Medusa Pleco

The medusa pleco reaches about 13 cm standard length and is easily identified by the long, fleshy tentacles on the snout that give it the namesake jellyfish-like appearance. It comes from the Rio Xingu and Rio Tocantins basins in Brazil, where it inhabits shallow, fast-flowing waters over rocky substrates. A tank with a base of 80 by 30 cm (about 72 L) is sufficient for a couple, but it needs well-oxygenated water with good current — a stream-type setup with rounded stones and sand substrate suits it best. Temperature of 25–30 °C and pH 6.0–7.0 are required; this is a warmer-water pleco that does not do well in standard community temperatures. Unlike most Ancistrus species, the medusa pleco prefers a protein-rich diet with sinking dried foods supplemented by bloodworm, chopped mussel, and prawn. It is generally peaceful but has specialised requirements that make it unsuitable for the general community tank. Ensure each specimen has its own refuge and expect some territorial behaviour between males. Not a beginner fish.