General Body Form: Long and cylindrical with a down facing mouth. The mouth has thick lips with many folds that form a sucking disc. This disc helps the fish feed on algae. It is also the basis of its common name. The Dorsal fin is well developed with nine protruding soft rays. The Anal, Ventral [...]
General Body Form:
Long and cylindrical with a down facing mouth. The mouth has thick lips with many folds that form a sucking disc. This disc helps the fish feed on algae. It is also the basis of its common name. The Dorsal fin is well developed with nine protruding soft rays. The Anal, Ventral and pectoral fins are all rounded. The Caudal fin has a deep fork.
Coloration:
The sides are a burnt yellow, with a Brown stripe running down the length of the body. This stripe is commonly broken up into spots. The eye is also Yellow. The tail and dorsal fins may have some small spots at the base and the general coloration is clear. The back is Brown. The coloration of this fish is not set and is quite variable.
Maintenance:
The tank should be heavily planted and have a fairly strong currant. This will closely mimic its natural habitat. An easy fish to care for, they are vegetarian in nature but will accept flake food supplemented with algae wafers. Some say they are a fantastic algae eater and will make short work of any found in your tank. Younger specimens are suitable for a community set up. As they get older then tend to become more and more aggressive among themselves and even other tank inhabitants. One interesting adaptation of this fish is in its respiration. When it is attached to a rock or other object with its sucking disk the water for respiration enters through a small hole in the upper corner of its gill slit. This way the fish can stay attached in strong currents. Not the best choice in algae removal or community set ups this fish should be purchased with caution.
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