Species Profile
Common Pleco
Hypostomus plecostomus
Also known as: Suckermouth Catfish, Plec
Plecospeaceful
Adult size
18″
Minimum tank
125 gal
Temperature
72–86°F
pH
6.5–7.5
Schooling
Solitary OK
Water level
bottom
Diet
Algae wafers, sinking pellets, veggies, driftwood
Notes
Sold as a small algae eater but reaches 18-24″ and produces enormous amounts of waste. Outgrows every standard home tank. Get a bristlenose, clown, or rubber-lip pleco instead if you want an algae eater for a community.
Compatible Tankmates
Best tank mates for Common Pleco
Every species below passes the compatibility engine when paired with Common Plecoin a suitably sized tank. Verdicts come from the same rules the builder uses — click a card to see that species' own care profile and its tank mates in turn.
Cardinal Tetra
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Rummynose Tetra
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Harlequin Rasbora
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Zebra Danio
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Fancy Guppy
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Platy
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Molly
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Swordtail
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Male Betta
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Dwarf Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Honey Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Pearl Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Photo: Ayesha46 / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC-BY-SA-4.0