All fish / Loricariidae

Adonis Pleco

Acanthicus adonis

Also known as adonis plec, polka dot lyre tail pleco, lyretail pleco, l155, l059, adonis catfish, adonis plecostomus, アカンシクス・アドニス, 阿多尼斯异型, 阿多尼斯

Young Adonis plecos are jet black with bold white spots and long filaments on the tail lobes, which makes them very appealing in shops. As they grow the spots fade and the fish becomes a heavy, spiny grey-black giant. Keepers of large tanks value it as an impressive, long-lived centrepiece catfish.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

60 cm

Temperature

24 to 30 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

1500 litres

Keep as

Single specimen; adults are territorial towards their own kind

Diet

Omnivore: sinking pellets, shrimp, mussel, fish fillet, vegetables such as courgette

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

15 to 20 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lower Amazon basin, Brazil (Tocantins river system)

Breeding

It has not been reliably bred in home aquariums; like related plecos it is presumed to spawn in caves with the male guarding the eggs. Its huge adult size makes captive breeding impractical for hobbyists.

Good to know

Often sold as small spotted juveniles but grows to around 60 cm or more and needs a very large tank with strong filtration. It is armoured with sharp spines that can tangle in nets, and it becomes aggressive towards other bottom dwellers.