Potential problem with Pleco?

Question
Hello Petstore Girl,

I have a question about my Pleco, Oscar. I have a 15 gallon tank I inherited from my mother. We have ALWAYS had a Pleco in this tank; the one mother had lived well over 10 years. When I set up the tank, the first thing that came to mind was the pleco. I have had him for about three weeks; it shares the tank with 5 guppies.

I am worried about something I read today about "stunting fish growth". You see, I was told a Pleco will grow according to it's tank size. Now I read this thing about stunting; meaning it grows as much as it can then it stunts!

I don't want to harm my little buddy. If the tank is too small, can I take it back to the pet store? I don't care if they won't refund me, but would they just take him back? I don't want to kill the poor thing :(

Also, if the tank is too small for him, is there another type of pleco or scavenger fish I can keep in a 15 gallon tank?

Thanks for your help,
Nathalie  

Answer
Stunting a fish's growth won't kill them. All that means is that the fish will stop growing based on how large his environment is. It won't hurt the fish like it may hurt a human child. It's just a mechanism built into the chemistry of the fish that has helped them adapt.

Most pet store's will take back the pleco, espesially if you come to find you no longer need him for his primary purpose - eating algae. Most place's won't give refunds, although they may buy him if he is of an extremely large size - they are sought after for large ponds.