Pitbull pleco care
Parotocinclus jumbo · Paraíba do Norte River basin, northeastern Brazil
Pitbull plecos are tiny suckermouth catfish under 2 inches, mottled olive and brown, relatives of the otocinclus.
- Tank size
- 20 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 72 to 79 °F (22 to 26 °C)
- Group size
- 3 or more
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 1.6 in
- pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Hardness (GH)
- 2 to 12 dGH
- Lifespan
- 3 to 5 years
- Diet
- Algae grazer
- Care level
- Moderate
In a 20 gallon long
30¼ × 12½ × 12¾ in outsideHow to keep pitbull plecos
Pitbull plecos are tiny suckermouth catfish under 2 inches, mottled olive and brown, relatives of the otocinclus. They graze biofilm and soft algae: keep three or more in a mature, planted 20 gallon or larger tank, and add algae wafers once the algae runs low.
Diet: Algae grazer: biofilm, soft algae, algae wafers, blanched zucchini. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Bottom of the tank.
Pitbull pleco tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Neon tetra
1.6 in · 10+ gal · 70–79 °F
Serpae tetra
1.6 in · 20+ gal · 72–79 °F
Sparkling gourami
1.6 in · 10+ gal · 76–82 °F
Black neon tetra
1.5 in · 10+ gal · 73–81 °F
Glowlight tetra
1.5 in · 10+ gal · 72–80 °F
Marbled hatchetfish
1.5 in · 20+ gal · 75–82 °F
Medaka
1.5 in · 10+ gal · 65–82 °F
African dwarf frog
1.5 in · 10+ gal · 75–82 °F
Keep apart
Angelfish: Adult angelfish eat fish under about 2 in; pitbull plecos grow to 1.6 in.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Fancy goldfish: Adult fancy goldfish eat fish under about 2 in; pitbull plecos grow to 1.6 in.
Convict cichlid: Convict cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as pitbull plecos.
Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as pitbull plecos.
Golden wonder killifish: Adult golden wonder killifish eat fish under about 2 in; pitbull plecos grow to 1.6 in.
What a pitbull pleco tank needs
A tank of 20 US gallons or more (such as the 20 gallon long) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aquarium Co-Op Easy Flow Sponge Filter, Small
A sponge filter gives gentle flow and cannot pull in small fish. It runs from an air pump, with airline tubing and a check valve, all sold separately.
Aqueon PRO QuietFlow Power Filter 10
Rated by the maker for up to 20 US gal, which covers a 20 gallon pitbull pleco tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 15–30 gal
Rated by the maker for 15–30 US gal, which covers a 20 gallon pitbull pleco tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Precise Aquarium Heater 100W
Pitbull plecos need 72 to 79 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding pitbull plecos.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 72 to 79 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 20 gallon tank · Heaters for a 20 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common pitbull pleco problems
- Like otocinclus, they starve in new or very clean tanks; add them to a tank that is months old and has algae.
- Larger bottom fish eat their wafers first; feed after the lights go out.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Parotocinclus jumbo. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Pitbull pleco Haplochromis, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Neon tetra Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Serpae tetra Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Sparkling gourami BEDO (Thailand), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black neon tetra Debivort, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Glowlight tetra gonzalovalenzuela; cropped by Kyknos, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Marbled hatchetfish Sven Kullander, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Medaka Seotaro, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- African dwarf frog Stuart Halliday, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Fancy goldfish Benson Kua, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Convict cichlid S. Olkowicz, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Jewel cichlid NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Golden wonder killifish Marrabbio2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pygmy corydoras Birger A, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Salt-and-pepper corydoras D.W., CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bronze corydoras Quatermass (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Panda corydoras Chronotopian, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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