Sailfin Pleco Care Guide: Size, Lifespan, Diet, Tank Mates & Appearance

Among the over 150 varieties of the Plecos available, the Sailfin Pleco is among the most common for home aquariums.

The Sailfin Pleco is slightly different from the Common Pleco (also a popular home kept Pleco variety). It’s smaller in size and lives relatively longer than the Common Pleco. The Sailfin Pleco is fairly distributed in the fish-keeping community and arguably the largest fishtank inhabitants.

Other than its spectacular size and good look, the Sailfin Pleco stands out for its ability to consume algae that tend to foul fish tanks. So if you’ve been struggling with algae growth in your aquarium, this fish will be your perfect solution.

Impressively, the fish is also straightforward to care for. In this Sailfin Pleco care guide, we’ll look into the Sailfin Pleco profile and explore all the care details for this Pleco fish species.

Quick Facts:
Common Names :	Sailfin Pleco, Spotted Sailfin Pleco, Leopard Sailfin Pleco, Marbled Sailfin Pleco, Albino Sailfin Pleco
Origin :	Tributaries and rivers of South America
Family :	Loricariidae
Scientific Name :	Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps
Care Level :	Easy
Temperament :	Peaceful
Social :	Community fish
Diet :	Omnivores
Size (average) :	Up to 19 inches
Lifespan :	Up to 20 years
Breeding :	Egg layer
Minimum Tank Size:	100 gallons
Tank Environment :	Freshwater, Sandy substrate, Floating Plants, Rocks and caves
Temperature :	73 – 85°F (22 – 29°C)
Water Hardness :	6 - 10 dKH
Water pH Level :	6.5 – 7.5 pH

Table of Contents

Species Overview

Sailfin Pleco is one of the most peaceful and non-aggressive Pleco species are available for you to keep in your home aquarium or a community fish tank.

These fish species belong to Loricariidae fish family are fall under Pterygoplichthys genus scientifically known as Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps.

They are omnivorous fish species and pretty much very easy to feed in a captivity environment. Based on their color pattern appearance they have given few common names.

They are commonly known as Spotted Sailfin Pleco, Leopard Sailfin Pleco, Marbled Sailfin Pleco, and Albino Sailfin Pleco based on the color and special marking.

They are known to be live up to 20 years old in a captivity environment and will reach the maximum length of 19 inches long. There are no significant differences between male and female Pelco fish in terms of appearance.

Sailfin Pleco Size

Under optimal tank conditions, proper care, and feeding, Sailfin Pleco size can grow to up to 19 inches. The fish tends to grow pretty fast and if kept in a tiny tank initially, it can quickly outgrow it.

Another main factor is that determines Sailfin Pleco size is the aquarium size. It’s better to plan ahead and provide a large tank for the fish once and for all.

Sailfin Pleco Lifespan

The Sailfin Pleco impresses when it comes to lifespan. In aquariums, the average lifespan of the Sailfin Pleco is 20 years. However, the fish can live up to 25 years if provided with focused care and optimal tank conditions.

Wild-thriving Sailfin Plecos will easily reach maximum age.

Appearance and Colors

Sailfin Pleco is an elongated fish with dense bone plates all over except the stomach area. The fish’s head is quite large, with protruding nostrils and thick antennae.

The mouth is flat and modified to take large gulps of air above the water surface when there’s oxygen deficiency. The fish has small eyes placed on top of the pinnacle. Their positioning allows the fish to have a wide variety of views.

In fact, only what happens above the fish is out of its view.

Sailfin Plecos have very unique fins. The dorsal fin is massive and significantly rayed. The fish also boasts wing-like and bony pectoral fins that assist it to dig into the silt.

Other than the Albino Sailfin Pleco, all other varieties of this fish the Spotted Sailfin Pleco, Marbled Sailfin Pleco, and Leopard Sailfin Pleco first develop a nearly black color with spots or pores on the skin.

The contrast between the chocolate-black color and the spots depends on the quality of the initial breed.

Most of the colored Sailfin Pleco tend to lose their vivid colors as they grow old. In this regard, you should ensure that the tank conditions are always maintained at the required levels to slow down fading.

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Sailfin Pleco Care

Taking care of Sailfin Pleco is very easy since there are no special maintenance requirements needed. Nevertheless, due to their big size, you need to be keen on their habitat setup and maintenance.

Main factors to consider when taking care of Sailfin Pleco:

– Tank Size

The Sailfin Pleco demands a large tank to live happily. Despite growing to a maximum size of 19 inches, the fish requires a minimum tank size of 100 gallons.

The massive tank requirement limits the occupancy of a Sailfin Pleco to only one individual fish per tank. A big tank is essential to help them grow and become large since they’re fast-growing as well.

It also allows them to stay stress-free as they’ll always get enough space to swim around. You should also increase the tank size if you wish to add tank mates. Remember to use a tank with thick glasses to hold properly these armored Plecos.

Most sailfin Plecos exceed their lifespan and hence it’s advisable to keep them in a big enough tank. The size of the tank is among the important care practices for Sailfin Plecos fish.

– Sailfin Pleco Tank Setup

You should be very keen and considerate when it comes to the tank set up for these fish. Housing the fish in an uncomfortable aquarium may elevate stress levels which might result in aggression.

Substrate

You can use any substrate for sailfin Plecos since they aren’t picky. The fish will work well with middle-sized gravel or sand. However, sand is the most preferred substrate since it’s more comfortable to lie on as the sailfin Plecos spend most of their time at the bottom of the tank.

It’s important to note that it’s harder to manage sand, mainly because the fish might dig it up.

Decorations

It would be best if you filled the tank with decorations to imitate the Plecos natural habitat, thus making it feel more comfortable.

Add one or two pieces of driftwood to each tank, but you can add more if your tank is larger than 100 gallons. The Plecos love hiding behind the logs, especially during the day.

What’s more, the driftwood enhances the cellulose level in the tank, thus improving the fish’s digestion. Add some wood provides a surface for algae growth which fish love feeding on.

Algae supplements feeding and it gives you a break from feeding the Plecos from time to time. You can also add caves, tangled roots, and smooth rocks to the tank.

Lighting

Sailfins do well in normal to moderate lighting, but you can provide extra shade using Floating Aquarium Plants.

Sailfin Plecos are very active at night and thus, it’s essential to add artificial lights or illuminating objects. This ensures the aquarium is not totally dark and the fish are able to move and play at night.

Filter system

Sailfins produce a lot of waste and hence a powerful filtration system is necessary to remove this biowaste. We would recommend you to use a Canister Filter or Powerhead Aquarium Filter as these provide an hourly flow rate of four times the aquarium volume.

Maintaining the water clean and well aerated is the most critical aspect of water conditions for these fish.

– Water Parameters

You should provide these fish with proper water parameters to ensure they stay healthy and comfortable. Even though the sailfin Plecos are relatively hardy, you should maintain the water parameters in a stable state.

It’s effortless to maintain the consistency of the water parameters since the tank sizes are very big.

Maintain the water parameters as indicated below:

Water temperature: The Sailfin Plecos are tropical fish and thus thrive well around 73 – 85°F (22 – 29°C)
Acidity Levels: Prefer neutral waters with 6.5 – 7.5 pH
Hardness: Should range between 6 and 10 dKH

Ensure to run water tests after moving your Sailfin Plecos to a new tank to ensure the parameters are stable.

Slight changes with the water parameters will not significantly affect your fish, as would be the case for freshwater fish. However, it’s essential to maintain the parameters stable all the time.

– Suitable Aquarium Plants

The sailfin Plecos like to nibble plants hindering the soft ones from growing. The best plants to add to the fish habitat include:

Above plants are deeply rooted is can easily bounce back in case of damage. You shouldn’t concentrate much on the plants since a few of them are enough for this fish species.

Possible Diseases of Sailfin Pleco

The good thing about sailfin pleco is that they’re pretty hardy and don’t get ill easily like other freshwater fish. However, like any other fish species, they’ll still get ill when kept in poor tank conditions.

Once you identify any ailment, you should get them treated since even the minor ones can easily become severe when left untreated.

– White Spot Disease (Ich)

The most common disease that affects the sailfin Plecos is ich. White spots on the scales are the main symptoms of this illness. You can prevent this by maintaining clean water in the tanks.

Ich is treated using over-the-counter fish remedies such as Premafix and Melafix and you should be careful when applying the medication to avoid hurting the fish.

– Skin and Fill Flukes

The second disease that’s likely to affect the sailfin pleco is skin and gill flukes. These are parasites that attach to the fish’s body & gills and make the fish scratch against substrate and décor. This disease can be treated using suitable anti-parasitic medication.

– Fungal Infections

Fungal infections are also possible and they’re indicated by white fluffy, cottony growths. If you spot this, you should quarantine all affected fish and dose water with antifungal treatment.

-Bacterial Infections

The symptoms of bacterial infections are ulcers, reddened skin, patches, and sores. These infections are controlled by quarantining affected fish and treating the water with antibacterial water treatment.

You can easily avoid health issues related to sailfin pleco by feeding them well, maintaining good water conditions, and providing a balanced environment.

If you decide to get them some tank mates, ensure they’re well compatible. Keeping these fish with very aggressive tank mates may create distress for them.

Behavior And Temperament

The Sailfin Pleco is peaceful and non-aggressive. When kept in a community, it’s unlikely to disturb other fish. However, fish with almost similar appearance features should not be kept with the Sailfin Pleco as skirmishes may occur.

Similarly, you should not keep Sailfin Pleco with other Plecos. In natural habitats, the Sailfin is fond of burying itself in the ground just before the start of the wet season. As seen above, the same happens when the female Sailfin wants to lay her eggs.

The fish is capable of spreading the dorsal fins and unfolding the pectoral fins in all directions. This is a strategy the fish uses to trick predators that it’s visually bigger.

The last exciting behavior of these fish is swallowing air above the water surface when oxygen is limited. When gulping the air, the fish may produce a hissing sound. Note that this is still a strategy to scare off predators.

Diet And Feeding Requirements

Sailfin Pleco is an omnivorous bottom feeder that’ll eat pretty everything that’s available. From algae to veggies and live foods, the fish will appreciate any type of food.

The Sailfin Pleco has unmatched love for algae. It’ll clean up pretty all the algae that grow in the tank and you’ll never have to worry about dealing with algae in your tank. It’s even said that the fish can scavenge on the tank’s vegetation if there are insufficient algae in the tank.

For optimum growth of your Sailfin, you would want to keep the feed composition ratio to be 80% veggies and 20% for the rest of the foods (dry and natural animal feed).

Interestingly, Sailfins can survive entirely on vegetables. Perfect veggies for this fish include Zucchini, Spinach, Cucumbers, and Carrots. Dry foods such as fish vegetable wafers are also a great way to enhance the growth of your Sailfin Plecos.

While the fish will still eat natural animal food such as bloodworm, you should be careful not to bring infections to the tank with them.

If the Plecos are kept with super scavenging fish, ensure that they’re getting their enough share of food. Note that this does not mean you overfeed the fish, as this may cause decay in the tank water.

Considering that the fish is nocturnal, it’s recommended to feed it when the lights are off. One last tip to keep Sailfin Plecos happy with regards to feeding is adding driftwood to their tank.

It’s an easy way to provide the fish with enough cellulose, thus improving digestion.

Gender Differences Of Sailfin Pleco

There are no major gender differences for this fish species. However, it’s not entirely impossible to sex Sailfin Plecos.

Observing the form of the genital papilla is perhaps the most reliable way to sex the fish. Males have a small but thick stump that protrudes from the undercarriage. On the other hand, females have less prominent papilla, which lie flat with the body.

Other gender differences that a trained eye can detect in male and females Plecos are:

Males are more aggressive than females, but this depends entirely on the individual character of the fish.
Females are relatively larger than males, provided the two are of the same age and have been given similar care.
Females are more rounded (especially when carrying eggs) compared to males.

Sailfin Pleco Breeding

The Sailfin Pleco reaches sexual maturity at around three years. At this age, the fish is at least 5 inches.

Breeding this fish in a home aquarium is nearly impossible due to the large tank requirements and complex setup. For commercial purposes, though, the fish is bred in massive ponds.

In natural habitats, the female fish digs deep tunnels into the silt and lays the eggs there. A single female can lay around 120 to 500 eggs. The male follows to fertilize and guard the eggs. The spawning process is usually a night affair for this fish.

The fry hatch after a few days and feed on their yolk sac for the first few days. Under pond breeding conditions, the fry is fed on catfish tablets on entirely consuming their yolk sac.

Origin And Distribution

Sailfin Pleco fish originate from the tributaries and rivers of South America. Examples of the rivers where the fish is widely populated include Amazon, Orinoco, Shingu River, and Tefe River in Brazil.

The fish prefers slow-moving water and where they get a wide range of silt.

Countries with a large population of the Sailfin Pleco are Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, and Colombia. Currently, the fish is fairly distributed in the global tank fish market although widely bred in Asian nations.

It can be sourced from local stores as well as online pet shops that carry Sailfin Pelco for sale. The cost of one Sailfin Pleco will range from $20 to $200, depending on size and the region you are resided in.

Sailfin Pleco Tank Mates

As mentioned before, the Sailfin Pleco is a peaceful and non-aggressive fish that will live peacefully with other similar-sized. Problems will, however, arise if the fish is kept with tiny fish to the large size difference.

Sailfin Plecos may scare off completely laid-back fish varieties, so it’s advisable to avoid adding such in their tank. Additionally, skirmishes may arise if the fish is kept with its own companion or fish with almost similar physical features and behaviors.

Ancistrus and Gyrinocheilus are closely associated with the Sailfins and hence should never be kept together.

Here are perfect tank mates for the Sailfin Pleco:

Frequently Asked Questions

– Are Sailfin Plecos Aggressive?

Generally, Sailfin Plecos are non-aggressive, peaceful, and community-compatible. What would trigger the fish’s uncommon aggressive side is keeping it with other Plecos or other closely associated fish varieties.

– Do Sailfin Plecos Eat Other Fish?

Sailfin Plecos do well with relatively smaller fish, but they shouldn’t be kept with the tiny varieties that they can easily snack on. As long as the other fish is not small enough to fit in the Sailfin’s mouth, it should be just fine.

– Are Sailfin Plecos Territorial?

While Sailfin Plecos are peaceful with other fish, they tend to be territorial when kept with other Plecos. The big individuals are very notorious for this and hence should never be kept together.

– How Big Does A Sailfin Pleco Get?

Under proper feeding and tank conditions, a Sailfin Pleco can grow up to 19 inches. Plecos that thrive in the wild seamlessly clock this size.

– How Long Does It Take For A Sailfin Pleco To Grow?

With proper care, the fish will be all grown and sexually mature in 3 years. The fish grows very fast during the first year, after which the growth rate generally slows down.

It’s not a wonder, though, for a Sailfin Pleco to outgrow a tank, especially if kept in a tiny one.

– Is A Sailfin Pleco A Common Pleco?

The Sailfin Pleco is a type of Plecostomus fish that’s slightly different from the common Pleco. When compared to a Common Pleco, the Sailfin Pleco is relatively smaller.

However, the Sailfin has slightly larger tank size requirements than the Common Pleco. A plus point for the Sailfin is that its lifespan is slightly longer than that of a Common Pleco. Expect up to 20 years for the Sailfin Pleco.

– Where is Sailfin Pleco For Sale?

Sailfin Pleco for sale can be found in local pet shops as well as online fish stores such as Ebay.com. For premium Sailfin Pleco fish, you may need to consider the online option but only go for reliable stores, guided by past customers’ reviews.

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– Average Salfin Pleco Price?

Depending on the size of the Sailfin Pleco you’re buying, you should expect to spend between $20 to $200. Again, the surest way to make sure that you have value for your money is to buy your fish from a reputable pet shop.

Closing Thoughts

The Sailfin Pleco is generally easy to care for, hardy and peaceful freshwater fish species that are not hard time feeding. With proper tank setup and provision of enough space, it’ll be seamless to keep the Sailfin Pleco.

The fish particularly enjoys rocky caves and driftwood in their tank. As a Sailfin Pleco owner, you should always lookout for any signs of distress with the fish and work on reversing the causes in an accelerated manner.

Perhaps the most critical point to keep in mind here is that the Sailfin Pleco is a tropical fish and that it will only thrive at a temperature range around 73 – 85°F (22 – 29°C).

Focus on hygiene, diet, and tank mates to make your Sailfin Pleco always happy and you’ll have a smooth experience keeping the fish.

All said and done, the Sailfin Pleco is the perfect fish for both beginners and seasoned tank fish keepers, so don’t hesitate to add it to your aquarium.