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Loricariidae Species Identification

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L041 -- Guyanancistrus brevispinis
Common name(s): L041
Synonyms: Lasiancistrus brevispinis, pseudancistrus brevispinis
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore
Max Size: 17cm, or 7"
Locality: French Guyana: Fourgassie
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes:

L042 -- Hemiloricaria sp.
Common name(s): L042, whiptail, pearlscale whiptail
Synonyms: N/A
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore
Max Size: 15 cm, 6"
Locality: French Guyana: Rio Mana basin
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes:

L043 -- Ancistrus sp.
Common name(s): L043
Synonyms: N/A
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore
Max Size: 15-20 cm, 6-8"
Locality: French Guyana: Rio Mana basin
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes:

L044 -- Lithoxus planquettei
Common name(s): L044
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore
Max Size: 10 cm, 4"
Locality: French Guyana: Rio Mana basin
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes:

L045 -- Ancistrus sp.
Common name(s): L045
Synonyms: N/A
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore
Max Size: 8-10 cm, 3-4"
Locality: French Guyana: Rio Mana basin
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes:
 
L046 -- Hypancistrus zebra
Common name(s): Zebra pleco, imperial pleco, L046, L098, L173
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: Needs warmer waters 86-90dF
Diet: Primarily eats meat
Max Size: 6 cm, 3.5"
Locality: Brazil: Rio Xingu
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes: A very popular pleco. This pleco will often fetch hundreds of dollars.

L047 -- Baryancistrus sp.
Common name(s): Mango pleco, magnum pleco, L047
Synonyms: N/A
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore, tendency toward vegetation and fruits
Max Size: 28 cm, 11"
Locality: Brazil: Rio Xingu
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes:

L048 -- Scobinancistrus cf. pariolispos
Common name(s): L048
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore
Max Size: 30 cm, 12"
Locality: Brazil: Rio Xingu near Altamira
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes:

L049 -- Peckoltia sp.
Common name(s): L049
Synonyms: N/A
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore
Max Size: 12 cm, 4.5"
Locality: Brazil: Rio Tocantins near Cameta
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes:

L050 -- Hypostomus cf. hemicochliodon
Common name(s): Spotted cochliodon, spotted hypostomus, spotted humpbacked pleco, L050
Synonyms: N/A
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore
Max Size: 18 cm, 7"
Locality: Brazil: Rio Tocatins, Amazon.
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes: Needs caves, wood and rocks
 
L061 -- Peckoltia sp.
Common name(s): L061
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore with a preference towards meaty foods, especially inverts.
Max Size: 4.5”
Locality: Brazil: Rio Oiapoque
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes: Not often seen in the aquaria trade.

L062 -- Loricaria cataphracta
Common name(s): L062
Synonyms: L. dura, L. dentate, L. Carinata, Plecostomus flagellaris
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore, will feed on bloodworms, sinking pellets, cucumber, courgette etc.
Max Size: 11.5”
Locality: Brazil: Mouth of Maroijne River, Near Galibi
Spawning: Unreported
Notes: Fine sand instead of course gravel is better for this species. They sometimes have problems being weaned onto prepared foods. The species is fond of fast flowing areas with some quieter areas. Experimenting on where to put the food might help with feeding habits if problems occur.

L063 -- Pseudacanthicus sp. cf. serratus
Common name(s): L063
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore with a preference towards meaty foods.
Max Size: 16”
Locality: Brazil: Rio tocantins
Spawning: Cave spawner, Unreported
Notes: Can be quite territorial and aggressive especially sexually mature males. Prefer bogwood decorations, but similar sized (to pleco) pipes makes good caves for this species.

L064 -- Pseudacanthicus sp.
Common name(s): L064
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: High oxygen levels, doesn’t need much current
Diet: Adapt carnivore, lean meats are best, with some fibre in the diet such as beans, nuts etc.
Max Size: 24”
Locality: Brazil: Rio Tocantins
Spawning: Probably cave spawner
Notes: These have similar needs to that of similar species such as L024. Can be territorial from a young age, and can be very aggressive as they grow, especially towards other nocturnal fish. Has been noticed to prefer bogwood to rock-work. Don’t do well with plants. Males have considerably more odontodal growth on most fin rays, and are much leaner than females. There is also a rare colour variant, a platinum L064.

L065 -- Pseudacanthicus sp.
Common name(s): L065, Blizzard Cactus Pleco, Mustang Cactus Pleco
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: High oxygen levels, doesn’t need much current
Diet: Carnivore lean meats are best (prawns, mussels etc.), with some fibre in the diet such as beans, seeds etc.
Max Size: Often quoted about 20cm, but often smaller
Locality: Brazil: Rio Tocantins
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes: Like the L064, a territorial fish, that also prefers bogwood. The colours are very variable with the individual fish, and even more so as they age. The original L number was describing the juvenile fish.
 
L066 -- Hypancistrus sp.
Common name(s): L066, King Tiger Pleco, Scribbled Pleco
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: Like a higher temp. of 28-30 degrees Celcius with high oxygen levels and a decent current.
Diet: Carnivorous, enjoy bloodworms, prawn, carnivore pellets etc. Fibre not so important, but should still be offered, e.g. peas
Max Size: 5”
Locality: Brazil: Lower Xingu and Tocantins
Spawning: Cave/pipe spawner, may take up to 3 years till sexually active. Many first spawns are infertile, and are “test runs”.
Notes: Comes from a fast flowing white water biotype, with plenty of volcanic rocks. Sand and rockwork is the best way to keep these fish in its ideal habitat. It is important to remember that although they want the fast flowing river, these fish live in cracks and crevices of rockwork away from the main current. Although there is a lot of lava rock in their habitat, it may be more ideal in aquaria to use slate and rounded rocks to simulate their cave networks.

L067 -- Pseudancistrus sp.
Common name(s): L067
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore with a preference towards meaty foods, especially inverts.
Max Size: 8”
Locality: Brazil: Rio Xingu
Spawning: Unknown, probably cave spawner
Notes: Another mess up in the L-numbering system- the originally introduced L017 was the L067, and it was then pointed out these fish were slightly different. L017 is now a Hopliancistrus, and the L067 is the Pseudancistrus. The L067 has yellow on the dorsal, as well as the caudal, and also possesses snout odontodes (similar to the interopercular odontodes found on Peckoltia, Hypancistrus etc). The belly is also white. They are still often confused, and the aqualog book actually shows a L067 in place of the L017.

L068 -- Ancistrini sp.
Common name(s): L068
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore with a preference towards meaty foods.
Max Size: 12”
Locality: Brazil: Rio Para
Spawning: Unknown
Notes: Commonly placed in the Ancistrini genus, as there is not yet a genus this fish can be placed properly. Originally the L143/L068 was considered the same fish, the new L068 is now often referred to be a look-a-like of the L143, and was possibly a Lasiancistrus sp. although it exhibits a shorter head profile, which is why DATZ exclaims “possibly Baryancistrus”. However this fish hasn’t been imported since the original photo of it was taken.

L069 -- Ancistrini sp.
Common name(s): L069
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore
Max Size: 6”
Locality: Brazil: Rio Tapajos at Santarem
Spawning: Unknown
Notes: Another species that cannot be placed into a valid genus (like L068). Not imported.

L070 -- Hypancistrus sp.
Common name(s): L070, Zombie Pleco
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Carnivorous, bloodworms, prawn, carnivore pellets etc. Fibre not so important, but should still be offered, e.g. peas
Max Size: 4”
Locality: Brazil: Rio Tapajos
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes: Often sold as L265, but this is a Peckoltia sp. The shades are of differing grey, and is dependant on the mood of the fish, and the substrate colour. Likes both rockwork and bogwood.
 
L071 -- Ancistrus sp.
Common name(s): L071
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore that should be fed more fibrous foods. Should be offered mainly vegetables, but occasionally protein based foods.
Max Size: 5”
Locality: Brazil: Rio Tapajos and tributaries
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes: Not often seen in the aquaria trade.

L072 -- Peckoltia sp.
Common name(s): L072
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore with a preference towards protein based foods, especially bloodworms.
Max Size: 4”
Locality: Brazil: Rio Tocantins
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes: These fish are similar to L038. The like both wood tangles and rockwork. It is observed these fish do well being fed little and often.

L073 -- Hypancistrus sp.
Common name(s): L004, L005, L028, L073, Portel Angelicus
Synonyms: None but often incorrectly labeled Peckoltia Angelicus
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Carnivorous, enjoy bloodworms, prawn, carnivore pellets etc. Fibre not so important, but should still be offered, e.g. peas
Max Size: 4”
Locality: Brazil: Portel at the Rio do Para
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes: This pleco is attributed a lot of L numbers, mainly due to location factor. L004 and L005 are the same fish, just the L004 was the juvenile stage, and are found at Rio Tocantins at Cameta, L028 was located at Guama by Ourem, and the L073 at Rio do Para.

L074 -- Panaque sp.
Common name(s): L002, L074, Tiger Pleco
Synonyms: Panaqolus often wrongly named as Peckoltia
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore which should be fed a high fibrous diet, including wood.
Max Size: 4”
Locality: Brazil: Rio Tocantins
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes: All the small Panaque species were divided into a sub-category of Panaqolus, but this was not accepted by many scientists and so we are back to Panaque.

L075 -- Peckoltia sabaji
Common name(s): L075, L124, L301, LDA02, Para Pleco
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: Preferred flowing water
Diet: Omnivore can be fed a true variety of foods.
Max Size: 10”
Locality: Negro, Orinoco, and rivers of Guyanas
Spawning: Cave spawner, known to be much more gentle in spawning than many other species
Notes: A very gentle pleco, that gets on well with fish of similar temperament. Smaller dither fish does a lot for the fishes confidence. Likes a lot of rocky hiding places. Can be very difficult to sex, as the males odontodes are not much bigger, however males appear leaner and slightly longer.
 
L076 -- Peckoltia sp.
Common name(s): L076, Orange Seam Pleco, Red-finned Tiger Pleco
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore with a preference towards protein based foods.
Max Size: 6”
Locality: Rio Para
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes: Sometimes confused with L265. Males have small teeth sized adontodes from the leading pectoral fins and down the back of the body.

L077 -- Hypostomus sp.
Common name(s): L077, Bruno Pleco, Violet Pleco, Rusty Pleco
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore. Non-descript feeder that eats everything.
Max Size: 12”
Locality: Rio Parnaiba drainage system
Spawning: Probably a mud bank spawner
Notes: Not often seen in the aquaria trade if at all.

L078 -- Hypostomus sp.
Common name(s): L078
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore. Non-descript feeder that eats everything. Including wood.
Max Size: 12”
Locality: Rio Parnaiba
Spawning: Probably a mud bank spawner
Notes: Was in the Cochliodon genus, but more recently put into the Hypostomus cochliodon group.

L079 -- Pseudacanthicus sp.
Common name(s): L079
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Carnivore, but some fibrous foods needed as with all Pseudoacanthicus
Max Size: 12”
Locality: Brazil: Rio Tocantins
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes: Males have considerably more odontodal growth, and are a lot leaner. A territorial fish, that can get aggressive at times. Prefers woodwork to rockwork.

L080 -- Peckoltia sp.
Common name(s): L080
Synonyms: None
Special Water Care: None
Diet: Omnivore with a preference towards meaty foods.
Max Size: 4”
Locality: Brazil: Rio Tocantins and Rio Araguaia
Spawning: Cave spawner
Notes: Very similar to L038, and other striped Peckoltia species, which can be even harder to distinguish due to the colour changes as they age.
 
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