Great tank mate for large community or species tank (Suckermouth Catfish)

Member Name: smudge377

Product:	Suckermouth Catfish
Date:	26/09/08 (28 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: impressive looking fish, largely passive to other species

Disadvantages: messy, quarrels with conspecifics

I have a 13 inch (At present) sailfin plec (Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps) who resides in a 300 litre tank. His name is Boris and we inherited him about one year ago. Although sailfin plecs are supposedly largely nocturnal, Boris has overcome this adversion to light, in his search for food. Generally he is a good natured plec who lives quite happily with three freshwater pufferfish and a shoal of goldern wonder Pachaxes. However he is defininately king of the tank, and when he was in the community tank he would quarrel with conspecifics and enforce his own territory. Boris is eclectic in his eating habits and quite happily eats bloodworm, algae wafers and his favorite sliced courgette. Beware he is a very messy animal who creates much waste and therefore requires frequent water changes, not so much for himself, as sailfin plecs are tolerent of variations in water quality, but for any other species in the tank. This species also requires bogwood to rasp on and it is thought that this supplements a dietary requirement. Additionally this species is a fantastic algae eater and Boris keeps the tank glass spotless, but be warned, if he consideres that his dietary needs are not being forfilled he will destroy any of your precious tank foliage. This is not a species for a small tank, as they rapidly grow to a maximum of 18 inches, but as a partner to south american ciclids of other midwater to surface feeders you will be hardpressed to find a more impressive tank mate.

Summary: highly recommended, hardy fish for a LARGE tank