Albino Sailfin Pleco

Remarks:  The sailfin pleco is one of the many species frequently misidentified as Hypostomus plecostomus, common pleco. They share a lot of similarities such as a similar body shape, large adult size, dark adult pattern, and nearly identical behaviors. The easiest way to identify that a fish is in fact a sailfin pleco is to look for their very tall sailfin which gives them their common name. Juvenile sailfin plecos also have a very attractive pattern with an almost rusty orange body and fins covered in large black spots that get smaller with age. While it is frequently misidentified, this species is a staple within the aquarium keeping hobby due to their high availability, voracious appetite for algae, and their hardy nature. 

  These traits along with their elegant sailfin make the sailfin pleco a highly desirable species that is commonly picked up by beginner keepers that are unaware of the large amounts of space an adult specimen will require. While most top out at around 19-20" which is already an impressive size, there are many reports of some reaching 24" or larger. This combined with their large appetite that can quickly result in fouled water and their high activity level make it where the sailfin pleco needs a very large tank to remain healthy, a minimum of 150 gallons being needed for just a single specimen. They tend to do best in warm water ponds as they allow for a lot more space to swim, grow, and feed. If keeping albino specimens, however, they should be kept indoors or in ponds with plenty of shade as they are sensitive to light. Unfortunately, it is common for sailfin plecos to outgrow their keeper's tanks which sometimes results in some getting released into the wild. This should never be done and any that outgrow a tank should be rehomed instead.

  For those that can provide the large amounts of space and heavy water changes required by the sailfin pleco, they can be an excellent choice to house alongside larger, more aggressive species such as bass, oscars, gar, and arowana. They are robust enough and an aggressive enough feeder to hold their own against these species. This does come with the trade-off that they do not make good tankmates for conspecifics as they frequently will harm them in territory fights or starve them out as they will almost always win in a fight over food.