The Plecostomus, or Hypostomus plecostomus, is better known as an “algae eater”. This is a fantastic starter fish and there are many different kinds of Plecostomus to choose from. The “pleco” as its known, has countless subspecies with a huge variety of colors and sizes.
Some basic types of Plecostomus:
- Common Pleco or “Hypostomus plecostomus”
- Sailfin Pleco or “Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus”
- Gold Nugget Pleco or “Baryancistrus spp.”
- Bristlenose Pleco or “Ancistrus spp.”
- Zebra Pleco or “Hypancistrus zebra”
There are many more types of Plecostomus fish. These are just a few members of this large family.
What do Plecos eat?
Plecostomus is an omnivore but it prefers vegetation. These fish are voracious eaters and require a good supply of food at all times. These fish love green vegetables such as zucchini and lettuce. These fish will also eat pretty much any kind of fish food but I suggest that you stick to feeding them vegetarian food.
Some people have noticed that their pleco is attacking their other fish. It is true that the pleco can attack your other fish, but they only do this when they are starving. If you aren’t feeding your algae eater or there isn’t enough algae in the tank, your other fish better watch out!
How do Plecos get along with other fish?
Plecos are generally peaceful, but they prefer to be the only pleco in the tank. These fish may grow territorial as they start to grow in size so its best to keep them alone. As a rule, just one pleco is enough unless you are keeping some of the smaller species. Plecos are very hardy fish and they may be kept with some of the more aggressive predatory fish as long as they are large enough.
Keep in mind that the common Plecostomus can grow extremely large! If you’re starting a new 10 gallon tank I suggest you go with a smaller species of pleco such as the dwarf pleco.
For more information about starter fish and aquarium setup Click Here! This guide has everything you need to start up a beautiful tank.
