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Sorry folks, I have not been on the computer much this week. Forgive me if this week’s article is a little short.

This week, I’m going to look at a verrrrry familiar catfish. It’s big, it’s ugly, it’s easy to find… It’s the Common Pleco, of course!:%)

The “common” pleco (Pterygoplichthys pardalis, Hypostomus plecostomus, H. punctatus, Liposarcus multiradiatus, L. pardalis, Plecostomus plecostomus, … Many fish are called the “Common Pleco&#8221 is a Loricariid from South America, most commonly Brazil. They live in the Amazon River, and in its tributaries. The name “Pleco” came from the (now obsolete) genus name Plecostomus.

These fish are as hardy as they come. While they can easily tolerate a wide variety of water conditions, they prefer soft water heated to about 24 degrees C, at a pH of around 6.6. However, they will thrive in just about any type of water. Though they produce huge amounts of waste, they can tolerate living with it, much like the goldfish. As always, it is best to perform weekly water changes so that the fish doesn’t have to. These catfish like to have a couple of hiding places to go into (especially during the day), so those should be provided. Keep in mind that the common pleco gets quite large, so their ‘caves’ should be large, as well. This pleco is a hazard to live plants, because it uproots them with its clumsy movements and large size. Also, certain individuals may get a taste for plants, as well. Well oxygenated water and a good current are beneficial to them, because that suits their preference.

These fish are omnivores, and will eat pretty much anything. They are good algae eaters and relish vegetables, but they will voraciously feed on live and frozen foods as well. A mixed diet is best for these plecs, to keep them happy and full.

Most varieties of the common pleco reach at least 25 to 30 centimeters, though they have been reported to reach sizes of around 45 cm. They are tough fish, and will live through just about anything (Some fishkeepers have successfully kept plecos in brackish water setups!… Though I frown on that), provided they get good care from their owners.

Since these fish get so large, I recommend keeping them in a tank of at least 65 gallons (245 liters) in size, though more is always better. Plecos are sold all over, and are often bought to help combat algae problems. The problem is, many aquarists are unaware of the common pleco’s potential size, and do not provide these fish with enough space. If this happens, the fish will often stunt and die, or succumb to disease and/or stress. If you want to buy one of these fish, make sure you have the room to keep them for life!

Plecos are usually very peaceful fish, and good for a community tank. They (with few exceptions, depending on the individual’s personality) will not bother other fish, and mind their own business. However, it is important to note that they often become territorial towards other Loricariids (anything that is pleco-like). They will stab each other with their spines, and sometimes attach their powerful sucker mouths to their ‘opponent’. This can be easily remedied, by giving each plec plenty of room, and hidey-holes. Usually, these catfish battles are just caused by lack of space.

If you want to sex these fish, good luck. There is virtually no difference between male and female plecos, at least none that are obvious to the human eye.

The common pleco is usually either black, gray, or brown in color, though there is an albino form as well. Also, some fish may have red mixed in.

Photos of the common pleco:



The common pleco is probably one of the most (if not the most) widely kept catfish in the hobby. They are also some of the toughest and longest-lived. They can easily make it to ten years of age and beyond, if properly cared for. These fish also have interesting personalities, due to their goofy behavior. If you have ever seen a pleco dining on algae, snout pointed towards the substrate, you’ll know what I mean!

Links: http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/compleco.htm
http://www.fishpalace.org/H_plecostomus.html
[link=http:// www.timstropicals.com/Inventory/Catfish/PlecoInfo.asp]http:// www.timstropicals.com/Inventory/Catfish/PlecoInfo.asp[/link]

[link=Week One- Betta splendens (Siamese Fighting Fish)]http:// www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/General%20Freshwater/50279.html[/link]
Week Two- Carassius auratus (Common Goldfish)
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Last edited by sirbooks at 15-Dec-2004 20:15

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Great article!

One thing to note, which i have learned by other members:

The Common Pleco will acually take a long time to starve to death. So make sure you feed it alot of algae pellets if they arent getting enough food.

The pleco we have now is 15 years old, almost 16. They can live a LONG time if you take care of them right.

Nice.

I agree that they should NEVER be kept in brackish water. As with all plecs, they are quite sensitive to salt, and keeping them in such conditions will GREATLY shorten their lifespans--it'll probably slowly kill them through osmotic potential, anyways.

nice article, only question i have is will the pleco grow to its full potential in a 75 gal? i noticed you said you need atleast a 65. i myself have 2 plecos in a 75, i am looking to give one to a good home but no one around here needs/can house it.

awsome article...and you are truelly right to say that they are ugly!!! Absolutely HORRID...I used to have one that would hide in the castle, and because of his size he would often get stuck till I helped him out of the castle, finally had to remove it... My current one is quite shy most of the time, but I did have the rare occassion to get a picture of him...



Only a face a mother could love, or could she? Heidi[/font]

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

Nice article. Love the subtle hints of humor..that is..if you intended it to be funny...(now obselete) haha

PS Pics are great

Last edited by Chino at 02-Dec-2004 22:03

When I was younger (early teens) my parents had a 25g long tank, and had an Oscar and a Common Pleco. The common pleco was so long he had to wrap around the tanks outside walls to fit . His nose and tail were almost touching. We went away on a vacation for 10 days, and left instructions with the "house watcher" to feed the fish once a day. The people who were supposed to feed the fish never did once, and we came home to find that Mr. Pleco had first EATEN Osky, and then had himself died sometime after. Who knows why. At final measurement just before Mr. Pleco became garden fertilizer, was 23 1/2 inches.
He was common pleco Hypostomus Plecostomus, looked just the one in pic #1.
I have seen many plecs recently in pet stores well over 10 inches in length. Mostly trade ins from people who never thought that fish would get so big.
Great article! Keep up the good work Sirbooks!


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only question i have is will the pleco grow to its full potential in a 75 gal?

Yes, 75 gallons should be fine, be prepared to step up your filtration as the plec grows because they produce a HUGE amount of waste.

Another thing not mentioned in the article is that plecs will NOT stunt as fast as other fish IME, and have been known to reach 10" in a 10 gallon tank. NO, this does absolutely NOT make it ok to keep them in small tanks, I just thought it was worth mentioning. Common plecs are one of the hardiest aquarium fish out there and will survive years in really deplorable situations, I think it's really heartbreaking personally. It's almost worse to keep a hardy fish in a shoebox for five years than it is to have a goldie in one that only makes it for a few months.

I also have to add that the "plec rental" program that I have seen popping up lately makes me sick. Passing a fish around from dirty tank to dirty tank, getting larger and larger as it grows, is absolutely shameful and disgusting.

wow i wish my cousin's pleco did that. it grew to about 6-7" in the 10g and was already stunted. his head was all big and he was short =/

in general, i'll have to agree to just not risk it. give them a big home to start with and you'll have happy feeeshies!

The pottery that growls!

Great article. THanks books

The pleco in the 2nd picture is a Snow King pleco.

I have one in my 55g

Come to think of it, I think vic is right.

You know, that may well be true. That pic must have snuck in there somehow. I will remove it, so that people don't get confused.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

err, i think i may have come on too strong, but Snow king plecos are sold off as commons (sometimes)

I heard they get around 16"