- Where to see one
- 4 U.S. zoos in our directory hold plecostomus, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the plecostomus
Hypostomus plecostomus, the suckermouth catfish or spotted pleco, is a tropical freshwater fish of the armored catfish family, named for the rows of armor-like scutes that cover its head and upper body. Its native range is northeastern South America, including northeastern Brazil, the Guianas, and Trinidad and Tobago. It grows up to 50 cm in standard length and lives 7 to 8 years in the wild. The sucker-like mouth lets it adhere to surfaces and rasp at food. It is omnivorous, eating algae, aquatic plants, small crustaceans and snails. The name is often misapplied to similar fishes sold in aquarium shops.
Plecostomus facts
- It can breathe air, surfacing more often as oxygen in the water drops.
- Swallowed air is kept in the stomach and can increase buoyancy.
- Most fish sold as common plecostomus in aquarium shops are actually from other genera.
- It lives 10 to 15 years in captivity.
Where to see plecostomus in the U.S.
4 zoos across 4 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 4 zoos holding plecostomus by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
Illinois· 1
Kansas· 1
New York· 1
Wisconsin· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
