It is a tropical fish known as Plecostomus named for its sail-like dorsal fin, the part of its scientific name multiradiatus means "many-rayed" and refers to the rays of the dorsal fin. Grows to 50 cm in length. P. multiradiatus is mottled brown/black and inhabits freshwater streams and lakes and in weedy, mud-bottomed canals in its native habitat. This tropical, nocturnal bottom-dweller likes warm water of  temperature range 23 - 27 °C, pH  6.5 - 7.8, and hardness 4 - 20 dGH. It browses on substrate, mainly feeding on benthic algae and aquatic weeds, but will also take worms, insect larvae and other bottom-dwelling invertebrates as food. The fish is not of interest in the fisheries, but is very important in the aquarium trade. It is a cleaner fish that used to clean aquarium glass and substrates and hence is kept in aquaria with other fishes. The fish has been introduced in several countries and is well  established in Taiwan, USA and several other countries.