Pleco's feeding on hair algae

[vriesea]

To all:

I've been told (emphatically) that plecos do not feed on hair algae. Yet I've come accross an article by the Aquatic Nuisance Research Species Program (Department of Engineers) that indicates a pleco described as "Armadillo del Rio" was introduced into the San Antonio Zoo in 1962 to control hair algae. The bullentin further states that some populations escaped the zoo area and are now hybridizing in the local waters.

This article and a picture of "Armadillo del Rio" can be found at:
http://el.erdc.usace.army.mil/elpubs/pd ... -v04-1.pdf
Check page 2.

So were the zoo people completely wrong or mislead, or do some plecos feed on hair algae.

Happy hobbying ,
Vriesea

[drpleco]

A hungry enough pleco will try and eat a lot of things - and there are exceptions to every rule. I had an albino gibbiceps and it ate hair algae at times. It would generally rasp through the plant that the hair algae grew on as well. However, plecos don't usually prefer hair-type algae the way some other fish like siamese algae eaters and american flag fish do.

The name armadillo del rio is a common (ish) name for plecos (any plecos) because of their armor-like scutes. It is not, to my knowledge, the name for any particular species like clown, butterfly, rhino, tiger, etc can be a name for specific plecos. However, I imagine that the species desribed in the article was some sort of "common" or "sailfin" variety. And those, like my albino, can eat hair algae.

Bear in mind that there are a lot of types of hair algae, too. Green hair algae is a lot more commonly eaten than black beard algae. And in a large zoo-type exhibit, I imgagine that the algae was of the green variety.

All speculation on my part, but it seems to make sense (to me, anyway).