painful.

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.