Thank you for asking about Plecky! Your reward is that you get some potentially boring fish facts. Apologies in advance.

Plecky is about three inches long. That probably sounds pretty small, as plecos like yours are generally known for growing quite large. The reason is that Plecky is from a family of suckermouth catfish called Chaetostoma that hails from smaller tributaries in South America. Chaetostoma typically don’t exceed 3-4 inches or so, in the wild or in the aquarium.

As for wanting food, Plecky always turns his nose up at the zucchini, etc., that I give him. I suspect he might take a nibble at night once the lights are out and we’re all in bed, but I have no idea. Unlike the usual greedy pleco, Chaetostoma tend to be picky eaters. They prefer to eat the tiny organisms that live on the glass and rocks, called “Aufwuchs.” Sometimes I wish I had a pleco that gobbled up treats like yours, but Plecky has his own charms.

It sounds like you have done a great job taking care of your pleco. Keep it up!