Golden sailfin pleco
Hypostomus luteus, also known in the pet trade as the golden sailfin pleco, is an armored catfish in the genus Hypostomus of the family Loricariidae. The species experiences a notable three–phase shift in its coloration as it ages. It grows to a maximum size of 45 cm (18 in).
It is found in Northern Argentina in Rio Uruguay. It lives in fast-flowing waters where it mostly feeds on algae.
Hypostomus Luteus goes through a significant change in color as it ages. In its first phase it has a dark brown to black body with yellow speckles all over its body. The fins are yellow. In the second phase the body gets a mix of yellow and black. The speckles fade away and the yellow starts to cover the whole body. In the third phase the entire body is gold. Not all Hypostomus Luteus reach full gold coloration and some specimens even start losing gold coloration after reaching the third phase.
The species is primarily found in the upper basin of the Rio Uruguay, an area roughly covering Uruguay and the surrounding regions of Brazil and Argentina. Tributaries of the Rio Uruguay that the species inhabits include the Rio Canoas and the Rio Pelotas.
