12 Different Types of Plecos (With Info & Pictures)

Plecostomus are among the most popular types of suckermouth catfish in the Loricariidae family. They are nocturnal and ideal bottom cleaners and algae eaters. That said, keep in mind that some can grow to 24 inches, and they prefer warm tank temperatures, so a heater will be required.

The 12 Types of Plecos

1. Zebra Plecostomus

These striped plecos have a pattern similar to that of a zebra, hence their name. They can be an interesting addition to your tank and an eye-catching cleaner fish. They grow to 3.5 inches at max. Their care is moderately easy, and you should ideally keep them in a tropical heated tank with non-aggressive tank mates. They are generally quite shy in the daytime and need cozy hiding spots to rest in the day. They are seemingly different from other types of plecos because they do not rasp on wood items and ideally thrive on an omnivorous diet with sinking algae and shrimp pellets or wafers. They live 10 to 15 years depending on their level of care.

2. Bristlenose Plecos

Probably one of the most commonly available plecos in the aquarium industry, bristlenose plecos are among the smallest growing plecos, growing between 3 and 5 inches in length and living for 12 years. They display an uneven coloring of either green, brown, or grey with white or yellow spots. Their care is generally easy, and they should ideally be fed a herbivorous diet, including fresh veggies, such as carrots, cucumber, zucchini, or kale, to nibble on through the night, as they are nocturnal.

3. Gold Nugget Plecostomus

These interesting-colored plecos display yellow tips to the end of their fins. Their bodies are predominantly black with thick yellow dots. They live to about 5 years old and grow to 10 inches max. These are omnivorous, peaceful community tank fish that prefer a warm tropical tank environment. Due to their large size, care should be taken when choosing a suitable tank.

4. Clown Plecos

This is a dwarf loricariid. They are relatively low maintenance and get along well with other members in the tank. They live around 12 years when taken care of appropriately. Clown plecos’ bodies have beautiful coloring and display white and yellow bands that fade to a light orange. They grow to 4 inches long and prefer to live in a heated tank with other peaceful fish.

5. Snowball Plecostomus

These plecos have black bodies with thick white dots resembling little snowballs, true to their name. They are medium-sized fish, usually growing around 5.5 to 6.5 inches in length. They are excellent bottom cleaners and willingly consume uneaten fish food left in the substrate. For this reason, they can help maintain good water quality. They live an average lifespan of 8 to 10 years, depending on genetics and care level. They require a heated tropical tank to thrive.

6. Sailfin Plecos

Sailfin plecos grow over 12 inches and can live for over 20 years! That is quite a lifespan, so you need to make sure you are able to care and provide for your pleco for those years to come and have an exceptionally large tropical tank to accommodate their size. Due to their size and being one of the largest growing plecos available in the bobby, they make efficient tank cleaners and feed primarily on plant matter and occasionally meat-based protein. They have a type of leopard print pattern covering their armored bodies, making them quite interesting to view in an aquarium.

7. Royal Plecostomus

This type of pleco is known for its easy digestion of the various kinds of wood within an aquarium. It displays unevenly striped black and white patterns across its body and fins. It grows around 17 inches in length, though it has a fairly slow growth rate. It lives for about 10 years on average. It mainly eats algae-based foods, such as sinking pellets or wafers, and enjoys the occasional meat-based snack. Due to its large size, it does well in large, heated tanks with other community fish.

8. Leopard Frog Plecostomus

These peaceful and hardy fish display pretty yellow or white and yellow stripes across their bodies and fins. They generally live between 8 and 10 years and reach just a tad over 4 inches in length when fully grown. They mainly consume a carnivorous diet of meat-based food and vegetable matter on the side. They seem to love frozen foods, such as bloodworms. Keep in mind that they do not really touch or find an interest in consuming algae, so if you are specifically looking for a good tank cleaner, leopard frog plecos do not meet those requirements.

9. Orange Spot Plecostomus

These types of plecos love hiding spots and nibbling on wood (a seemingly favorite one is driftwood). They display an orange dotted pattern across their bodies and fins and are quite interesting to look at. Unfortunately, orange spot plecos show more aggressive behaviors than other plecos, so it is good to keep them alone in a heated tank with other compatible tropical tank mates. They live on average for about 12 years and grow to 5 inches maximum.

10. Common Plecostomus

Common plecos grow large, generally about 24 inches in length at max. They require a large tropical tank with other peaceful tank mates. They enjoy eating algae and sinking algae and shrimp pellets or wafers. Raw vegetables are great additions to their diet, as they need to eat well-balanced meals. They also require quite large tropical tanks that are well-filtered and stocked with compatible tank mates. Common plecos have been caught sucking on the slime coat of larger fish if their diet is lacking. They live between 10 and 15 years on average and are quite fast-growing.

11. Peppermint Plecostomus

These plecos commonly display a black or dark brown coloring and are generally quite peaceful community fish with tropical tank mates. They prefer fast-moving currents in the tank, feed on insect larvae, and prefer warm, heated, tropical tanks. They mostly enjoy grazing on algae on the glass and rocks, though they should also have a diet of algae pellets and wafers and supplements of vegetable matter. They grow to an average of 7 inches and live a bit over 5 years.

12. Rubber-Lipped Plecostomus

These come in various interesting colors, some even displaying a light blue color. They grow between 5 and 7 inches and live for 10 to 12 years. They are herbivorous fish that primarily consume algae and vegetable matter. Growing algae out on the glass is not a sufficient diet for them, though, and they require algae pellets or wafers too. They also need a heated tropical tank with other peaceful tank mates. They are generally not overly aggressive but should still be kept with peaceful community fish.

Conclusion

With this list, you will be able to make a viable decision on what type of Plecostomus best suits your tank. Just remember that they thrive in a heated tropical tank with peaceful community fish. They generally should not be housed with other plecos, though exceptions can be made depending on maturity and sex. No matter which type you get, they make amazing additions to most tropical tanks, as they are great algae cleaners and can keep the environment clean and gunk-free.

Featured Image Credit to: Hristo Peshev, Shutterstock