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My lfs has a Sailfin Pleco, which i want to buy. Hes in a display tank so theres no price tag but i plan on bribeing them. He is about 3inches long and very fat.

What is a good price?

Will it be compatible with these fish?
Angels
Rams
Threadfin Rainbows
Ghost knife
Cories
Clown loaches
Sword tails
pearl gourmis
Red tail black shark
Butterfly fish
BN

Do they swim upside down alot?
Because this one seems to love being upside down under a large piece of DW in the display tank

Can someone who owns one post a pic for me to make a possitive ID

Thanks in Advance
Alex

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''All the clown fish and yellow tangs in the world cant save you now!''

Sailfin plecos are dirt cheap around here, but I'm not sure about Australia. I personally wouldn't pay more than about $6 for a 3" specimen.

Keep in mind they need at least a 120 gallon tank when adults (90 and 110 gallons have horrible dimensions for them).

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

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In the tank you described in chat 8 foot by 2 foot he will be fine.

The upside down thing is simple. he's hiding from the light. No worries. It's normal.

As with any fish that is going to fetch you a price I would visit him a few times in the week to make sure he is of good health. Unless you can totally trust and know your LFS.

My real worries are with your other stock. First thing is your bioload would be up there. Even tho your tank would be around 240 gallons give or take. That's still alot of big fish to house with an 18 incher. It should be fine for quite sometime wile they grow up. Just keep an eye on how long your NitrAtes take to build up.

I would also be hesitant of some of the combinations for hopes of keeping them long term.

Off the bat I would keep an eye on the African butterfly and the Angels. Make sure you don't see a lot of aggression.

Then I would pay close attention to how large The BGK's mouth gets as it grows. Your rams and other smaller fish might start disappearing overnight. Mine is about a yr n a half and I'm starting to eyeball him.

Last edited by Shannen at 28-Mar-2005 21:37

A good price would be around $10 U.S., I don't know what that is in Aussie dollars.

They are technically compatible with all those fish, but are they all in the same tank? If so, there are a few small problems that might crop up. A sailfin might fight with the BN, plecos are often territorial amongst themselves. If there are plenty of hiding places in the tank though, things should be okay. Also, the BGK might want to retain territory that the sailfin covets. You need to make sure that you have space for all of those bottom feeders, especially since several (sailfins, clown loaches, BGKs) get so large.

They don't actually swim upside-down, but they do like to hang out in an inverted position. Most plecos will suck onto an overhanging ledge or suchlike projection, and hang upside-down for hours. I've seen my BN do it a lot, yours probably does it as well when you aren't around.

Last edited by sirbooks at 28-Mar-2005 21:37

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

The norm in Aus is about $45-50 if it is a gibbiceps, otherwise if it is just a common incorrectly labelled, then $35-40 tops. Are you in Sydney? If so I can point you in the right direction for stores that have them in stock at a reasonable price.

Plecos almost never swim upside down, but they do hide under things upside down.

6-8cm Gibs can be obtained from $35+. Where I get mine from are $40 each and are in nice shape. I do see some stores in Sydney selling for ridicious prices and some are cheap as chips. Really depends on where you obtain them from. But commons are cheaper...I can get them between $20-$30 for 6-8cm.

Last edited by mangor34 at 29-Mar-2005 23:36

In Melbourne, the best you can get is about $115 for about a 4". I have seen a 8" go for $500. They are so georgous!I would definitely go for it!

Where in Sydney can you get them for that price? I would like to check that shop out. I thought my LFS had good prices.

i shouldda shipped my 10" one over to melborne lol
they r beautiful fish but sell for bout 10 bucks canadian for a 1" fish
i gave my 10" to a school for there 6' tank

Great fish, but what a huge difference in prices I got mine when it was 1-1.5" for less than $5.

It's probably just over 2" in this pic:



Theresa_M attached this image:


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