The Great Algae Eating Fish Freshwater in Tropical Tank: Candy Striped Pleco

The Great Algae Eating Fish Freshwater in Tropical Tank: Candy Striped Pleco – Earlier, the name Chaetostomus vittatus was utilized. The L number for Candy striped pleco was L015. Because the Candies striped pleco belongs to the genus Peckolita, it's often sold under the name Candies striped Peckoltia. Within the hobby, Peckoltia vittata is frequently mistaken with the Clown pleco Panaque maccus.

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The Great Algae Eating Fish Freshwater in Tropical Tank: Candy Striped Pleco

Peckoltia: named member of the Natural History Commission of Rondon, after Gustavo Peckolt. This specific epithet literally means decorated using a ribbon(vittata=decorated using a thread) and refers to the bands of colour on its body.

As with most Loricariids, colouration depends on mood.

Diet

This fish is omnivore, hey will eat most foods offered them. Though they're not excellent algae eaters, these plecs adore vegetables, for example zucchini and cucumber. They relish meaty foods at the same time, and can devour frozen and live foods alike. These fish are best fed at night or just prior to the lights of the tank go out, to ensure they get their share of food. Since they are nocturnal, tankmates will likely eat food added through the day.

Sexing

Males develop small teeth-like odontodes which adorn the top pectoral fin rays along with the back half of the fishes body. Females also have a wider girth on the other side of the body most evident when the region just behind the pectoral fins is seen from above and stay unadorned.

Attention

These catfish are very hardy. They stand most water conditions well, but enjoy a great current, and well-oxygenated water. As they like to have their own special place, supply a minumum of one cave per fish /s to hide. They may fight with other Loricariids if not enough caves can be found.

Typical Tank setup

Rio Amazon biotope with lots of live and stone, wood plants. This species generally makes aquarium plants alone, provided of course which you maintain it well fed. Always include wood in the setup. They've been mainly nocturnal, and timid by nature, so hiding places are compulsory.

Acceptable tank mates

Appropriate for community tanks, but can be outcompeted by bigger, more bottomdwelling fish that is outgoing. Ideally kept a species set-up. A medium sized pleco that can be coupled using a very wide variety of tankmates because of its nature that was unfussy. Totally safe with shrimp and little fishes or strong enough to defy the consideration of all but the biggest cichlids.

Mating

The Sweet striped pleco has been bred in aquariums. They truly are cave spawners. The male guards the eggs which are light yellowish and about 2-3 millimeters in size. The eggs generally hatch within a week and after another week the yolk sac will often have been consumed. You can feed the fry just hatched baby brine shrimp (BBS).

Water chemistry'

Ideal is soft, slightly acidic water, but this species is very good and adaptive, having the ability to live in different conditions (pH 5.5-7.5, dH range: 2.0-20.0). These fish prefer warm, quick-running water that is quite oxygen-rich.

Added information

This species is one of many similar-looking Pleco's are sold under the name "Peckoltia vittata", nearly all of them not scientifically classified. In many cases, the sole means to tell these fish is by understanding where it was initially gathered.