Species Profile
Common Pleco
Hypostomus plecostomus
Also known as: Suckermouth Catfish, Plec
Plecospeaceful
Adult size
18″
Minimum tank
125 gal
Temperature
72–86°F
pH
6.5–7.5
Schooling
Solitary OK
Water level
bottom
Diet
Algae wafers, sinking pellets, veggies, driftwood
Notes
Reaches 18–24″ in adulthood — outgrows nearly all home tanks. Get a bristlenose pleco instead if you want an algae eater in a community.
Photo: Ayesha46 / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC-BY-SA-4.0