Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re talking about plecos. The name “pleco” can be attributed to many different fish species, so for simplicity’s sake we’re going to be discussing the family of fish otherwise known as armored suckermouth catfish. While it may seem like the plecos seen in pet stores are all the same, in reality this is the largest family of Neotropical catfish. There are more than 600 armored suckermouth catfish species. Usually plecos are easily identified by their strange, somewhat flattened body shape and wacky lips. They have bony plates making up their “armor” and usually have large dorsal fins. Pleco lips function as suction cups that attach the plecos to their favorite food sources while they eat. Plecos consume algae as well as invertebrates and plants along with just about anything else because these fish are opportunistic eaters. Some people go so far as to call them “janitor fish.”

It might seem like plecos would fit easily in a small, 10 gallon tank, but some species can reach nearly 40 inches (101.6cm) in length which is about as long as the tallest dog ever recorded was tall. Still, this is relatively rare and plecos are usually closer half of this at full size - but that’s still as long as Chester! Their size can be detrimental when these fish are released where they shouldn’t be. As such a ubiquitous pet species, plecos are a commonly owned fish; however, most of them are only natively found in South and Central America. In their native habitats, plecos have developed with their neighboring plants and animals to create balanced ecosystems, but when a large enough quantity of them are released and are able to begin reproducing in non-native habitats, they can throw non-native ecosystems out of balance. By consuming food that otherwise wouldn’t be eaten so quickly, or by competing with native species for resources, plecos can harm the food chain in non-native environments. They can also cause erosion with their nests.

When plecos are ready to mate they will either find natural, cave-like structures under logs or rocks or they will construct nests in the banks of their habitat. They can live in just about any freshwater environment so streams, lakes, rivers, and ponds are all at risk of their destructive tunneling behavior. Yes, tunneling. Plecos will create a network of tunnels in which to lay their eggs of which there may be 500 or more depending on the species! Even though the babies take less than a week to hatch, all that uprooting of sediment can cause erosion of water banks. So, if you ever own a pleco and find yourself unable to care for it - I mean, they can live more than 10 years in captivity so they’re a pretty long term investment - the worst thing you can do would be to release it into your local waterways. It can really hurt the environment, and it can also hurt the pleco. Because plecos live in warmer regions they’re not used to cold weather, and they’ll perish under conditions that are too frigid.

In their natural habitats, plecos typically swim towards the bottom of the water column. They prefer to have substrate such as rocks or sunken debris to which they can attach. Y’know, with their mouths! Because they can cling to surfaces, plecos are able to withstand rapid moving water systems! Here’s something that might be strange to consider, plecos are unable to completely close their mouths! These fish are generally nocturnal and while they can tolerate other fish in their territories, they are known to drive other sucker mouth catfish away.

For more facts on plecos check out the links in the description. Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files.