Expanded Fish Care

PLECOSTOMUS

Common Plecomstomus (Pleco) Classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Siluriformes

Family: Loricariidae

Genus: Hypostomus

Species: Hypostomus plecostomus


 Care level-Beginner to Moderate depending on species. Plecostomus or plecos are not the most complicated species of fish to care for. The hardest part of keeping them is supplying the right environment and diet requirements.  

Temperament and Behavior- Every Plecostomus is different, and each has a distinctive personality. Some plecos like the Clown Plecostomus are extremely shy and reclusive. Others like the Bristlenose or High-Finned Pleco can actively be seen glass-hanging and exploring the aquarium. 

Lifespan- 5-15+ years, depending on the variety of Plecostomus and overall health. Many factors can affect your Pleco's lifespan.    

Size- Depending on species, some stay small 3-4 inches, for example, Bristlenose, Rubbernose, Clown, or High-Finned Plecostomus. Other species may grow to an unmanageable size of 3+ feet. Readily available often sold young, and many are unaware of their aquarium requirements and nutritional needs. Do not purchase a Common Pleco unless you are fully aware of how big they can grow. Please do your research on the species available to you, and it's essential to know the potential size.  

Diet- It is important when keeping fish to do your research on several topics, it all depends on the specific species and individual personalities. Plecostomus are no different. It is fundamental, however, easily overlooked to ask about and write down the specific species you are planning on purchasing. This makes researching easier and you will know if you can give proper care. Each Plecostomus, an armored catfish has additional requirements to thrive to its full potential. There are a few commonalities that are worth noting and sharing. Like most fish species in my fish room, Plecostomus are omnivores. They need a mix of plant and animal matter for their diet to have enough nutrients necessary to sustain life. The challenging part is that some Pleco fish tend to lend towards the herbivore side and do require more vegetation in their diet. Whereas others are very carnivorous, you need to research and make sure you feed the proper diet to help ensure the longevity of your fish. Do not exclusively rely on algae to feed your Plecostomus.     

Plecostomus are scavengers and love and enjoy eating and cleaning up the algae in the aquarium and are great team players on a clean-up crew. It is super important that you continue to feed them a mix of high-quality foods regularly. Don't strictly rely on the algae in your tank to provide for them. My favorite foods are veggie round, shrimp pellets, frozen blood worms, and wood pellets. The point of interest regarding Pleco's is that they will destroy plants, and unfortunately, the answer is yes and no. Some species in the fish room leave plants alone, acting like the plants weren't even there. Others have gone after the algae on the plant leaves, and the plant was a byproduct. Whereas, no matter where the plants are in the aquarium, some Pleco's will stir up the substrate and constantly uproot the plant until the plant slowly degrades. 

Do specific Plecos fish need driftwood in the aquarium? Driftwood aids in adding fiber into their diet to allow for proper digestion. I always use the rule of thumb to add a piece of driftwood to the aquarium, and the Plecostomus can rasp at its leisure to be on the safe side. 

Peckoltia Plecostomus example Candy-Striped Plecostomus, Otocinclus catfish aka the dwarf suckermouth catfish, Royal Plecos, and Zebra Plecos. These Plecos, I haven't kept, require driftwood in their diet. Also, the Bristlenose and Clown Plecostomus, both I currently have, are Pleco's that both 100% need driftwood in their diet. I have noticed that the Bristlenose needs more vegetation or driftwood, but both are equally important in their diet. They enjoy fish veg rounds. With Clown Pleco, you will need to leave the lights off if you ever plan on seeing them enjoy a meal. Generally, I think all Plecostomus can benefit from driftwood in their environment to enjoy when they want—feeding a mix of veg rounds with a treat of frozen foods. They will still be a great addition to a tank's clean-up crew. However, remember they are big eaters meaning they produce a lot of waste (bioload).

Various small and large Plecostomus I have kept throughout the years.

Minimum Tank Size- Depending on species, some stay relatively small, and others grow significantly large. It would be best to research the species you have or plan to have because each does have its requirements. Range from a 20-gallon aquarium for a smaller pleco species or use for a temporary grow-out tank. However, some do require a 100+ gallon. 

pH 6.0-8.0

Water Hardness- All my plecos in the fish room I keep are cared for in hard water. 

Temperature-72-80 degrees Fahrenheit

Tank-mates- The list of tank-mates you can successfully keep with plecos is plentiful, depending on the potential the species you wish to keep will grow too. I have plecos with Guppies and Neon Tetra, and I also have a Common Plecostomus in a Silver Arowana tank. 

Recommended Group Size- 1 per tank is probably best. If a smaller species and available tank space, maybe two. If you have a male and female, there is a fair chance they will breed. Occasionally, a pleco was lost when putting two in the same aquarium because one was outcompeted for food, take precautions if you notice aggression or not eating.  

Male v. Female- I wish I had more information regarding the differences between males and females in Plecostomus fish. I do not know of too many differences you can spot between the two just by looking. However, the only information I can share regarding distinguishing males from females is the Ancistrus cirrhosus or Ancistrus Bristlenose Pleco. Ancistrus refers to the genus of the species; male members of the Ancistrus genus will have whiskery or prickly noses. These tentacles are interopercular odontodes, seen in mature Bristlenose Plecos males and rarely a trait you see in females of this species. 

I haven't successfully bred Pleco fish before, but I don't usually keep two plecos in the same tank until recently. Provide caves so that the female fits snugly, you will see her cave up and soon find a male protecting a clutch of eggs. Plecos can produce many, many baby fry at a time. Be prepared and plan for the fry if you wish to breed.  

Since childhood, I have kept various Plecostomus or armored catfish, having at least one Pleco in almost every aquarium. Large, small, active, and reclusive. Each one has its distinct personality and multiple needs and requirements to thrive. It is essential to research the specific pleco species you choose. One of the biggest mistakes that I have made was not providing a proper diet. Plecos are fantastic at helping clean and maintain the aquarium but do not rely exclusively on algae to feed them. They require a lot more to their diet than just cleaning rocks and glass. Plecos are omnivores, and along with plant matter, meat is an essential part of their diet. Providing a variety of foods and proteins will help ensure nutritional needs to promote proper health and growth. Again, research on the specific Plecostomus is imperative. Ensure you offer various proteins, fats, and carbohydrates is an absolute must; you must feed them like all fish species. Fiber is an essential carbohydrate that is important to some plecos diets.

The simplest way to meet this need for their diet is to have a driftwood piece to rasp on somewhere in the aquarium. Some plecos don't necessarily need wood through the years of talking to various fish stores and pleco keepers. However, some plecos need this fiber from the driftwood to aid in maintaining a healthy digestive system. To keep and care for a pleco, I recommend adding a driftwood piece to your aquarium. They are nocturnal; whether they rasp or not, driftwood pieces will provide an excellent safety source by providing cover, causing lower stress levels. My favorite food for the plecos in my fish room is Omega One Veggie Rounds which I feed often. 

Tank Setup- Researching the individual Pleco you choose to keep is fundamental when setting up the right environment for them to thrive. Each species requires specific needs that you will not know unless you do your homework. Writing an instruction guide for a perfect tank that works for every Pleco is challenging. However, there is some commonality that you can keep in mind and a few things that I have noticed that work well. Plecos love, love, love, and often find them around the filter input; they enjoy water flow. Providing an adequate number of hiding spots is essential. They are nocturnal species, and allowing them a dark period, turning off the light is very important. If you want a healthy Plecostomus, remember to feed them a varied high-quality diet, do not rely only on the algae on the glass. Adding a few pieces of driftwood to the aquarium will always be a great idea.  

L-numbers explained-Sometimes when researching different pleco species, you run across L-numbers. All known species of animals are scientifically named, called Scientific nomenclature. However, sometimes recently discovered species are not adequately classified yet and referred to by a number. There are seven levels: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and if you look in the top section under plecos Family, you see Loricaiidae, and this is where the L-numbers come from, followed by a number. Helping keep newly discovered species of Plecos straight till appropriately named and then usually no longer referred to by this L-number.