Rose Spot Pleco (Hypostomus roseopunctatus)

Choose a Rose Spot Pleco for a large, cooler aquarium

The Rose Spot Pleco is Hypostomus roseopunctatus, a big, peaceful suckermouth catfish from the Uruguay River basin in southern South America. Its dark olive-brown body, head and fins are dotted with small, evenly spaced spots in pink to salmon, which gives the species its name: roseus means rose-coloured and punctatus spotted. The genus name Hypostomus means "mouth underneath", describing the sucker mouth it uses to cling to wood and rasp algae.

Reis, Weber and Malabarba described the species in 1990 from the Rio Pelotas, on the road from Esmeralda to Anita Garibaldi in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Planet Catfish places it in the La Plata system, in the Uruguay basin, including the upper Uruguay, the Pelotas and the Miriñay, and ScotCat shows wild fish photographed in Uruguay. This is a far cooler part of the continent than the Amazon: FishBase classes its climate as temperate, and ScotCat notes that lower water temperatures suit it. The IUCN Red List assesses it as Least Concern (2020).

It is one of the less common Hypostomus in the UK trade, and it rewards a keeper who wants a large, hardy, long-lived pleco for a spacious tank that does not run at full tropical heat.

Compare it with the plecos you may already know

Select one fish and plan for the long term

One purchase supplies one live Rose Spot Pleco in the standard size we receive. Sex is not specified, and no reliable way to sex this species is published. Spot colour can look stronger or paler with mood, lighting and age, so the gallery images show the type of fish, not the individual you will receive. The images are prepared from a reference photograph.

Decide how many to keep

• One fish: the usual choice, and the easiest to feed and house.
• More than one: ScotCat notes that, as one of the smaller Hypostomus, more than one can share a large tank despite some territorial behaviour; give each its own cave or wood shelter.
• Long life: large plecos live for many years, so OATA advises planning for the adult and its long-term needs before you buy.

Read our delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee policy before you order, and have the aquarium running and tested before the fish arrives.

Plan the aquarium around a big, heavy adult

Planet Catfish gives 233 mm standard length, measured without the tail fin, and ScotCat 23 cm. FishBase records a wild fish of 43.3 cm total length and 796 g, so some fish clearly grow much larger than the usual aquarium figure. Plan for a heavy-bodied fish of at least 23 cm standard length, and more with the tail.

ScotCat recommends a spacious aquarium of 6 ft (180 cm) or over. For comparison, Seriously Fish gives a 180 × 60 cm base for a 300 mm Hypostomus and 120 × 45 cm for some 230–250 mm species; because this fish can grow well beyond 23 cm, we follow ScotCat and recommend at least 180 × 60 cm.

Use a three-step space check

1. Measure the base: at least 180 cm long and 60 cm front to back.
2. Work out the volume with our tank volume calculator to size the filter and heater.
3. Plan one cave or wood shelter per bottom-dwelling fish, and keep open floor between them.

Build cover with bogwood and tough plants

ScotCat advises bogwood and tough plants, and warns that soft plants may be eaten if the fish does not get enough vegetable food. Planet Catfish lists no specific décor, so we build on that advice with sturdy cover and an open, easy-to-clean floor.

Divide the footprint by function

Fix every heavy piece securely so a large pleco cannot shift it against the glass.

Set cooler water values and hold them steady

ScotCat gives 18–25°C and pH 6.0–7.5, and says lower temperatures are beneficial. FishBase classes the species as temperate. OATA's catfish guidance sets the water-quality limits for any tank.

Match UK homes and tap water to the range

Many UK rooms sit close to the lower end of this range in winter, so a heater is still useful to stop the temperature dropping or swinging overnight; set it within 18–25°C rather than at the warmer settings many tropical tanks use. In summer, watch that the tank does not overheat, and keep it out of direct sun. UK tap water is often harder and more alkaline than pH 7.5 in some areas: check yours with our water matcher, and make any change slowly, because a steady pH is better than a perfect one. Always use a tap water conditioner.

Filter for a messy eater

ScotCat notes that this genus are mostly messy eaters, so good water quality and filtration must be kept up. A heavy pleco that eats vegetables every day produces a lot of fine waste. OATA's guidance on very large fish adds that several large filters may be needed to keep water quality under control and remove solid waste. Choose filtration rated well above your tank volume, with strong mechanical media. Our guide to aquarium filtration explains how to size it.

Follow a weekly maintenance sequence

1. Test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH every week, as OATA recommends.
2. Change at least 25% of the water, siphoning waste from the floor and under the wood.
3. Remove leftover vegetables within a day.
4. Rinse sponges in removed tank water, never under the tap.
5. Refill with conditioned water at the tank temperature.

Feed vegetables first, in measured portions

ScotCat lists algae and vegetable foods such as cucumber and courgette, with frozen foods as a treat and sinking tablet foods. OATA's guidance on grazing fish says algae eaters always need their diet supplemented with prepared foods such as algae wafers, plus fresh vegetables that have been washed well, or bought organic, to avoid pesticide residues. Feeding enough vegetables also protects your plants.

Build one measured meal

Feed after the lights dim, close to its shelter, and adjust the amount so little is left after a few hours.

Introduce it to a mature, stable tank

OATA advises checking that ammonia and nitrite read zero before adding fish and increasing stock slowly so the filter bacteria can keep up. Catfish travel double-bagged because their spines can puncture a single bag. Turn the tank lights off, float the bag for about 10 minutes, then add small amounts of tank water over up to 20 minutes, and release the fish with as little bag water as possible. Our guide to acclimatising new fish covers each step.

Use a first-week checkpoint plan

Handle it with care: OATA warns that most catfish have spines on the pectoral fins and behind the gills, and plecos easily tangle in nets. Move it in a container where you can.

Watch for warning signs

FishBase notes that Hypostomus can breathe air when they need to, so an occasional dash to the surface is normal, but frequent trips mean you should test the water. OATA lists clamped fins, flicking against décor, shimmying and fast breathing as warning signs in any fish.

Pair each observation with an action

Our pleco care guide and common pleco guide cover the routine care large Hypostomus need.

Choose peaceful tank mates that like cooler water

ScotCat describes the Rose Spot Pleco as peaceful, though territorial, so most problems come from other bottom fish competing for shelter, not from the pleco attacking midwater fish. The bigger limit is temperature: its 18–25°C range rules out fish that need warm Amazon water all year.

Decide from the suits and avoid list

From our range, consider South American cichlids such as the Pearl-Striped Eartheater and the Paraguay Eartheater, checking that their own temperature ranges overlap with this pleco's. For related plecos, compare the Common Pleco (Hypostomus plecostomus), the Gold Suckermouth Catfish and the Leopard Sailfin Pleco. Browse our Hypostomus plecos, all South American catfish, our algae eaters and the full catfish and plecos range.

Know what is and is not published about breeding

Planet Catfish records no aquarium breeding of H. roseopunctatus, and no breeding reports have been submitted. No reliable way to tell males from females is published for this species either. Large Hypostomus need a very big tank and suitable burrows or caves to spawn, so treat breeding as unlikely in a home aquarium and buy this fish for its looks and character.

Answer Rose Spot Pleco buying questions

What is a Rose Spot Pleco?

It is Hypostomus roseopunctatus, a large suckermouth catfish from the Uruguay River basin in southern Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. Its name means "rose-spotted": the dark olive-brown body and fins are dotted with small pink to salmon spots.

How big does a Rose Spot Pleco grow?

Planet Catfish gives 233 mm standard length and ScotCat 23 cm. FishBase records a wild fish of 43.3 cm total length and 796 g, so plan for a big, heavy pleco.

What size aquarium does it need?

ScotCat recommends a tank of 6 ft (180 cm) or more. Give it a base of at least 180 × 60 cm, with strong filtration for a messy eater.

Does it need cooler water than most plecos?

Yes. ScotCat gives 18–25°C and notes that lower temperatures suit it, and FishBase classes its climate as temperate. Avoid running it warm all year with tropical fish that need 27°C or more.

What does it eat?

Mainly vegetable foods: algae, courgette and cucumber, plus sinking tablets, with frozen foods as an occasional treat. ScotCat warns it may eat soft plants if it does not get enough vegetables.

Can I keep more than one?

ScotCat says it is peaceful but territorial, and that more than one can share a large tank. Give each fish its own cave or wood shelter and plenty of floor space.

Does it have an L-number?

Planet Catfish lists no L-number for it. Some traders link it with L311, a code that may also cover a similar, undescribed Hypostomus, so buy by the scientific name.

Has it been bred in aquariums?

Planet Catfish records no aquarium breeding reports. Like other Hypostomus it is expected to spawn in burrows or caves, but no captive spawning has been published.

Consult the care references

• Planet Catfish: Hypostomus roseopunctatus: authors, common name, type locality, Uruguay-basin range, size, etymology, IUCN status and breeding.
• ScotCat: Hypostomus roseopunctatus: size, cooler water values, tank length, décor, territorial behaviour and diet.
• FishBase: Hypostomus roseopunctatus: temperate climate note, maximum length and weight, air-breathing in the genus and IUCN assessment.
• Seriously Fish: genus Hypostomus: aquarium bases published for Hypostomus of similar length, used only as a comparison.
• OATA: How to look after freshwater catfish: UK guidance for catfish on water quality, sand, handling spines, bagging, acclimatising and weekly maintenance.
• OATA: How to look after tropical algae eaters: UK guidance on grazing fish needing prepared foods and washed vegetables.
• OATA: How to look after very large fish (tankbusters): UK guidance for very large fish on aquarium size, filtration and long-term commitment.
• Tropical Fish Co delivery policy: current dispatch days and Live Arrival Guarantee terms.