Overview
- “Common Pleco” is a trade name for several large suckermouth catfish, most often the Amazon sailfin catfish (Pterygoplichthys pardalis). [UNVERIFIED] Store fish may be a related species or Hypostomus plecostomus.
- P. pardalis is native to the Amazon basin in Brazil and Peru.
- Can reach about 17 in (43 cm) standard length. Small juveniles are sold without warning of the adult size.
- Released aquarium plecos have become invasive in the US, the Philippines, Malaysia and elsewhere. Never release one into the wild.
Feeding
- [UNVERIFIED] An omnivorous grazer. Offer sinking algae wafers, vegetables such as zucchini, and some meaty foods.
- It will not survive on tank algae alone.
Habitat
- [UNVERIFIED] Adults need a very large tank, at least 125 gallons (473 liters), with strong filtration.
- Driftwood and caves for cover.
- [UNVERIFIED] Water: about 72–82°F (22–28°C), pH 6.5–7.5.
Fish Care
- Produces a lot of waste, so use strong filtration and regular water changes. [UNVERIFIED]
- Can breathe air at the surface when oxygen is low.
Compatibility
- [UNVERIFIED] Generally peaceful with other large fish, but may compete with other bottom dwellers for food and caves.
Aquarium Behavior
- Mostly active at night, spending the day hidden. [UNVERIFIED]
- [UNVERIFIED] Can be territorial toward other plecos as it grows.
Breeding
- [UNVERIFIED] Rarely bred in home aquariums. In the wild it digs burrows in riverbanks to spawn.