TankBud

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
Cave spawner · Hard
Rarity
Common
Family
Loricariidae
Origin
South America, Madeira River basin

Overview

The sailfin pleco is a big, mostly peaceful pleco that sticks to the bottom of a large tank. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

Sailfin plecos rasp and digest wood fiber, and the cellulose helps their gut work. A piece of bogwood is closer to food than furniture for them. Without it, their digestion suffers.

Caring for the sailfin pleco

Give a sailfin pleco a large tank of at least 100 gal (380 L), with smooth sand and plenty of sturdy, real driftwood to gnaw. Open floor space and wood matter more than plants, which it will uproot. Run powerful filtration to keep up with the mess it makes.

Hold the water at 73 to 84°F (23 to 29°C), with a pH of 6.5 to 7.4. Feed algae wafers, sinking pellets and plenty of vegetables such as zucchini and cucumber.

Keep one per tank, as adults get territorial toward other plecos. It is mostly peaceful, but it can rasp the slime coat off slow, flat-bodied fish such as angels and discus. That leaves open wounds, so skip those tank mates. Breeding is hard in home tanks, since in the wild sailfin plecos dig burrows in riverbanks to spawn.

Never release a sailfin pleco, since it is a notorious invasive species in warm climates. Rehoming it or returning it to a store is the only responsible way out.

Good to know

The sailfin pleco, Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus, is a large suckermouth catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is sold small, but the cute juvenile becomes a heavy, demanding fish. A healthy adult can live well over a decade.

In the wild

Sailfin plecos come from the Madeira River basin in South America. There they work over submerged wood and soft riverbed in warm, slow water.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The sailfin 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 sailfin pleco need?

A sailfin pleco needs at least 100 gal (380 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a sailfin pleco need?

A sailfin pleco is comfortable at 73–84°F (23–29°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.4.

What does a sailfin pleco eat?

A sailfin pleco eats algae wafers, sinking pellets and plenty of vegetables such as zucchini and cucumber. It also gnaws on real driftwood, so keep sturdy pieces in its tank.

How big does a sailfin pleco get?

An adult sailfin pleco reaches about 17.7 in (45 cm).

How does a sailfin pleco breed?

In the wild, sailfin plecos dig burrows in riverbanks to spawn. That makes breeding them in home tanks hard.

Related species