fish · Loricariidae
Amazon sailfin pleco
Pterygoplichthys pardalis
Wild range: Lower, middle and upper Amazon River basin (South America)
At a glance: Amazon sailfin pleco care
Compiled reference information. Review the care notes and original sources below.
What temperature is listed for Amazon sailfin pleco?
The compiled profile lists 23.0–28.0 °C for Amazon sailfin pleco (Pterygoplichthys pardalis). Check the original sources below for context and differing recommendations.
What tank size is listed for Amazon sailfin pleco?
The profile lists a minimum tank volume of 100.0 US gallons (379.0 liters). Volume alone does not establish suitability; consider dimensions, group size and other inhabitants alongside the full care notes.
What pH is listed for Amazon sailfin pleco?
The compiled profile lists a pH of 6.5–7.8. Review the cited care sources alongside the other water parameters in this profile.
Natural habitat
Large armored sailfin loricariid of slow, muddy Amazon lowland rivers, lakes, and floodplain ponds. Facultative air-breather; nocturnal rasper/grazer on algae, detritus, and aufwuchs, with opportunistic animal matter. Tall dorsal fin (≥10 rays) and spotted (not vermiculate) belly distinguish trade “Amazon sailfin / common pleco” stock from Hypostomus common-plecos and from vermiculated sailfin P. disjunctivus.
Where they are found
Catalog primary locked as Pterygoplichthys pardalis (Castelnau, 1855) per inventory/trade lock, Eschmeyer Catalog of Fishes Current status Valid as Pterygoplichthys pardalis (Castelnau 1855), FishBase accepted name, Planet Catfish, and ITIS valid TSN 680353 (Amazon sailfin catfish). Authorship is Castelnau 1855; originally Hypostomus pardalis (basionym). Synonyms: Hypostomus pardalis Castelnau 1855; Liposarcus pardalis; Liposarcus varius; Liposarcus jeanesianus Cope 1874. L-numbers L021 (standard) / L023 (albino/chocolate). Older shop books may still say Liposarcus or Glyptoperichthys — not adopted as primary (Scott naming rule 2026-09-24: keep established trade/CoF-current name; here ITIS also agrees on Pterygoplichthys). TRADE WARNING: pet-store “common pleco / sailfin / leopard pleco” labels often confuse P. pardalis with gibbiceps sailfin P. gibbiceps (inventory slug gibbiceps-sailfin-pleco, now in catalog) and with true common-pleco Hypostomus plecostomus (slug common-pleco). Count dorsal soft rays (≥10 = Pterygoplichthys; Hypostomus typically ~7) and check pattern (pardalis: denser leopard spotting with spotted abdomen; gibbiceps: irregular leopard/honeycomb spots on yellowish-tan ground; P. disjunctivus: vermiculate belly — not a separate inventory row yet). Never release outdoors (invasive sailfin lookalikes worldwide).
Aquarium care
Plan a large, heavily filtered freshwater aquarium from day one — this is a 35–50 cm adult with a towering sailfin and a heavy bioload, not a nano algae eater. Locked minimum 100 US gallons (~379 L) for one adult (Planet Catfish CotM absolute floor ~48×18×18 in / ~67 gal with heavy filtration, larger strongly preferred; Guidarium ≥450 L≈119 gal / 120+ for adults; Aqua-Fish ≥500 L≈132 gal; PetSmart trade card 125+; Aquarium Co-Op notes common-pleco class starts ~75 gal and may need 180–500 — note the 119–132 / 125+ floors in care planning; long footprint preferred over tall). Soft-to-medium water ~23–28°C, pH ~6.5–7.8, GH ~5–15 dGH (FishBase 23–28°C / pH 7.0–7.5 / dH 10–20; Planet Catfish sheet 21–26°C / pH 6.0–7.5 with CotM preferred ~26°C medium/neutral; Aqua-Fish 22–29°C / pH 7.0–7.6 / 6–21°N; Guidarium 22–28°C / pH 6.5–8 / GH 4–15; ACO general pleco 74–80°F≈23–27°C / pH 6.5–7.8 — locked overlap 23–28°C, 6.5–7.8, 5–15 with FishBase harder mid-band and PC cooler sheet noted). Provide sand or smooth gravel, large driftwood/caves/PVC for daytime retreats, strong filtration (oversized canister/sump), and good oxygenation; facultative air-breather but still needs clean water. Intermediate difficulty mainly due to size and waste, not fragility. Never release outdoors.
Feeding
Omnivore leaning herbivore/aufwuchs: wild diet includes algae, detritus, and opportunistic animal matter (Planet Catfish CotM; FishBase trophic level ~2.0). In aquaria do not rely on tank algae alone — offer sinking algae wafers/rounds, blanched zucchini/cucumber/spinach/peas, driftwood for lignin, and occasional protein (bloodworms, shrimp pellets, gel foods). Feed after lights-out so nocturnal scrapers get their share. Underfed large Pterygoplichthys may rasp other fishes’ slime coats (Guidarium; Aquarium Co-Op general large-pleco warning).
Compatibility
Generally peaceful community fish with similarly sized tankmates (Planet Catfish, Aqua-Fish, Guidarium). Territorial toward conspecifics and other large bottom-dwellers — keep one adult per typical tank or provide ample caves. Avoid tiny fish that fit in the mouth and very aggressive tankmates; may uproot soft plants. Good with robust mid/upper swimmers (silver dollars, larger tetras, peaceful larger cichlids, clown loaches in big systems). Not for shrimp nano setups. Distinct from common-pleco (Hypostomus plecostomus) and gibbiceps-sailfin-pleco (P. gibbiceps) rows in this catalog.
Breeding
Egg-layers that in nature dig long tunnels into mud banks for nesting; male guards eggs (Planet Catfish CotM/data sheet, Wikipedia, Aqua-Fish). Commercially farmed in tropical ponds (Florida / SE Asia), but intentional home breeding is very difficult without a super-size setup and a mud-bank wall. Sexual dimorphism subtle (genital papilla shape; females often slightly larger/rounder when gravid). Albino/chocolate farm forms (L023) widely sold.
Sources
Compiled from multiple independent care sheets — not copied from a single site.