Can anybody ID my Pleco?

[evilhorde]

Hello, I recently bought a used tank and it came with a few plecos. The plecos were destined to freeze in a pond in the tank owners yard once I bought their home so I brought them home with the tank. I currently have them housed with my other fish but they are brutal on my landscaping. I figure once I know what they are, I can start working on a better way to house them for now. Their future is still uncertain because I don't have a billion gallon tank to house three large plecos in. They are currently between 6" and 8". And at my best count have 8 rays on their dorsal fin.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v645/Evilhorde/Aquaria/Pleco/2012-03-28184924.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v645/Evilhorde/Aquaria/Pleco/2012-03-28184941.jpg

I have a 45 long that I can put them in for now, but I know that it won't do forever. Have I taken on a white elephant with these fish? Probably. But first, what are they? And second, Thank you.

[dbosman]

They look like common plecos. They can get to be 18" to 30". Smaller in captivity. Amazon natives make soup of them.

I very much wish stores would quit selling these.
Start looking for a home with a larger (much larger) tank for them.

[skullduggery1]

Yes, definitely a "trinidad "pleco,or hypostomus punctatus.Usually will max out at 14inches,or slightly smaller.but, the similar looking liposarcus pardalis(show king) gets much,much, larger,and is sold more commonly in the chain stores.

[evilhorde]

These fish don't resemble the one in this link: "trinidad pleco"
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=830+837+984&pcatid=984
Or at least no more than every pleco does. The spots are too small on my fishes and the fish on the link appears to be missing the shaded stripes of mine.
It appears like the pictured 'trinidad pleco' is a brown fish with tan circles on his side while mine is a tan fish with brown dots. Same thing really, but subtly different, if you follow me.

I am hoping to move them later today into a different tank. If I manage it, I will get some more pics from different angles.

Thanks for the help so far.