Fun facts about the plecos!

Mr. Grey

 About the plecos

A native to South America, suckermouth catfish (Hypostomus plecostomus) or the pleaco descends from the catfish family. It belongs to the family Loricariide and genus Hypostomus. Our group has adopted one and name it Grey. This fish is commonly known as ‘Bandaraya’ fish due to their ability to get rid of algae problem in the aquarium thus help to clean the tank.  They use their mouths to attach on the wall of the aquarium where algae is embedded. By adapting the survival feature, their mouth allows them to attach to the wall or the rocks.

Disc-shape mouth with attaching ability

Characteristics

This fish has an underslug mouth with tall dorsal fin and moon-shape tail fin. They are usually in light brown colour with dark blotches of spots or stripes. They have a hard armor-like plate exterior to protect themselves from other fish.. Interestingly, they have the ability to shut out light with its omega iris in their eyes which are situated high on their head. Most of the freshwater aquarists purchase the pleco as a juvenile at about 8cm in length. However, they can grow up to 60cm. The lifespan if this fish is about 10-15 years.

Habitats

The plecos are ideally to be put in the environment that has a temperature range of 22 to 26 degree celcius. During winter, they need to be placed inside instead of in outdoor ponds. Since they are excellent jumpers, it is recommended to have the tank closed. They like to hide in dense plant growth. Thus, having weed in the aquarium is advisable.

Diet

It is well know that the plecos love to eat algae. However, they cannot live on just algae. The plecos can also be fed with bloodworms, shrimp pellets and leafy green vegetables since they are omnivores. Insufficient food sources can lead to malnourishment and eventually will cause the fish to die. Usually, they are very active at night and tends to eat more during night time when compare to daylight hours.

Reproduction

The plecos do not reproduce in aquarium. However, in their natural habitat, the female plecos can lay up to 300 eggs. The male plecos are in charge to fertilize and guard the eggs until they hatch for about four to eight days later. The baby plecos eat the mucus secreted by the parents before being independent.

Tank mate

Fun fact, the plecos get along with most fish except for their own species especially when they were not raised together. However, they often suck on fat bodied fish such as goldfish. Thus, housing these two types of fish together must be avoided. The plecos also tend to defend their favourite spot from other type of fish that share similar habitat.

Anatomy

Anatomy of suckermouth catfish

1. Pectoral fin - help the fish to swim and glide in water
2. Pelvic fin - help the fish to change direction while swimming
3. Anal fin - help the fish to swim straight and to spawn
4. Dorsal fin - help the fish to swim straight and stabilize the fish
5. Tail - help the fish to swim forward
6. Eye - allow the fish to see
7. Mouth - allow the fish to suck food