How to Take Care of Plecos

The hypostomus plecostomus, or pleco, is a tropical freshwater fish common in the river basins and estuaries of Central and South America. These fish are common in household aquariums as they are algae eaters who help keep the tanks clean. Like all pet fish, however, plecos require specific care.

Things You'll Need

  • Freshwater fish tank
  • Tank light
  • Aquarium gravel
  • Freshwater plants
  • Aquarium heater
  • Filter system
  • Water conditioner
  • Fish food
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Instructions

    • 1

      Set up the tank. Clean any new aquarium glass and gravel with warm water. Use a very small amount of mild soap detergent. Rinse the tank and gravel thoroughly. Place the gravel in the bottom of the tank and fill it with tap water. If your tap water is unusually acidic, hard, soft or contains many chemicals, use bottled water. Add plants and decor to the tank. Set up your filter, light and tank heater. Set the temperature to at least 76 degrees. If your heater does not have a temperature gauge, purchase an aquarium thermometer to measure the water temperature.
      Add water conditioner as indicated on the instructions on the bottle.

    • 2

      Allow the tank to sit for at least 24 hours with the filter running. Monitor the tank temperature to make sure it heats up.

    • 3

      Purchase "starter fish" for your aquarium. Ideally, these should be hearty small fish (not goldfish). Starter fish are required to establish healthy bacteria in the tank.

    • 4

      Allow the aquarium to run with the starter fish for two to three days. Monitor the starter fish for any signs of stress (i.e. not swimming), or disease. If your starter fish are not healthy, take a sample of your aquarium's water to your local pet store for testing. Follow any recommended course of treatment.

    • 5

      Purchase a pleco that is an appropriate size for the tank. For most household aquariums, purchase a pleco no larger than 3 inches in length. Plecos tend to eat at night, so do not be concerned if your pleco does not move around much in the daytime.

    • 6

      Feed your pleco. If your tank set-up is new and there is little algae growth, feed your pleco catfish pellets that sink to the bottom of the tank and become soft. Until algae growth is sustained, the pellets will keep the pleco well fed. One pellet per pleco at feeding time is plenty.