Normal Pleco

The normal pleco is recommended for intermediate aquarist due to it’s large adult size (up to 38 cm) and large tank (320 litres) requirements.  They are a hardy fish that is great at eating algae and keeping your aquarium clean.

Plecostomus, or Plecos, (Hypostomus plecostomus) are one of the armored catfish that can grow up to 38 cm long and are found in the freshwater streams and rivers in the Amazon River basin of South America.  They are referred to as “armored catfishes” because they have large bony plates that cover their body.  In the wild they can reach 60 cm long.  One of the most unique things about them is their mouth, which makes them so effective at cleaning algae.

Behaviour

This fish is nocturnal, so during the daytime you won’t see much activity and can appear timid and hiding amongst the plants and any caves inside your tank.  When they are active they will move slowly across the floor of the aquarium doing a superb job of cleaning up algae within the tank.  Whilst they generally have a friendly temperament they do best in a tank on their own due to size constraints.

Tank Conditions 

Normal Pleco are only suitable for more advanced aquarists in tanks of at least 320 litres gallons. As it grows, you’ll need at least a 600 litre tank. Make sure that their aquarium has plenty of hiding places as they will sleep in these places during the daytime by adding caves and hollowed logs. You can also use upturned flower pots.

They also prefer a tank that is heavily planted. You should make sure these plants are hardy because they like to nibble on them.  Faster growing plants such as java moss are ideal. As mentioned in the dietary needs section (below) you should also make sure they always have access to driftwood to nibble on. This combination of dense debris and vegetation helps to make them feel safe and secure.

The most important thing is maintaining a strong water current and keeping it well filtered. For this, you should use good quality canister filters.

Compatibility

As a youngster, this fish is fairly peaceful and can be kept in a community tank. Some ideal tank mates include:

• Cichlids
• Tetras
• Gouramis
• And other common community fish

Even as juveniles you should avoid placing it with Discus and Angelfish as they are known to nip at them.  Bear in mind the usual rule – any smaller tank mates shouldn’t be able to fit in the Plecos mouth; if it can it won’t be long until its tank mate turns into dinner.

As it ages it will quickly outgrow other fish and should be kept in its own tank.

Feeding

It’s important to note here that while they will eat algae, their diet should not be made up of that alone.  Most of the armored catfish are carnivorous and will eat smaller fish, invertebrates, and crustaceans.  They won’t outright kill for meat, but they will scavenge making them ‘opportunistic’ omnivores.

For the Normal Pleco, the common misconception is that they can live purely on algae. This is wrong and in fact, leads to malnourished fish that are unhealthy. Their diet should be comprised of vegetables and algae; they will occasionally eat meat/live food. Like always, we recommend that a high-quality sinking pellet forms the basis of their diet.  For vegetables you can feed them: lettuce, zucchini, spinach, shelled peas and cucumbers to name only a few of their favorite.

For live foods: bloodworms, earthworms, crustaceans, and larvae. Worms are best because they sink, meaning in a community tank the Plecos can still eat.  One important point to remember is that they require lots of fiber; feeding them a lot of vegetables helps them meet this requirement.

You should also make sure they always have access to driftwood to help with their digestion.

Since they are nocturnal, it’s best to feed them during the evening just before you turn the lights in the tank off.

Care 

They are fairly hardy fish so the water parameters aren’t as critical to maintaining when compared to other fish. As far as diseases go, they are no more susceptible to the typical ich, fin rot, fungus than other tropical fish.

See Fish Disease Diagnosis and Treatment at Rebel Pets for help with diagnosing and treating diseases.