Family: Loricariidae (Plecos)
Origin: Brazil, mainly in the Rio Xingu river
Size: Usually 10–12 cm in an aquarium (quite small for a pleco)
Behavior: Peaceful, mainly nocturnal, with a tendency to hide in wood and caves.
Minimum size: 100 liters for a small group (2–3 individuals).
Substrate: Sand or fine gravel.
Plenty of wood (driftwood / mopani) – essential because it feeds on cellulose as well.
Hideouts: Caves, ceramic tubes, roots.
Temperature: 26 – 30 °C
pH: 6.0 – 7.5 (ideally slightly acidic to neutral)
GH: 2 – 10 dGH
Requires clean, well-filtered water with good flow, resembling its natural habitat in the Xingu.
Tips:
- Ensure enough wood so that each individual has its own “space”.
- Its colors become more vivid in soft, clean water with slight flow.
- For breeding: They need caves, stable conditions, and frequent water changes that mimic the seasonal rains in the Amazon.