Mike’s Fish Tank – Sucker Fish

Hypostomus plecostomus (known as a sucker fish) is the scientific name for a type of freshwater tropical Central and South American fish belonging to the family Loricariidae. They are large algae eaters, and to differentiate them from small algae eaters, they are often referred to as plecostomus, often abbreviated as plecos. They are extremely popular in aquariums for their

ability to clean tanks by eating algae growth.Plecos are omnivorous, but in the wild feed nocturnally mostly on plant material. During the day, their unusual irises block a lot of light out of their eyes, but they are usually open at night. They can roll their eyes within their sockets, giving the appearance of winking. Plecos are usually skittish and quickly hide whenever they sense danger.

Plecos may become more aggressive with age and are best kept individually in tanks. In a suitably large tank, a solitary plecostomus will live amicably with other tropical fish. These Plecos may survive in tanks with “cold-water” species like goldfish, but it is generally not advised due to the different temperature preferences and because some plecos will suck the protective slime coat off the goldfish. Plecostomus catfish are some of the most commonly kept algae-eating catfish, and are also some of the largest. Their growth may become stunted in a smaller tank, leading to bad health and possibly an early death.

Plecos, when introduced to an aquarium, will often find a permanent resting place (under or inside an ornament or rock, for example) to spend most of their time. This becomes a “home” for the plecostomus. If there are no hiding places, they will sleep in the corner of their tanks.

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