12 Plecostomus That Will Blow.... Your..... Tank!

[PlecostomusPerson]

Everyone has heard of Catfish, Suckerfish, Pleco, even Poop eaters and every time they have seen these beautiful creations, people look at them and say oh my friend, cousin, mother, etc. has them, but people also must know that there are over 500 species of Plecostomus some 2in. others 4ft.
 
I am going to say a number of Plecostomus species (L-#, common name and scientific) that are above 2 ft (60cm) and I will tell you there pH, their size in centimeters, Wood/Herbivore/Omnivore/Carnivore (W/H/C/O), difficulty 1-5 ((IMO) depending on breeding/health/sexing/etc.), temperature (Celsius), and size of tank in length (cm). 
 
So I hope you all find some use of my topic and please do ask questions, mean or not.......
 
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Plecostomus                                                                                                                                                                             
Acanthicus adonis also known as "the Polka-dot Plecostomus", L-193 & L-155 / they are O / require a pH from 6-8 / need a temperature from 25-29C /  grow to a size of 120 cm / require a tank with a minimum length of 300 cm / and are a 3 on my list. These Plecostomus are strange since there are two species but are considered as one type of species.
 
Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps also known as "the Sailfin Plecostomus", L-165 & L-083 / they are O / require a pH from 4-7 / need a temperature from 25-30C / grow to a size of 60 cm / require a tank with a minimum length of 200 cm / and are a 3. Most are pond-bred, rarely "wild".
 
Pterygoplichthys sp. also known as "the Sailfin Plecostomus", L-164 / they are O / require a pH from 5-7 / need a temperature from 26-30C / grow to a size of 60 cm / require a tank with a minimum length of 200 cm / and are a 3. This is the second form of "the Sailfin Plecostomus"... they are very similar.
 
Hypostomus spinosissima also known as "Zucchini Plecostomus", L-(none) / they are H / require a pH from 6-8 / need a temperature from 23-27C / grow to a size of 60 cm / require a tank with a minimum length of 200 cm / and are a 3. These are considered one of the rarest and longest plecostomus.
 
Pterygoplichthys pardalis also known as "the Common Plecostomus", L-021 & L-023 / they are O / require a pH from 5-8 / need a temperature from 20-30C / grow to a size of 60 cm / require a tank with a minimum length of 200 cm / and are a 3. This is one of the most imported and mixed Plecostomus.
 
Megalancistrus barrae also known as "the Parana Giant Cactus Catfish", L-113 & L-234 / they are C / require a pH from 6-8 / need a temperature from 20-27C / grow to a size of 70 cm / require a tank with a minimum length of 250 cm / and are a 3. They are by far my favorite.
 
Panaque nigrolineatus also known as "Royal Plecostomus", L-190 / they are W / require a pH from 6-8 / need a temperature from 24-29C / grow to a size of 60 cm / require a tank with a minimum length of 200 cm / and are a 3. They have brighter eyes then their relatives.
 
Panaque sp. Tocantins also known as "Platinum Royal Plecostomus", L-027 / they are W / require a pH from 5-7.5 / need a temperature from 26-30C / grow to a size of 60 cm / require a tank with a minimum length of 200 cm / and are a 3. Distinguished by its greenish-brown lines.
 
Panaque sp. also known as "Papa Panaque", L-090 / they are W / require a pH from 6-8 / need a temperature from 24-29C / grow to a size of 60 cm / require a tank with a minimum length of 200 cm / and are a 3. juveniles have solid white caudal fins.
 
Pseudacanthicus cf. histrix "no name", L-064 & L-186 / they are C / require a pH from 5.5-7.5 / need a temperature from 25-29C / grow to a size of 100 cm / require a tank with a minimum length of 300 cm / and are a 3. They are closely related to the "Cactus Plecostomus", but are much larger.
 
Pseudorinelepis sp. also known as "Orange Cheek Plecostomus", L-095 / they are O / require a pH from 5.5-7.5 / need a temperature from 25-29C / grow to a size of about anything (as small as 50 cm) / require a tank with a minimum length of 200 cm / and are a 3. These are also one of my favorites.
 
Rhinelepis aspera also known as "Bristly Pine-Cone Plecostomus", L-(none) / they are O / require a pH from 6-8 / need a temperature from 20-29C / grow to a size of 70 cm / require a tank with a minimum length of 200 cm/ and are a 3. They are migration spawners.
                                                                                                                                                                 
 
Well for every species you do see there are a few others that are apart of their same family, but all were so similar I just named the average one. Sorry everyone for all the 3's, but they had so many pro's and con's it was just too close. I am hoping to in the future to make some more articles, if this one plays out well.... I hope to make one just for Ancistrus and Carnivorous type, maybe even by colors.... who knows. Well please do ask things and comment as much as you want! 

 
Oh and everything is by me, no internet, just books and some okay knowledge. 

 

[ncguppy830]

wow great list maybe it will get pinned

 

[PlecostomusPerson]

Hope it will. My legacy will live on =)

 

[ncguppy830]

lol

 

[Wills]

Its a great list
 
Only thing I think of when talking about plecs - especially commons, sailfins and gibbis since you can buy them by the bucket load - so its sometimes best to deal with common tank sizes when dealing with them - ie 6 foot which is a little short of the 2m you talked about but its the best viable option for a mass bred fish like this.
 
I think the same goes for some of the rarer fish as well - 6 foot is about 20cm off 2 meters and as above really its a common tank size so I think in some instances it would be ok. Obviously not for the true monsters on there
 
Wills

 

[PlecostomusPerson]

Its a great list

 
Only thing I think of when talking about plecs - especially commons, sailfins and gibbis since you can buy them by the bucket load - so its sometimes best to deal with common tank sizes when dealing with them - ie 6 foot which is a little short of the 2m you talked about but its the best viable option for a mass bred fish like this.
 
I think the same goes for some of the rarer fish as well - 6 foot is about 20cm off 2 meters and as above really its a common tank size so I think in some instances it would be ok. Obviously not for the true monsters on there

 
Wills

Thank You, and yes some of these are a bit over-board with the tank size, I mean I can guarantee that someone has a Common Plecostomus in a 20 G aquarium, but I guess my statistics are more of full grown to baby.
Thank you again.

 

[Wills]

 

Its a great list

 
Only thing I think of when talking about plecs - especially commons, sailfins and gibbis since you can buy them by the bucket load - so its sometimes best to deal with common tank sizes when dealing with them - ie 6 foot which is a little short of the 2m you talked about but its the best viable option for a mass bred fish like this.
 
I think the same goes for some of the rarer fish as well - 6 foot is about 20cm off 2 meters and as above really its a common tank size so I think in some instances it would be ok. Obviously not for the true monsters on there

 
Wills

Thank You, and yes some of these are a bit over-board with the tank size, I mean I can guarantee that someone has a Common Plecostomus in a 20 G aquarium, but I guess my statistics are more of full grown to baby.
Thank you again.
 

 
I meant the same Always got to go on adult size, but if you think about the total number of common species sold the amount of adults out there way outstrip the number of 6 foot + aquariums and there are no aquarium manufacturers out there that produce larger than 6 foot so though bigger is always better some times its not always possible...
 
Wills

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Great article!
Just wondering, would you be able to add pics of the different pleco's listed?

 

[PlecostomusPerson]

Yeah I was going to, still trying to figure out photos, going to try photo bucket now....

 

[PlecostomusPerson]

So I am assuming I will have to get the pics myself??? 
I can't get them from internet...... What if i took some pictures from a few books???

 

[fm1978]

So I am assuming I will have to get the pics myself??? 
I can't get them from internet...... What if i took some pictures from a few books???

Good topic, thanks for the info.

You could just google-image all the pics and 'borrow' them...

 

[PlecostomusPerson]

I tried photobucket, not good on my part. I will look for a way too.
And I will borrow Google

 

[PlecostomusPerson]

 

 

Its a great list

 
Only thing I think of when talking about plecs - especially commons, sailfins and gibbis since you can buy them by the bucket load - so its sometimes best to deal with common tank sizes when dealing with them - ie 6 foot which is a little short of the 2m you talked about but its the best viable option for a mass bred fish like this.
 
I think the same goes for some of the rarer fish as well - 6 foot is about 20cm off 2 meters and as above really its a common tank size so I think in some instances it would be ok. Obviously not for the true monsters on there

 
Wills

Thank You, and yes some of these are a bit over-board with the tank size, I mean I can guarantee that someone has a Common Plecostomus in a 20 G aquarium, but I guess my statistics are more of full grown to baby.
Thank you again.

 
I meant the same

Always got to go on adult size, but if you think about the total number of common species sold the amount of adults out there way outstrip the number of 6 foot + aquariums and there are no aquarium manufacturers out there that produce larger than 6 foot so though bigger is always better some times its not always possible...
 
Wills


Never took that into consideration. Yeah that is very true.... not many people have a 6 ft aquarium, well for anyone who were to ever be interested in these Plecostomus..... remember they are expensive hard to find and BIG..... not including the common, or sailfin's.