Hypostomus punctatus, the suckermouthed catfish, is a tropical fish belonging to the armored suckermouth catfish family, Loricariidae. Hypostomus punctatus is a freshwater fish native to South America, in the coastal drainages of southeastern Brazil and Uruguay. It is one of a number of species commonly referred to as "plecostomus" or "common pleco" by aquarists.
Description
H. punctatus is a species of loricariid catfish. Like other members of this family, it possesses a suckermouth, armor plates, strong dorsal and pectoral fin spines, and the omega iris. This species reaches about TL.
Habitat and ecology
H. punctatus is found in the wild in fast-flowing rivers as well as in flooded areas. It prefers water with a temperature of , a pH range of 5–8, and a dH range of 0.5–25. H. punctatus is primarily herbivorous and feeds on algae and detritus as well as plants and roots.