Stunted Growth?

Hi. I'm new here. I have had my pleco for about 1.5 years and she has only recently, reached 2.5 inches. I feed her algae wafers and she then eats, whatever food the other fish don't. I'm worried her lack of growth is down to me. Am I doing anything wrong?

Thanks

Are you feeding any veg or just wafers and flake, etc, a good varied diet helps growth. There is a list of veg you can add to her diet HERE

I'm assuming water conditions are good and there is no overcrowding, both of which can affect growth.

Genetics could be a possible cause, it may just have come from inbred fish.

If she is happy and healthy I would not worry to much.

I used to feed her veggies but she never ate them, although she does get alot of algae from the plastic plants, that I place in the tank each month;i'm too lazy to clean them and she does a better job :p Not sure if that counts. However, I have placed a slice of potato in the tank, since posting here and she seems to love it

I don't think the tank is overcrowded. Its a 15 gallon with a few tetra and a dwarf gourami. She does seem fine and healthy in herself, but I've just been looking at the other female bn's on here and got jealous lol and also I got worried, in case I was messing up somewhere.

Thanks for the help

you mention its a pleco, we are assuming you mean a bristlenose. there are lots of plecos that would grow at that rate.

Ahh yeah sorry. She's a bristlenose.

common bristlenose?

this is the thing. in your neck of the woods a bristlenose is not always a bristlenose if you get what i mean. I hear tell on this site all the time of people being sold albinos which are infact gibbys, or being sold L183s which turn out to be medusas.

best bet would be to get a pic of her up here so we can have a look.

Of course, the fact that she is a girl means that she will always be smaller than the boys and this is nothing to worry about. and just like any other animal there are big ones and small ones. I have had common male bristlenose who have been so big people refuse to believe they are commons (about 18cms) while i have had females breed when they are just 2 inches long. they are a very variable species and that why we love 'em

Doug wrote:

they are a very variable species and that why we love 'em

Woot