Peruvian King Pleco

About

Found in the Marañon and Ucayali river drainages of South America, Pterygoplichthys scrophus is one of the plecostomus-type armored catfish that hobbyists sometimes encounter as an alternative to the more commonly kept species in this group. Like its relatives, it belongs to the loricariid family and is covered in bony plates that give it that characteristic tank-like appearance. One genuinely interesting biological trait is its ability to breathe air directly. When dissolved oxygen drops in its natural environment, it can supplement gill breathing by gulping air, an adaptation well-suited to the slow, sometimes oxygen-poor waters it inhabits in the wild. In the aquarium, this is a solidly built fish that grows to a meaningful size, so it needs a roomy setup with good filtration. It is primarily a bottom dweller that will graze on algae and biofilm but should also receive a varied diet including sinking foods to stay in good condition. Driftwood and caves give it places to retreat during the day, as it tends to be more active after the lights go out. This is not a beginner fish given its size and the tank space it requires, but it is a manageable and interesting species for a keeper ready to accommodate it properly.