Are you unsure about selecting the ideal algae remover that enhances the appearance of your planted tank? Why do you not try to keep a ‘Bulldog Pleco’? They are a rare suckermouth armored catfish. They may show a new atmosphere that makes you more interested in them.
With the label “rare,” it is certainly pricier, and more effort is needed to get them as pets. Because they are great fish, you need the best guide on proper care for these highly valued catfish.
Look no further; we have summarized the best practices for caring for your bulldog plecos, including habitat and water parameters, feeding, breeding, tank mates, and other important information useful for keepers.
Bulldog Pleco Facts & Overview
- Scientific Name: Chaetostoma Formosae
- Care Level: Intermediate
- Originate: Columbia
- Size: Up to 10.5 Cm
- Life Expectancy: Up to 10 years
- Diet: Algae Eater, Omnivore
- Temperament: Peaceful
- Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
- Temperature: 20-24°C
- pH Level: 6.5-7.8
- Hardness: 143-447 ppm
- Breeding: Cave Spawner
- Compatible For Beginners: No
General Information Of Bulldog Pleco
Chaetostoma formosae is an algae-cleaning catfish under the family Loricariidae. These tropical fish were first described scientifically by Gustavo A. Ballen in 2011. They are endemic to Colombia.
Chaetostoma consists of two Greek words: ‘chaite’, which means hair, and stoma ‘, which means mouth. While the species name ‘Formosae’ is derived from an adjective in the genitive case, which originates from the Latin word ‘Formosa.’ That name was used to honor his sister, Laura María Ballen, in tribute to her support and unconditional love for him.
They have many common names, including bulldog pleco, blonde bulldog pleco, blonde rubber pleco, striped bulldog pleco, striped rubber pleco, striped rubber nose pleco, widemouth pleco, rubber pleco, rubber lip pleco, L187B, L444, L146, and L146a. They also have some Danish names, such as smuk gumminæse and smuk gumminæse-sugemalle.
The name ” Bulldog pleco” has long been misapplied to Chaetostoma thomsoni or Chaetostoma thomasi (also known as “Thomasi plecos”) and Chaetostoma milesi for a long time. However, each of them is a different species with a distinction originating from a different location.
Unfortunately, this ray-finned fish type has been listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN since 2020 due to certain human activities.
Distribution And Habitat
The bulldog pleco is native to South America and is only known to live around western piedmont streams in the upper Guaviare and Río Meta basins. These tributaries are located in the Casanare and Meta departments of eastern Colombia. Both the Guaviare and Meta streams are part of major tributaries of the Río Orinoco.
Most type localities of these catfish are from Caño Chuy, río Upía, which is located on the Boyacá – Casanare border, in the Orinoco drainage, the upper río Meta basin, and San Luis de Gaceno.
Almost all bulldog plecos that become inhabitants in the aquarist’s tank are collected from the streams around Villavicencio city in the Meta department and exported to most regions worldwide.
In the shipment process, it is reasonably often accompanied by Chaetostoma dorsale in the same package. Perhaps their appearance is almost identical, and to an ordinary person, it’s difficult to distinguish between these two species.
In their habitat, the bulldog pleco prefers to live in fast-flowing headwater streams, sometimes with high gradients, and is also found in minor tributaries. The water temperature is typically cool.
The substrate in these water bodies normally consists of bedrock with scattered jumbles of stones and boulders. While at the riverbank, there is commonly submerged vegetation or leaf litter. However, real aquatic plants do not arise due to strong water movement.
The water in their places is typically clear and rich in oxygen, which facilitates the development of biofilms well. However, the water volume, hydrochemical composition, and turbidity can change abruptly due to daily rainfall.
Appearance Of The Bulldog Pleco
Actually, distinguishing each species within the genus Chaetostoma is somewhat challenging to identify. However, there are general rules for any species categorized as a Chaetostoma family. They have spines behind the gill cover, known as interopercular odontodes, lack plates on their abdomen, and do not have plates on the snout edge.
There are two distinct marks that help identify the bulldog pleco (C. formosae); they feature numerous black dots on their head and black stripes along the edges of their body plates.
Their bodies are relatively flat, with a base body color of grey or pale olive green, and a large head. Their fins’ color is translucent; this part contains spikes and becomes thick when the fin is unflared.
C. formosae has a mouth that is suction-cup-like; it allows these fish to cling firmly to any different surface types and nibble the algae.
The scaly armors with small spines cover their bodies entirely. The female’s body size is smaller than the male’s, with females typically measuring around 7 cm, while males can reach up to 10.5 cm in their natural habitat.
Behavior And Temperaments
The bulldog pleco is a peaceful catfish species, but it can be slightly territorial with its own kind or other similarly shaped fish. They grow best when kept in a dedicated species tank, alone, or in groups of one or two schooling fish from the cyprinids or characins families.
To prevent aggressive behavior toward the species in the community tank, especially when kept with other loricariids, ensure a sufficiently sized tank and create hiding places within it.
Some aquarists report that their fish tend to be active at night (nocturnal) rather than during the day, and prefer to spend most of their time around the decorations, such as bogwood. However, no research study confirms this habit yet.
Sexual Dimorphism
They are quite dominant in terms of sexual differences. The male’s head is usually broader and larger than that of the female. The ventral sides of males are slimmer, and the size of pelvic fins is not proportional.
The larger and longer pelvic fins probably have a significant impact during the insemination of the eggs. This part can hold the sperm cells in place against water movement, preventing them from being carried away too rapidly by the current. The bulldog pleco accomplishes this by inverting its pelvic fins over the clutch of eggs.
A fundamental difference between the sexes is that males are more colorful. An adult male has an enlarged second unbranched anal-fin ray bearing two different posterior dermal folds. It may reach the base of the caudal fins when the individual has fully matured.
The male also generates a fleshy bump at the dorsal surface of the first pectoral-fin ray, which is a mark that is not present on female bodies.
Both sexes have a convex distal margin on their pelvic fins, which is rounded in females, while males have an angular margin.
Males grow a few rows of acute, hypertrophied, and recurved odontotes that bulge on the dorsal surface skins of the pelvic fin rays. But the females’ odontotes are perceptible but do not penetrate the skin.
Reproduction
Most of the mating process still occurs in the wild. Only a few reports indicate that it occurs in captivity. This information is still not reliable.
According to information from some sites, spawning occurs inside a cave or shelter. Females deposit the eggs on the cave’s roof, and males will take care of them.
Feeding And Diet
Algae are their primary diet in nature, but they also feed on live organisms, such as insect larvae and small crustaceans.
In aquarium environments, they can accept some dried food that you can buy in stores, including algae-based wafers and sinking pellets.
Like other suckermouth catfish, the striped bulldog pleco is willing to eat some blanched or fresh vegetables and fruits, like spinach, cucumber, zucchini, shelled peas, lettuce, and chopped fruits.
To enhance their coloration, which makes them look more beautiful inside the tank, you can add some tiny live or frozen food, such as artemia, bloodworms, and daphnia, alongside dense fresh algae. They most prefer to feed on green algae types such as:
The existence of algae is necessary for Chaetostoma formorsae. If you keep them in a community tank with some herbivores, algae may disappear quickly.
Well, producing your own algae on the rock surface in a separate aquarium is a favorable solution. Do not require big containers; only need highlighting and sunny climates, which you can maintain outdoors. After that, change the rocks from the main aquarium with those from the nursery tank on a cyclical basis.
Tank Requirements And Aquarium Setup
A single fish or a small group of 2-3 individuals requires a 30-gallon aquarium to cover them.
There is no rule for base substrate type. You can use sand, gravel, or a mixture of both. Some instruments that are preferable to placing in their tank include pebbles of varying sizes and a layer of water-worn stones.
The old driftwood is optional as additional hardscape. Avoid using new ones, as they can release tannins that can turn the watercolor darker, decreasing the effectiveness of artificial lighting.
You should provide a high dissolved oxygen content in the water at all times. We advised using a high-pressure, high-quality filter system. For example, a high-quality canister filter with additional airstones, a wave maker, or powerheads.
A water cycle of approximately 10-15 times the aquarium volume per hour is suggested, although a lower rate of around 5-10 times per hour still maintains a sufficient oxygen level for them.
Although aquatic plants are not a natural feature of their habitat, they can at least help promote oxygen levels, regardless of their role as decorative elements. Select the robust plants with thicker leaves, stems, and roots that can survive in their tank condition. Some hardier genera like anubias, microsorum, and crinum are the best choice.
Anubias genus is more beneficial because algae tend to grow on their leaves and provide some shelter areas for the animals hiding.
Set the lighting at a medium to strong level to attract algae spores and other related microorganisms for development. The lighting period of about 9-12 hours per day is enough. It is actually not something you must do. In fact, the bulldog pleco does not require a specific light intensity, meaning they can tolerate any lighting level.
These fish do not require a heater in their tank setup. Remember, they mainly inhabit mountain streams, which are bodies of water that are relatively cold.
Adding other artificial decorations, such as caves, pots, pipes, and plastic plants, is optional, depending on your preference, as long as they fit within your tank size.
Bulldog Pleco Fish Care
Every freshwater aquarium requires periodic maintenance to keep all elements balanced, including the bulldog pleco tank, which has specific requirements.
Moreover, they only accept stable water conditions. So, never added them to the newest tank setup, where the environment is immature.
Regular water changes of 30–50% every week are necessary to help stabilize the water quality.
The rest of the planted aquarium can leave without too many changes or cleaning. It aims to permit the algae to develop, except for the viewing wall.
Make sure to check the water quality regularly; the parameters should be in:
- Temperature Level: 20-24 °Celsius
- pH Level: 6.5-7.8
- Water Hardness: 143-447 ppm
Under the perfect living tank configuration, their expected age can reach ten years. However, if your setup is not eligible for what is needed, do not wish they lived as long as you want.
Bulldog Pleco Tankmates
As mentioned above, they are peaceful and slightly active, like other plecostomus, which can be kept with other fish that exhibit similar behavior.
Avoid keeping them with larger, aggressive, territorial, or predatory species, such as flowerhorn and Oscar fish. It will shorten their lives and might shorten their lifespan.
The fish-like guppy, molly, platy, and other related species should not be kept together with them due to the possibility of scrambling to eat the algae inside the aquarium. However, since you give them enough food, it can still be permitted.
Of course, other algae-eating species, such as SAE, zebra snails, apple snails, Amano shrimp, freshwater dwarf shrimp, and other related species, should not be added if you keep them in a small aquarium. You must use a large tank if you want to keep other algae eaters besides the bulldog pleco to avoid competition between them.
Adding one or two assassin snails is good. They can eradicate snail pests such as Malaysian trumpet snails, tadpoles, and ramshorn snails that usually thrive well in the aquascape.
Some tankmates that are suitable for them are:
- Dwarf Gourami
- Honey Gourami
- Discus
- Angelfish
- Pea Puffer
- Amazon Pufferfish
- Tetra Species
- Cherry Barb
Diseases
Since this article was published, we have still not found any credible sources confirming whether the stripped bulldog pleco has a species-specific disease. Nevertheless, a few of the usual freshwater aquarium fish diseases can still affect them, including ich, dropsy, bacterial and fungal infections, and hole-in-the-head syndrome.
Availability
Due to the fact that fish offered in the trade are typically wild-caught, the stock in the market is quite scarce. Their prices vary depending on the size and quality of the item. The cheaper cost for an individual with 3-5 cm in length is $20. We think this rate is compatible with their availability and fantastic appearance.
Is Stripped Bulldog Pleco Suitable For Beginners?
The answer is “No”. It is a challenge for newbies to keep them in the aquarium due to their special requirements. We recommend keeping a common pleco, which is commonly sold in aquatic shops. These types are hardier, do not require specific conditions, and are definitely more affordable.
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