Pleco – Gold Spot Plecostomus Catfish (Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus) 6-7cm

Name: Pleco - Gold Spot Plecostomus Catfish (Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus) 6-7cm
SKU: LIVECATPLEGS5CM
Availability: OutOfStock

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SKU: LIVECATPLEGS5CM Categories: Catfish, Live Fish, Pleco's

Description

General Information:	Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus is very similar to other plecs, with lovely colours (yellow/orange spots against a dark brown body). This catfish has proved to be hardy and peaceful.
Tank Requirements:	250 Litres
Diet Requirements:	It will eat algae whilst ignoring plants (though delicate plants may be uprooted as it forages), but algae alone is not sufficient and fresh veg such as zucchini must be offered daily together with sinking algae wafers. Live foods, prawns and other protein foods are taken with relish, particularly as the fish matures.
Compatibility:	Suitable with almost any fish, it is territorial towards its own kind and other similarly sized plecs, but it otherwise mixes well within a peaceful community.
Recommendations:	An appropriately sized shady retreat is all this fish requires. Will not eat plants, but any individual larger then 100mm or so may inadvertently pull up plants that are not entirely established. Larger fish require heavy filtration, not because they are fussy about water quality, but because of the high volumes of waste they produce. A good choice for those wanting Gibbiceps looks without the size problems.
Common Problems:	Starvation and malnutrition. Don’t buy one of these just to eat algae. As it grows it will eat less of that and requires a proper diet of suitable foods as above from day one. Algae is best tackled with elbow grease!
Similar Species:	Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps, Pterygoplichthys parnaibae, Pterygoplichthys punctatus, Pterygoplichthys scrophus, Pterygoplichthys pardalis
Sexing:	Generally there is no difference between the sexes, although mature females may be plumper. It is claimed that the width of the head may also be an indicator
Breeding:	Spawning in a home aquarium would be very difficult to achieve as a large wall of mud (i.e. a river bank), is tunnelled into and used for the incubation/hatching process.

Species – Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus
Common Name – Gold Spot Pleco
Origin – Rio Araguaya, affluent of Tocantins, Amazon system, Arunana, Goias, Brazil
Diet – Omnivorous
PH Range – Alkaline 6.5 – 7.5
Temperature – Tropical 24-29°c
Breed Type – egg layer
Current Size – approximately 10cm (Grows to approximately 35cm)
Sex – Un-sexed

Additional information