TankBud

Common pleco

Hypostomus plecostomus

Also known as suckermouth catfish

FreshwaterFish

Common pleco (Hypostomus plecostomus)
"Pleco (Hypostomus sp.)" by Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/. · by-sa

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–86°F
22–30°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
15.7 in
40 cm
Minimum tank
85 gal
320 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Very common
Family
Loricariidae
Origin
Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana

Overview

The common pleco is a big, mostly peaceful catfish for the bottom of a large tank. It is easy to keep, as long as the tank is big enough for the adult.

Did you know

People buy common plecos as a cleanup fish and are caught off guard when a 5 cm baby keeps on growing. Older plecos also lose much of their interest in algae and lean harder on prepared and vegetable foods.

Caring for the common pleco

A common pleco needs a big tank, at least 85 gal (320 L) once it is grown. It stays on the bottom and is happiest with hiding spots, rockwork and driftwood to gnaw on. Common plecos produce a lot of waste, so run strong filtration.

Keep the water warm, at 72 to 86°F (22 to 30°C) and a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Common plecos handle a wide range of conditions, which is part of why they are so common in the hobby.

Young common plecos eat algae, but they need real food too, such as algae wafers and vegetables. They are solitary and mostly peaceful, and safe with community fish. There is no established record of them breeding in home tanks.

Good to know

The name common pleco belongs to Hypostomus plecostomus, but the pleco sold under that name today is usually a sailfin pleco (Pterygoplichthys). The care on this page fits either fish. It is a suckermouth catfish in the family Loricariidae, covered in bony armor plates rather than scales. Like other loricariids, it uses its sucker mouth to hold position and feed.

In the wild

Common plecos come from rivers and streams across Brazil, French Guiana and Guyana. They graze on surfaces and wedge into cover during the day, and they rasp at wood and biofilm on the bottom.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The common pleco is a mostly peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a common pleco need?

A common pleco needs at least 85 gal (320 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a common pleco need?

A common pleco is comfortable at 72–86°F (22–30°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

What does a common pleco eat?

A common pleco eats algae when young, but it also needs real food, such as algae wafers and vegetables.

How big does a common pleco get?

An adult common pleco reaches about 15.7 in (40 cm).

Related species