Hypostomus plecostomus • Loricariidae • Cat-eLog

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Hypostomus plecostomus** (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common Name(s)	Plecostomus
Type Locality	Suriname.
Synonym(s)	Acipenser plecostomus, Hypostomus guacari, Loricaria flava, Plecostomus bicirrosus, Plecostomus brasiliensis, Plecostomus plecostomus
Pronunciation	hi POSS tow muss - PLEK oss toe mus
Etymology	Greek, hypo = under + Greek, stoma = mouth. pleco = sucker, stomus = mouth.
Species Information
Size	300mm (11.8") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Due to the number of species in the genus, identification is very difficult without exact provenance of the specimen. Most ''common plecos'' are now exported from Peru and Brazil. Photos of the real H. plecostomus are common in aquarium literature from the 1960s and 70s when ''common plecos'' were exported from Venezuela, Suriname, and the Guyanas.
Sexing	Large adult males possess thickened pectoral fins that turn reddish pink. Gravid adult females appear thicker when viewed from above.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Throughout northern South America and Trinidad. Also found throughout the Orinoco basin, although some authors believe that Orinoco specimens may represent a different species. The photographs above are all of H. plecostomus from the Orinoco basin. Weber (2003) restricted distribution to coastal drainages of the Guianas. Orinoco (click on these areas to find other species found there) (Click the map-icon to show/hide map of species distribution)
pH	6.5 - 8.0
Temperature	20.0-30.0°C or 68-86°F (Show others within this range)
Other Parameters	In nature, this fish is common in slower portions of larger rivers. It inhabits nearly every environment from riffles, the river banks, and driftwood snags.
Husbandry Information
Feeding	A true omnivore that will eat anything. The diet should be primarily vegetarian.
Furniture	Ideally a large tank with driftwood and a few caves. Substrate is unimportant.
Compatibility	Larger specimens can be territorial, but they rarely cause damage to tankmates. Smaller fishes are ignored.
Suggested Tankmates	Keep with medium to large sized community fishes or most American cichlids.
Breeding	Probably never accomplished. They normally spawn in holes in the river bank, but I have also captured this species in mountain rivers and ponds that did not have earthen banks. In these habitats it must spawn in caves formed by rocks and/or driftwood.
Further Information
References	Systema Nat. ed. 10v. 1 - pp238
Registered Keepers	(1) MatsP, who also notes: "Not sure it was EXACTLY this species, as they are notoriously difficult to identify. I had two different ones, but only one at a time.", (2) Trident2004, (3) Chrysichthys, (4) Cooky_luvs (p: 7), (5) Meechity, who also notes: ""Ruby"; 6 inches; albino "sailfin" pleco; very shy eater.", (6) teddyman5, (7) nslott (k: 2), (8) synodontisjack, (9) SalmonAfrica, (10) Ill (p: 2), (11) kubastanik, (12) cymrucat, (13) Nick44, (14) KTLM, (15) Leah1976, (16) ewurm, (17) howdenend, (18) boo909, (19) genghiskhanll, (20) makok, (21) drplec, (22) marangmic, (23) TheFishGuy, (24) Jonaseddie, (25) Nuno Mendes, (26) tunafish, (27) Sciencehero, (28) acuarista36, (29) Stackdeck, (30) arapaimag (k: 41), (31) sasdrum, (32) GER1023, who also notes: "Fish is 6 inches not mm.", (33) milosz, (34) james gilbertson, (35) babybarnyard, who also notes: "Small Albino Slow growing but intensely active in the tank", (36) Brisch, (37) Quickening, (38) kristovski, (39) Ysori. Click on a username above to see all that persons registered catfish species. You can also view all "my cats" data for this species.
Breeding Reports	None.
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Last Update	2011 Sep 28 07:40 (species record created: 2001 May 05 00:00)

Cat-eLog Data Sheet

Scientific Name

Hypostomus plecostomus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Common Name(s)

Plecostomus

Type Locality

Suriname.

Synonym(s)

Acipenser plecostomus, Hypostomus guacari, Loricaria flava, Plecostomus bicirrosus, Plecostomus brasiliensis, Plecostomus plecostomus

Pronunciation

hi POSS tow muss - PLEK oss toe mus

Etymology

Greek, hypo = under + Greek, stoma = mouth. pleco = sucker, stomus = mouth.

Species Information

Size

300mm (11.8") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.

Identification

Due to the number of species in the genus, identification is very difficult without exact provenance of the specimen. Most ''common plecos'' are now exported from Peru and Brazil. Photos of the real H. plecostomus are common in aquarium literature from the 1960s and 70s when ''common plecos'' were exported from Venezuela, Suriname, and the Guyanas.

Sexing

Large adult males possess thickened pectoral fins that turn reddish pink. Gravid adult females appear thicker when viewed from above.

Habitat Information

Distribution

Throughout northern South America and Trinidad. Also found throughout the Orinoco basin, although some authors believe that Orinoco specimens may represent a different species. The photographs above are all of H. plecostomus from the Orinoco basin. Weber (2003) restricted distribution to coastal drainages of the Guianas.
Orinoco (click on these areas to find other species found there)

(Click the map-icon to show/hide map of species distribution)

6.5 - 8.0

Temperature

20.0-30.0°C or 68-86°F (Show others within this range)

Other Parameters

In nature, this fish is common in slower portions of larger rivers. It inhabits nearly every environment from riffles, the river banks, and driftwood snags.

Husbandry Information

Feeding

A true omnivore that will eat anything. The diet should be primarily vegetarian.

Furniture

Ideally a large tank with driftwood and a few caves. Substrate is unimportant.

Compatibility

Larger specimens can be territorial, but they rarely cause damage to tankmates. Smaller fishes are ignored.

Suggested Tankmates

Keep with medium to large sized community fishes or most American cichlids.

Breeding

Probably never accomplished. They normally spawn in holes in the river bank, but I have also captured this species in mountain rivers and ponds that did not have earthen banks. In these habitats it must spawn in caves formed by rocks and/or driftwood.

Further Information

References

Systema Nat. ed. 10v. 1 - pp238

Registered Keepers

(1) MatsP, who also notes: "Not sure it was EXACTLY this species, as they are notoriously difficult to identify. I had two different ones, but only one at a time.", (2) Trident2004, (3) Chrysichthys, (4) Cooky_luvs (p: 7), (5) Meechity, who also notes: ""Ruby"; 6 inches; albino "sailfin" pleco; very shy eater.", (6) teddyman5, (7) nslott (k: 2), (8) synodontisjack, (9) SalmonAfrica, (10) Ill (p: 2), (11) kubastanik, (12) cymrucat, (13) Nick44, (14) KTLM, (15) Leah1976, (16) ewurm, (17) howdenend, (18) boo909, (19) genghiskhanll, (20) makok, (21) drplec, (22) marangmic, (23) TheFishGuy, (24) Jonaseddie, (25) Nuno Mendes, (26) tunafish, (27) Sciencehero, (28) acuarista36, (29) Stackdeck, (30) arapaimag (k: 41), (31) sasdrum, (32) GER1023, who also notes: "Fish is 6 inches not mm.", (33) milosz, (34) james gilbertson, (35) babybarnyard, who also notes: "Small Albino Slow growing but intensely active in the tank", (36) Brisch, (37) Quickening, (38) kristovski, (39) Ysori.

Click on a username above to see all that persons registered catfish species. You can also view all "my cats" data for this species.

Breeding Reports

None.