Is a Pleco an armored catfish?

What does Pterygoplichthys anisitsi mean?

Pterygoplichthys anisitsi also known as the Paraná sailfin catfish, southern sailfin catfish, or snow-king plecostomus, is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae.

Is this a Pterygoplichthys species?

It is erroneous, and the concerned species belong to the genus Pterygoplichthys (either P. pardalis, P. disjunctivus, P. anisitsi or P. multiradiatus ). In the United States, a Pterygoplichthys species has been introduced to some regions in the South, most likely released by aquarists into the local waters.

Where can I find Pterygoplichthys ambrosettii?

Pterygoplichthys ambrosettii is a species of armored catfish distributed in south-central South America. This species is distributed in the Río Plata basin, in the Paraguay, Middle Paraná, Bermejo, and Uruguay rivers, in the countries of Paraguay, Bolivia, the north/northeast of Argentina, and the west of Uruguay.

Are Pterygoplichthys nocturnal?

Despite its impressive size, pterygoplichthys is a peace-loving fish. And their gastronomic interest is almost completely limited to vegetation. These fish are good helpers in the fight against algae growths on the walls of the aquarium. They are mostly nocturnal.

Is Pterygoplichthys pardalis a fish?

Pterygoplichthys pardalis. Pterygoplichthys pardalis, the Amazon sailfin catfish, is a freshwater tropical fish in the armored catfish family (Loricariidae). It is one of a number of species commonly referred to as the common pleco or “leopard pleco” by aquarists.

How to care for a Pterygoplichthys?

Pterygoplichthys is a very large fish, the minimum volume for keeping one individual is at least 250 liters. Coarse sand or small pebbles are suitable as soil. It is recommended to install a variety of shelters in the aquarium: caves made of stones, ceramic or plastic pipes.

What is another name for Pterygoplichthys?

These fish are commonly known as sailfin armoured catfish or sailfin plecs. Pterygoplichthys is derived from the Greek πτέρυγ- ( pteryg- ), meaning “wing”, ( hoplon) – weapon and ἰχθύς ( ichthys) meaning “fish”.

Is Pterygoplichthys a synonymy of Liposarcus?

Armbruster (1997), after a detailed systematic review, placed the genus Liposarcus into the synonymy of Pterygoplichthys. Weber (1992) provided a key and distinguishing characteristics and photographs of specimens; Armbruster and Page (2006) present a revised key to species in the genus Pterygoplichthys (except P. ambrosettii).

What is the scientific name for ambrosettii?

The specific term ambrosettii honors the surname of Argentine naturalist Juan Bautista Ambrosetti. Pterygoplichthys anisitsi was described in 1903 by the German-American ichthyologist Carl H. Eigenmann along with Clarence Hamilton Kennedy.

What is the burrowing behavior of Pterygoplichthys?

Male members of the genus Pterygoplichthys use crevices in canals or dig into river banks to create burrows in which an attracted female will lay and guard her eggs. When populations are large, this burrowing behavior by Pterygoplichthys contributes to problems with siltation.

What is a Pterygoplichthys?

These fish are commonly known as sailfin armoured catfish or sailfin plecs. Pterygoplichthys is derived from the Greek πτέρυγ- ( pteryg- ), meaning “wing”, ( hoplon) – weapon and ἰχθύς ( ichthys) meaning “fish”. Pterygoplichthys has undergone much shifting in the past decades.

How long do Pterygoplichthys live?

Life expectancy in the aquarium is up to 20 years. For the full growth and development of Pterygoplichthys, their diet should consist of plants (80%) and animal food (20%). Some aquarists prefer to feed these catfish with natural vegetables and herbs: zucchini, spinach, carrots, cucumbers.

What is Pterygoplichthys pardalis?

Pterygoplichthys pardalis, the Amazon sailfin catfish, is a freshwater tropical fish in the armored catfish family ( Loricariidae ). It is one of a number of species commonly referred to as the common pleco or “leopard pleco” by aquarists . The species will grow to a maximum length of 49 centimetres (19 in) SL and reach a weight of 310 g.

What is the difference between Hypostomus pardalis and plecostomus?

It is sometimes confused with the Hypostomus plecostomus (another armored catfish known as the “common plecostomus”). The two species can be distinguished by their number of dorsal rays. P. pardalis has 11–13, while the H. plecostomus has only 5–8 dorsal rays.

What kind of fish is a Pterygoplichthys?

Pterygoplichthys (Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps) belongs to the Armored catfishes family, one of the largest representatives of its kind. Despite its impressive size, pterygoplichthys is a peace-loving fish.

What do Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps eat?

It’s important to feed Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps with a variety of plant food. An ideal plant-protein ratio for the fish diet is 80% of plant and 20% of protein containing food. Spinach, carrots, cucumbers and squash will do as food.

What is Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps?

Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps is a species of armored catfish native to Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela where it is found in the Orinoco and Amazon basins .

Are Pterygoplichthys invasive?

“The sailfin catfish genus Pterygoplichthys already has the invasive history, since species P. multiradiatus, P. pardalis and P. disjunctivus have been so far recorded as exotic in Mesoamerica – Puerto Rico and Mexico (Bunkley-Williams et al.

Why do Pterygoplichthys dig out river banks?

Male members of the genus Pterygoplichthys dig out river banks to create burrows in which an attracted female will lay and guard her eggs. In large numbers, this burrowing behavior by Pterygoplichthys contributes to problems with siltation.

What is the scientific name of the Fish bass?

Bass, in zoology, any of a large number of fishes, many of them valued for food or sport. The name bass covers a range of fishes, but most are placed in three families of the order Perciformes: Serranidae, including approximately 400 species of sea bass and grouper; Moronidae, sometimes considered a subfamily of the Serranidae…

What is the difference between Pterygoplichthys and Hypostomus?

Pterygoplichthys is often confused with Hypostomus: these genera can be distinguished by the number of dorsal fin rays (7-8 in Hypostomus vs. 9-14 in Pterygoplichthys ). Native Range: Tropical America. Orinoco River basin in northern South America. Table 1.

What are the characteristics of Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps?

Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps shows all the characteristic features of its genus—a large dorsal fin with more than nine rays, prominent nasal flares and a prominent hump or crest anterior to the dorsal fin as well as a substantial base to the dorsal fin.