Hardback King Pleco

About

Found in the Tocantins River basin of South America, Glyptoperichthys joselimaianus is a large, robust armored catfish that can reach well over a foot in length at full size. One of its more unusual traits is facultative air breathing. It can gulp atmospheric air when dissolved oxygen in the water runs low, which speaks to the sometimes challenging environments it evolved in. In the aquarium it behaves much like other large plecos: relatively calm toward unrelated tankmates but noticeably territorial with its own kind and other bottom-dwelling catfish. If you plan on keeping it alongside other plecos or similar species, expect competition for food and hiding spots. It tends to be more active after the lights go out, though you will see it moving around during the day as well. While it is primarily a bottom feeder grazing on algae and plant matter, it will also work its way up the glass and hardscape. Given its eventual size and territorial nature, a spacious tank is a must, and a well-planted setup with plenty of driftwood gives it the territory it needs to settle in. An intermediate-level keeper who has experience managing larger catfish will get the best results with this species.