Sailfin pleco

Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus

Also known as Vermiculated sailfin pleco

FreshwaterFish

Sailfin pleco (Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus) — harum.koh from Kobe city, Japan · CC BY-SA 2.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–84°F (23–29°C)
pH: 6.5–7.4
Adult size: 17.7 in (45 cm)
Minimum tank: 100 gal (380 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Common
Origin: South America, Madeira River basin
Family: Loricariidae

Overview

Never release this fish, since it is a notorious invasive species in warm climates and rehoming or returning it to a store is the only responsible way out. Keep one per tank in a minimum of 380 liters, as adults get territorial toward other plecos. They are mostly peaceful and stick to the bottom, but they can rasp the slime coat off slow, flat-bodied fish like angels and discus and leave open wounds, so skip those tankmates. Hold the water from 23 to 29 C with a pH of 6.5 to 7.4. Feed algae wafers, sinking pellets, and plenty of vegetables like zucchini and cucumber, and give them real driftwood to gnaw since it is part of their diet, not just decor.

In the wild

Sailfin plecos come from the Madeira River basin in South America, where they work over submerged wood and soft riverbed in warm, slow water. To match that, give them a large tank with plenty of driftwood, smooth sand on the bottom, and powerful filtration to keep up with the mess they make. Run the water warm, from 23 to 29 C, with a pH between 6.5 and 7.4. They spend their time along the bottom, so open floor space and sturdy wood matter more than plants, which they will uproot.

Good to know

This is a large suckermouth catfish in the family Loricariidae, reaching about 45 cm as an adult. Sold small, it grows to roughly 33 to 50 cm, so the cute juvenile becomes a heavy, demanding fish. Breeding is hard in home tanks, since in the wild they dig burrows in riverbanks to spawn. A healthy adult can live well over a decade.

Did you know

The driftwood in the tank is not only for hiding. Sailfin plecos actually rasp and digest wood fiber, and the cellulose helps their gut work, so a piece of bogwood is closer to food than furniture. Without it, their digestion suffers.