Common Pleco Fish
The common pleco fish, or Hypostomus plecostomus, is an armored catfish native to South America and the Amazon basin, where it sometimes eaten. A large number of similar species are imported from Latin America and sold in the aquarium trade under the name common pleco or H. plecostomus. Their prehistoric appearance and unfussy habits have made the common pleco and its close relatives some of the most popular aquarium fish.
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Description
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The common pleco can grow up to 30 inches long in the wild but is normally much smaller in aquariums. Plecos are brown with small eyes on top of a heavily armored head covered in bony plates that tapers down to a narrow body and tail. The mouth is underslung and forms a powerful sucker. The sexes are indistinguishable. Among the many species imported there are striped and spotted color forms.
Range
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The natural range of the common pleco goes from Costa Rica down to Uruguay and all through the Amazon and Orinoco basins. The actual species H. plecostomus is native to the Orinoco River basin. In the wild, common plecos are found in the slow flowing portions of large rivers, especially around sunken trees and river banks. Common plecos have escaped and are now breeding in both Florida and Texas and are farmed in Southeast Asia and Florida for the pet trade.
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Behavior
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Plecos are solitary, nocturnal fish that can be aggressively territorial with other fish of their own or similar species or size. In the aquarium large plecos should be kept alone in a specimen tank or with small surface fish. Small specimens can be kept in mixed tropical tanks but never with others of their own kind. Plecos favor a temperature of between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit and do not seem to be fussy about water chemistry. Plecos should be provided with plenty of hiding places.
Diet
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While common plecos are mainly vegetarian, they will feed on injured fish and small prey animals if they are available. In the wild, they feed on algae scraped off rocks and branches with their suckers and on fallen leaves, fruit and flowers. In the aquarium they will take flake food and pellets and will also appreciate green leaves such as lettuce or cabbage. As plecos get larger, their diet becomes broader.
Classification
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Common plecos are in the Loricariidae family of armored catfish. There are more than 600 species in the family, of which Hypostomus plecostomus is only one. As of 2010, there are more than 50 other similar named species in the Hypostomus genus and more than 200 awaiting classification.
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References
- Photo Credit catfish image by Earl Robbins from Fotolia.com
