Suckermouth catfish
Hypostomus plecostomus
A suckermouth catfish native to northeastern South America — northeastern Brazil and the Guianas. It eats algae and small crustaceans. It is widely sold as an aquarium bottom cleaner.
- Scientific name
- Hypostomus plecostomus
- Family
- Loricariidae
Fact sheet
General
- Water
- Freshwater
- Group
- Fish
Taxonomy
- Family
- Loricariidae
- Order
- Siluriformes
- Synonyms
- Acipenser plecostomus, Hypostomus guacari, Loricaria flava, Plecostomus bicirrosus, Plecostomus brasiliensis, Plecostomus plecostomus, Pterygoplichthys plecostomus
Origin
- Native region
- América do Sul
Water
- Temperature
- 20–28 °C
- pH
- 6.2–8.2
Size and lifespan
- Adult size
- 25 cm
Behavior
- Swimming level
- Bottom
- Diet
- Omnivore
Reproduction
- Breeding strategy
- Substrate or cave spawner
Conservation and trade
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
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