here are my two plecs just want to know what type they are.

Harley, 12yrs 20cm/8inch




And pleco, 5yrs 12cm/ 5inch (brought as a bristle nose)but I dont think he is

I am by no means an expert on these fish, however that does rather look like a "common plec" to me.

As for the second photo, bristlenose catfish don't get much bigger than 6 inches. I would expect a common plaque to get much bigger than 5 inches at 12 years old, it doesn't look like a bristlenose catfish to me, but that noddy give you the benefit of his opinion.

im no expert eather but the bottom one does look like a bristle nose,
either a female or male one, im not quite sure but i know one will not get the bristles.

but from the photo it looks like a bristlenose.

I have both of those fish in my tanks.
The first does look like my Common Pleco (one of the few species listed as common) mine is Liposarcus Multiradiatus however 8 inches does seem quite small for 12 years of age. Mine is about 3 years and well over 12 inches long. They have been described to reach 20-24 inches fully grown, I don't know how long it would take and how big your tank needs to be.

The second photo is a female Ancistrus Bristlenose, no doubts there. If it was a 'he' there would a big bunch of bristles for a BN of that age. Out the many that I have it seems the females also have a rounded face and the males face is more pointed (a good way to try and sex them when they are still young.

Look like "common pleco" to me. But just because they are common doesn't mean they arent VERY cool fish.

common like mine :

i aggree with Aus-car on the species.
and i second that the common should have reached it's full adult size at 12 years ,so
he's a bit too small for it's age, but keeping him for that long is a good accomplishment allready.
but he looks healthy and his proportions do not seem stunted.
i think he won't grow any bigger, seeing the age he is at now...
how big is the tank that he's been in?

My 12 year old has been in several tanks I admit some were possibly too small for him; he has even been in 3seperate houses (even given up to my mother-in-law) but I love him so much that I wanted him back and so I made sure that when I got my O's tank he was coming home. I brought him at the same time as my dora and they are still very close even though they were apart for nearly a year. I thought he was a common but everyone goes on about how big they get and he never has although hes a great character.

Thanks for info guys, but may have to change pleco's name if he is a she but that explains alot shes the smallest in the tank but no means a push over she is a little miss bossy boots.

It could just come down to genetics aswell as tank size. Some humans are over 7'feet tall and some max out at just over half that