Candy Striped Pleco

About

Found clinging to rocky outcrops in the fast-moving rivers of the Brazilian Amazon and its southern tributaries, as well as the Río Ventuari in Venezuela, this attractively patterned small pleco, Peckoltia vittata, goes by the common name Candy Striped Pleco in the hobby. A nod to the bold contrasting bands that run across its body. It stays in the 3 to 6 inch range, which makes it more manageable than many of its larger loricariid relatives. Like others in its genus, it is capable of taking in atmospheric air directly, an adaptation that helps it cope with low-oxygen conditions in the wild. In the aquarium it is a committed bottom dweller that rarely ventures toward the surface, spending most of its time wedged against rockwork or rasping at driftwood. Though often sold as an algae eater, it is genuinely omnivorous and will browse wood and plant matter as readily as biofilm. It is nocturnal, so do not be surprised if you rarely see it during the day. Keeping a small group of five or more is recommended, and providing plenty of hides and surface area in the form of rocks and wood will let these fish behave naturally. Intermediate-level care experience is advisable.