Minimum tank size for a full-grown common pleco?

[SheepdogLover]

Say my common pleco grows to be a size of....oh, let's see, 15 inches. What would the MINIMUM tank size be for him? I've grown very attached to the little guy and I'm going to (try to) convince my mom to get a larger tank. I just hope when I ask her she doesn't bring up the time I got attached to our old washer and dryer...ANYWHOO, what's the minimum tank size for him?

 

[zimmerlyct]

As big as you can talk her into............

 

[dana307]

I would say a solid 55. A friend of mine has a HUGE pleco, about 13 or14 inches and it's in a 50 or 55. They need to be the width of the tank I believe. So a 15" wide tank.

 

[jaws2]

na not that big a 40 BREEDER would do good those tanks are squarish wideish longish

 

[SoulFish]

well they get 2 feet so it seems cruel to me to put them in a tank taht they can barely turn around in, but this is just my opinion

 

[lil_mikey69]

I agree, the tank should at least be big enough for the fish to turn around in. So if its 15 inches you need a tank that is at least 18 inches wide. Id say a 65 gallon is the best place to start, 36*18*24. Also a 40 gallon breeder because its 36*18*16 but thats not very big.