Hypostomus punctatus • Loricariidae • Cat-eLog

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Hypostomus punctatus** Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1840
Common Name(s)	Common Pleco, Pleco
Type Locality	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Pronunciation	hi POSS tow muss - punk TAT uss
Etymology	Greek, hypo = under + Greek, stoma = mouth. punctatus = spotted
Species Information
Size	260mm (10.2") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Hypostomus with a brown colouration and spots are generally difficult to ID with any accuracy. This species has a light brown colouration with very dark brown spots but it is the fact that it is from the Rio Janeiro that makes the ID more reliable.
Sexing	Unknown
Habitat Information
Distribution	Southern Brazil Rio de Janeiro State Rivers (click on these areas to find other species found there) (Click the map-icon to show/hide map of species distribution)
pH	5.0 - 8.2
Temperature	22.0-29.0°C or 71.6-84.2°F (Show others within this range)
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Lettuce, peas, frozen spinach and any prepared food that reaches the bottom. Larger fish enjoy prawns. Algae (especially soft brown) will be eaten immediately. Will learn to eat floating pellets from the surface if the food drifts to the sides of the aquarium.
Furniture	An appropriately sized shady retreat is all this fish requires. Will not eat plants, but any individual larger then 10cm or so may inadvertently pull up plants not entirely established. They are more likely to burrow if adequate hiding places are missing.
Compatibility	Larger individuals are territorial towards conspecifics, however not predatory and able to look after itself. Safe with small fish.
Suggested Tankmates	Larger individuals are territorial towards conspecifics, however not predatory and able to look after itself. Safe with small fish. Good for an appropraitely sized community tank.
Breeding	Unreported in the aquarium, but thought to spawn in mud burrows dug into the side of riverbanks.
Further Information
References	Hist. Nat. Poiss.v. 15 - pp493
Registered Keepers	(1) Daniel Machado, (2) Trident2004, (3) debsforHim, (4) lewisss, (5) pleco_keepin_bear, (6) Mrs.JP (k: 4), (7) steelhorse, (8) rosemarydawn, (9) ninetysixmustang, (10) Jeox, (11) LindsayB, (12) griffl, who also notes: "Nice cat but it would grow too large for my tank so I traded for a smaller candy striped pleco.", (13) gamiller, (14) Ill (p: 2), (15) Plunt, (16) joe.juice13, (17) JDogg, (18) Tasplec (k: 3), (19) geekshow (p: 2, k: 2), (20) MyRosco, (21) AlaskanCorydoras (p: 3, k: 3), who also notes: "One former zombie in my cory tank. Named "The thing that lurks and yearns for Brains" ", "Formerly in my 20 gallon, where he earned the name "Inappropriately Frightened" Has calmed down immensely in my 55, as it has many more places to hide. ", "Named "The Beast" Very Nocturnal, has claimed the large ceramic castle as his own. Keeps the glass in the tank spotless. ", (22) pmbooper, who also notes: "moving 10 inch pleco to 125 gal. ", (23) rdecker81, (24) dougkn (p: 2), (25) Munky, (26) Roel, (27) niallborwell, (28) Patzee (k: 2), (29) EHEIM~ADDICT, (30) joefish72, (31) tiffanyjayne, (32) Mezel, who also notes: "Got him to keep my turtle tank clean. I didn't know much about them back then. He still lives in with them from time to time.", (33) john_d (k: 4), (34) JamesStuddart, (35) JFishNerd, (36) Sargy60, (37) ahasting (k: 2), (38) purorock327. 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.
Articles	- CotM 1998 July
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Last Update	2006 Aug 18 09:35 (species record created: 2001 May 05 00:00)

Cat-eLog Data Sheet

Scientific Name

Hypostomus punctatus Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1840

Common Name(s)

Common Pleco, Pleco

Type Locality

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Pronunciation

hi POSS tow muss - punk TAT uss

Etymology

Greek, hypo = under + Greek, stoma = mouth. punctatus = spotted

Species Information

Size

260mm (10.2") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.

Identification

Hypostomus with a brown colouration and spots are generally difficult to ID with any accuracy. This species has a light brown colouration with very dark brown spots but it is the fact that it is from the Rio Janeiro that makes the ID more reliable.

Sexing

Unknown

Habitat Information

Distribution

Southern Brazil
Rio de Janeiro State Rivers (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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

5.0 - 8.2

Temperature

22.0-29.0°C or 71.6-84.2°F (Show others within this range)

Husbandry Information

Feeding

Lettuce, peas, frozen spinach and any prepared food that reaches the bottom. Larger fish enjoy prawns. Algae (especially soft brown) will be eaten immediately. Will learn to eat floating pellets from the surface if the food drifts to the sides of the aquarium.

Furniture

An appropriately sized shady retreat is all this fish requires. Will not eat plants, but any individual larger then 10cm or so may inadvertently pull up plants not entirely established. They are more likely to burrow if adequate hiding places are missing.

Compatibility

Larger individuals are territorial towards conspecifics, however not predatory and able to look after itself. Safe with small fish.

Suggested Tankmates

Larger individuals are territorial towards conspecifics, however not predatory and able to look after itself. Safe with small fish. Good for an appropraitely sized community tank.

Breeding

Unreported in the aquarium, but thought to spawn in mud burrows dug into the side of riverbanks.

Further Information

References

Hist. Nat. Poiss.v. 15 - pp493

Registered Keepers

(1) Daniel Machado, (2) Trident2004, (3) debsforHim, (4) lewisss, (5) pleco_keepin_bear, (6) Mrs.JP (k: 4), (7) steelhorse, (8) rosemarydawn, (9) ninetysixmustang, (10) Jeox, (11) LindsayB, (12) griffl, who also notes: "Nice cat but it would grow too large for my tank so I traded for a smaller candy striped pleco.", (13) gamiller, (14) Ill (p: 2), (15) Plunt, (16) joe.juice13, (17) JDogg, (18) Tasplec (k: 3), (19) geekshow (p: 2, k: 2), (20) MyRosco, (21) AlaskanCorydoras (p: 3, k: 3), who also notes: "One former zombie in my cory tank. Named "The thing that lurks and yearns for Brains" ", "Formerly in my 20 gallon, where he earned the name "Inappropriately Frightened" Has calmed down immensely in my 55, as it has many more places to hide. ", "Named "The Beast" Very Nocturnal, has claimed the large ceramic castle as his own. Keeps the glass in the tank spotless. ", (22) pmbooper, who also notes: "moving 10 inch pleco to 125 gal. ", (23) rdecker81, (24) dougkn (p: 2), (25) Munky, (26) Roel, (27) niallborwell, (28) Patzee (k: 2), (29) EHEIM~ADDICT, (30) joefish72, (31) tiffanyjayne, (32) Mezel, who also notes: "Got him to keep my turtle tank clean. I didn't know much about them back then. He still lives in with them from time to time.", (33) john_d (k: 4), (34) JamesStuddart, (35) JFishNerd, (36) Sargy60, (37) ahasting (k: 2), (38) purorock327.

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.

Articles