Species description

Care, breeding and tankmates

Fish profile

Temperament

Territorial

They are secretive and peaceful toward different species. They can be extremely aggressive toward conspecifics or similar plecos. Providing numerous hiding spots can help mitigate their territorial nature.

Diet

Herbivore

Wood is a mandatory part of their daily diet. They scrape driftwood continuously to aid their unique digestion. Offer fresh veggies like zucchini and sweet potato multiple times a week.

Sex ratio

Group

It is strongly advised to keep only one specimen per tank. Males are intensely territorial and will fight each other severely. A massive footprint is required to house a pair successfully.

Feeding frequency

Twice daily

Driftwood must be available for grazing at all times. Drop sinking foods into the tank every night. Remove any uneaten vegetables the next morning to preserve water quality.

Bioload

Extreme

They produce an exceptionally heavy bioload as they mature. Eating wood results in massive volumes of sawdust and fecal matter. Oversized mechanical and biological filtration is strictly necessary.

Flow

Strong

They prefer strong, highly oxygenated water currents. Powerful flow mimics their natural rapid river environments. It also helps transport their substantial waste into the filter intakes.

Jump risk

No

Reproduction

Oviparous

Captive breeding of this species is extremely rare. It requires massive dedicated tanks and complex seasonal water changes. The vast majority of these fish are wild-caught from rivers.

Compatibility & tankmates

With caution

They are peaceful with small to medium community fish. However, they are highly intolerant of other large bottom dwellers. They will aggressively fight other plecos for territory and food.

Tank level

Bottom

They spend their entire lives at the bottom of the aquarium. They will stake a claim under a large piece of driftwood. They never venture into the middle or upper water levels.