If you are looking for a dwarf sucker fish for your planted tank, the pitbull pleco might be a potential candidate. These catfish typically grow to an average of around 6 cm, making them one of the smaller species within the plecostomus family.
You might seldom hear about them, or it may be the first time you learn about these rare algae-eating fish.
It is not surprising, given the limited information available, and the fish is rarely seen in aquarists’ tanks, making it an unknown species to many people.
At this moment, we will tell you as much as possible about them, starting from general information, appearance, behavior, tank needed, breeding, and other useful relevant.
Pitbull Pleco Overview
- Scientific Name: Parotocinclus jumbo
- Care Level: Easy – Intermediate
- Originate: Brazil
- Size: 6 cm or more
- Life Expectancy: Up to 15 years
- Diet: Algae Eater, Omnivore
- Temperament: Peaceful toward all tankmates
- Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
- Temperature: 20.0-26.0°C
- pH Level: 6.4-7.6
- Water Hardness: 5-15 dGH
- Compatible for Beginners: Yes, but more recommended for advanced aquarists
General Information Of The Pitbull Pleco Fish
Parotocinclus jumbo (formerly Hypostominae gen. sp.) is another fantastic South American loricariid species. The Pitbull pleco is their famous common name, but they also have other common names often used by aquarists to describe this fish, including LDA25/LDA025, goby pleco, and Pitbull-sugemalle (Denmark).
These fish were first described by Britski & Garavello in 2002. The genus Parotocinclus name consists of some Greek words (para, in the side of + ous, otis means ear + kygklos, ou means a fish). While the species name ‘jumbo’ comes from their specific epithet, which refers to their huge size, attained by this species in contrast to their congeners.
As the name suggests, Parotocinclus, the species under this genus, slightly looks similar to otocinclus. However, the members of each genus are really different in appearance and behavioral aspects.
Their distribution is limited only to far-eastern Brazil. They are not permitted to be exported to other countries, which makes them almost entirely unavailable for the aquarium hobby nowadays.
These dwarf catfish are one of the many species of the genus that will probably be reclassified. Well, you may find them in a new genus in the future.
Distribution And Habitat
Pitbull plecos originate from the Eastern Brazilian water streams. They tend to occur in the Piranhas and Paraiba do Norte Rivers in Paraiba state, the Mandau River’s tributaries, the Canhotinho River in Pernambuco state, the Salgado River in Ceará state, and the water streams of Maceió city in Alagoas state, Brazil.
A type locality found in Rio Paraíba do Norte at the bridge on road PB 408, in the northwest of Umbuzeiro, 7°38’27 “S, 35°42’30 “W, Paraíba, Brazil.
In nature, they mainly inhabit the flat areas in the middle part of the river. Generally, this location is shallow and contains clear water and low currents. The substrate consists of sand, rocks, and some marginal vegetation.
P. jumbo is not a subtropical species; the water temperature in their wild habitat tends to be quite warm.
Pitbull Pleco Catfish Appearance
A primary difference between genus parotocinclus and otocinclus is the existence of an adipose fin (a tiny fleshy fin that appears at the posterior to the dorsal and anterior of the caudal fin ) in the former.
They have a rounded head, making their shape similar to a goby, which is why they are called a ‘Goby pleco’ in some areas.
The Pitbull pleco comes in various shades of grey, ranging from medium to dark grey, or even with a black tint. It is characterized by a combination of golden-brown or greenish shades and dark spots.
According to an aquarist, their color typically resembles the color of the substrate in their environment.
The full size of Parotocinclus jumbo can reach up to 6 cm; from some reports, the wild type can reach up to 7 cm.
The lifespan of an individual pitbull plecostomus can be more than 15 years, provided it receives the best care practices.
Behavior And Temperament
Like other freshwater aquarium algae eater fish, they are social and peaceful towards their tankmates, even towards small-sized fish.
It would be better if you kept the LDA025 in a small group range of three to six individuals rather than a single fish.
They are not well-suited to food and territorial competition, so never keep them in the same tank with aggressive, larger, boisterous fish like Garra rufa.
Like the bulldog pleco, they are nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night. When they feel stressed or scared, pitbull pleco might bury themselves underneath the substrate to hide.
As the bottom-dwellers, they typically spend most of their time lying on the tank substrate. These suckermouth fish rarely move to different surfaces, except during feeding time, which usually happens at night.
During the light period, they tend to spend most of their time hiding or burying themselves beneath the substrate.
Like most plecos, they are hardier fish with good adaptability in less oxygenated environments, allowing them to survive.
Sexual Dimorphism of Pitbull Pleco Fish
The males have a long pelvic fin, the tip of which lengthens beyond the origin of the anal fin. The position of a male’s urogenital papilla is located after the anal opening. On the contrary, the female’s pelvic fin tip does not reach the anal fin origin, and the duct of the urogenital system is open to the inner cloacal cavity.
Additionally, other distinguishing features between the two genders are that males have great bluish-green saddles that shine on their backs, but females do not have these. Nonetheless, a female generally is plumper than a male. It’s identical to most freshwater fish species.
Pitbull Plecostomus Reproduction
In their natural habitat, the rainy season usually has a positive effect on their spawning. The Pitbull pleco commonly mates at night in the area with a sandy substrate that is densely populated with plants and bogwood.
Their eggs are sticky, and these catfish often lay them on the grass. Eggs will hatch after about three days.
Some aquarists say their breeding method is similar to that of corydoras in the aquarium. The first step is conditioning the breeding pair. You should keep pitbull plecos in a large group, then leave them to pair naturally.
After that, separate them for several weeks. It can stimulate them to become enthusiastic about mating once they have been reintroduced to a breeding tank.
During the separation, feed them live food, pellets, or frozen meals three times a day. You will see the difference between the two genders after 30 days of doing this, with females showing plumper bodies and being more fertile.
Keep them back together in the breeding aquarium, and add cool water to adjust the temperature after three days. The temperature decreases to 65°F after a few days, similar to the rainy weather. Some people also suggested turning off the aquarium light during the spawning.
The mating process begins with the courtship period, during which the male chases the female for a while. Once the spawn is started, the male lies above the female’s body and waits for her to release the eggs.
After the eggs are fertilized, females will place them in small groups on various surfaces inside the tank, typically on leaves and the tank’s glass. This process takes about one hour. Once in a while, the female takes a short break.
Their eggs will hatch after three days. Some of them are likely to be of poor quality due to the fungus. To prevent it, you can add some dried alder cones or ramshorn snails. These snails could eat the fungi.
To avoid predation by adult goby plecos, remove them from the breeding tank. Alternatively, you can move the eggs to a tumbler incubator, breeding box, or fry tank to increase the chances of better survival.
What should you do if your fish does not spawn? What kind of tips trigger them to breed?
It frequently occurs due to certain factors; performing a 50% water change can be a solution. They may be willing to spawn after a couple of days. Make sure to switch off the light during the breeding session.
Feeding And Diet
As an algae-eating crew, the pitbull pleco particularly excels in wiping out various types of algae, including green hair algae, GDA, fuzz algae, and more.
However, your planted aquarium may not provide enough to feed them properly. Additionally, you may need some extra snacks, such as algae wafers, pellets, and spirulina tabs.
They are omnivores, which can accept vegetables and some live or frozen meals, including zucchini, lettuce, spinach, brine shrimps, and bloodworms. The live food enhances their coloration and health.
Tank Requirements And Aquarium Setup
As the fish are smaller than other bottom-dwelling plecostomus, they do not need a huge tank. The 20-gallon tank is enough to accommodate a single or a pair of pitbull pleco fish. However, the small group consisting of 3-6 individuals requires a larger tank, at least 30 gallons.
Due to their habitat, which mainly consists of sand and rock, you should set it up in a way that mimics their natural environment. Use fine sand type and avoid the sharp gravels to prevent their skin from being scratched while exploring the tank to find any snacks and dig up the substrate to bury themselves.
Use the best quality filtration system. The canister filter type that features a button to adjust water flow rates is a good choice for maintaining stable water quality and producing sufficient oxygen. The movement of the water level does not matter. They can tolerate the slow to fast water current. However, these pleco prefer a low to medium level.
Powerhead, wave maker, and air pump are optional. Remember, they are one of the vigorous plecostomus fish species; as long as your tank has a perfect water cycle system, everything is fine.
These small freshwater catfish prefer cold water, so the utilization of a heater is certainly not necessary.
Selecting hardscape elements from nature is often preferable to artificial ones. The older submerged driftwood and stones are more perfect than the newest ones; it does not affect water parameters. However, if you still want to apply artificial decorations like caves, plastic plants, coconut shells, etc., it is no problem. Ensure that everything is safe for them.
They do not have specific lighting requirements; they can thrive under low to high lighting conditions. For your note, if you keep aquarium plants that require a high light level to develop, you will need a chiller to maintain stable temperatures. Intense radiation can increase the water temperature, which may make the fish feel uncomfortable.
Another trick is to plant some floating vegetation, such as salvinia natans or azolla. It can minimize the straightforward light beam effect from an aquarium lamp.
Give the pitbull pleco tank the standard lighting period, about 6-8 hours is enough.
Parotocinclus jumbo is known not to bother live aquatic plants; choose plants that fit your setup. The tough and thicker aquatic plants, such as anubias and cryptocoryne, are ideal for planting in an aquascape tank.
There are some terms that you should be familiar with to keep P. Jumbo in your aquarium:
- pH level: 6.4-7.6
- Water temperature: 68-78.8°F (20.0-26.0°C)
- Water Hardness: 5-15 dGH
Pitbull Pleco Tank Maintenance And Care
In the aquascaping world, a healthy aquarium would make the population inside happier. To achieve this goal, regular water changes have become one of the essential factors, with the water being changed around 30% weekly.
The goby plecostomus grows optimally at a lower water temperature. Positioning your aquarium near the window, around the kitchen, or even outside the house is a terrible practice. Ensure your fish tank is located away from direct sunlight, as it can cause the water temperature to rise.
The presence of algae is beneficial for them, but regrowing them requires a considerable amount of time, while the fish need to be fed daily. The solution to this situation is to produce your own algae in a separate tank. You need some stones, an aquarium, and highlighting.
When the algae is thriving on the stone in the cultivated tank, substitute the rock in the pitbull tank with that. Repeat this process to generate more algae to meet the demand for food supply. Feed your pitbull pleco with live food at least three times a week to maintain its coloration.
You can add cold water or ice blocks to significantly reduce the aquarium temperature. Installing a cooling system helps prevent the temperature from becoming stagnant. Purchasing a chiller or creating your own cooler kit from CPU fans is a long-term and more practical solution.
Pitbull Pleco Tankmates
Like other smaller peaceful tropical fish. They do not find it suitable to keep together with territorial, aggressive, and bigger fish. They usually intimidate the poor and invasive species like P. jumbo.
You should avoid the reliable food catcher species such as SAE. They can easily outcompete the pitbull pleco during feeding time, especially when live food is provided.
Limiting the number of similar omnivorous species in the nano tank would have a positive impact on the pitbull pleco. We know that both species sometimes nibble on algae, which can rapidly reduce their population in the aquarium. In this condition, placing guppies, platies, and mollies with them is not effective.
The best tankmates for pitbull plecos are those with similar characteristics and sizes. The tetra’s species is often the primary choice for most calm fish’s companions.
Some gourami species, such as the sparkling gourami, licorice gourami, and honey gourami, which are not too large, are also suitable for them. Zebra danios, corydoras, and bala sharks are other tropical fish you can choose as friends.
Any type of tropical shrimp and snail is also accepted as a friend. They should share their main food (algae) and ensure that other food resources are provided to meet their needs.
Potential Diseases
Luckily, they do not have a specific illness, but they can probably be affected by some common freshwater diseases, such as ich, dropsy, bacterial & fungal infections, bloat, fin rot, and pop-eye.
Do not worry; there are many cure products on the market against these diseases if your fish are infected. Always read the procedure first before using the medicines.
Availability
These dwarf pelcostomus have been bred in captivity by some local breeders. Sometimes presented from one tank to another’s owner through the organized aquarium hobby, they appear in local club fish auctions or similar events.
Unfortunately, they are not available for international shipping. This makes fish hobbyists on the other side of the world unable to share in the experience of watching the beauty of pitbull plecos.
Is Pitbull Pleco Fish Suitable For Newbies?
Even though they are strong catfish, which means they are easy to pet. The gobby pleco is more suitable for experienced keepers due to its infrequent availability on the market. It is deeply regretted if they accept improper maintenance, which may lead to severe problems.
Therefore, if you are a beginner in keeping pleco species, it would be better to select other common pleco species that are readily available and easy to care for as your aquarium inhabitant.
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