Butterfly Pleco – Dekeyseria Brachyura

Common name: Butterfly Plecostomus

Scientific name: Dekeyseria Brachyura

Average Adult Fish Size: 6 inches  /  15 cm

Place of Origin: Rio Negro, Amazon Basin, Brazil, South America

Typical Tank setup: Rocky S. American biotope with bogwood/driftwood.

Recommended Minimum Aquarium Capacity: 30 gallon  /  120 litre

Compatibility: Pit is a peaceful community tank fish that should be kept with other peaceful fish of similar size.

Temperature: 77 – 82 Deg F  /  25 – 28 Deg C

Water chemistry: pH 5.6 to 7.0

Feeding: Eats primarily algae in the wild, but should be considered omnivorous in an aquarium environment. It will readily accept algae wafers, spirulina based pellets and flakes, along with frozen brine shrimp and blood worms. Vegetables should also be fed in the form of cucumbers, zucchini, lettuce, spinach, and thoroughly rinsed canned green beans. Wood should be present in the aquarium for optimal health.

Sexing: Female is broader in shape when viewed from above. Male is more slender.

Breeding: Decorate the aquarium with plenty of driftwood and create suitable spawning caves among the wood. This is a cave spawning species, so suitable caves or crevices are a must. They prefer to lodge themselves into really tight fitting indentations. The male will stay around to guard and fan the eggs. He will force the fry to stay inside the cave until they are fully formed. Fry do best when raised on a diet of baby brine shrimp, and later, crushed flake food and microworms.

Additional Information: This fish can change its appearance in an instant to stay camouflaged, just like a chameleon. If you use a dark substrate in your aquarium, your Butterfly pleco might become almost completely black. It is also important to remember that these fishes will change appearance depending on how well lit the aquarium is. A light substrate and background is best for showing off this handsome fish.