Amazon Sailfin Pleco (Pterygoplichthys pardalis) Care Guide
Pterygoplichthys pardalis is a large spotted sailfin pleco from the Amazon basin, an air-breathing omnivore that grows very big and is invasive outside its range.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Pterygoplichthys pardalis, the Amazon sailfin pleco, is a large armoured suckermouth catfish of the family Loricariidae. It is distinguished from the common plecostomus by 11-13 dorsal rays (versus 5-8) and a spotted pattern. FishBase records a maximum total length of about 57.8 cm; albino and amelanistic ("chocolate") trade forms exist.
Taxonomy
- Family: Loricariidae
- Scientific name: Pterygoplichthys pardalis
- Subfamily: Hypostominae
- Common synonyms: Common Sailfin
Habitat
The species is native to the lower, middle and upper Amazon basin in Brazil and Peru. It is a facultative air breather that can take oxygen from the air during low-oxygen periods or dry seasons, and it can move between the bottom and the surface. It has been introduced widely outside its native range, where invasive populations disrupt food chains, reduce native species and degrade aquatic plants.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 600 L (159 gal)
- Adult size: 40-50 cm (15.7-19.7 in)
- Temperature: 24-28 °C (75-82 °F)
- pH: 6-7.5
- GH: 2-12 °dGH
- Lifespan: 8-12 years
Diet
It is an omnivore. In the aquarium it accepts a varied diet of vegetable matter and prepared sinking foods; given its size and appetite it produces heavy waste and is not safe with soft aquarium plants, which it will rasp.
Compatibility
Peaceful in temperament but enormous in size, it keeps to the bottom and needs a very large aquarium with strong filtration to cope with its high bioload. Calm tankmates such as larger tetras and robust Corydoras suit it; aggressive or territorial plecos are best avoided.
Conservation status
The IUCN Red List assessed the species as Least Concern (2020).
Breeding the Amazon Sailfin Pleco (Pterygoplichthys pardalis)
Overview
Pterygoplichthys pardalis, the Amazon sailfin pleco, is a large suckermouth catfish of the family Loricariidae, native to the lower, middle and upper Amazon River basin. FishBase records a maximum length around 57.8 cm total length. It is a facultative air breather, and its stomach is greatly expanded into a long, highly vascularised sac that lets it tolerate low-oxygen water. The species has become widely invasive outside its range and is reported as a pest in regions such as the Philippines, the United States and Malaysia.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Reproduction in the genus involves males excavating burrows (tunnels) into mud or clay banks, where the eggs are laid and the male then guards them. The reproductive guild is described as guarders and nesters, with external fertilisation and spawning occurring across the year. These bank-nesting habits, combined with high fecundity, contribute to the genus's success as an invader.
Egg & Fry Care
The male provides parental care by guarding the egg-filled burrow. In some fisheries the eggs are even collected from male-guarded burrows for the aquarium trade. While Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps is bred commercially on fish farms in Florida and Malaysia, most species in the genus do not readily reproduce in standard aquaria because the burrow-spawning requirement is hard to replicate.
Common Challenges
The decisive obstacle is the species' large adult size and its dependence on deep bank burrows for spawning, neither of which can be reproduced in a home tank. As a result, hobby breeding is not realistic; the aquarium and food-fish trade is supplied by wild capture and pond aquaculture.