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As of late, there has been an influx of loricariid topics. I thought I'd delve into a bit of article writing myself, to hopefully answer questions before they are posted. New articles will be posted when I have the time to write. Let's being with the basics, shall we?

Choosing the right loricariid for your tank.

What’s in a name?

The family loricariidae is divided into three commonly encountered subfamilies; hypostomines, hypoptopomatines, and loricariines.

Hypostominae

Hypostominae is, by far, the largest of the three fundamental subfamilies; nearly half of all recognized species of loricariidids are classified under this title. It is so extensive, that for clarity’s sake, science has further divided hypostominae into, as of now, two tribes—ancistri and hypostomi. Ancistri contains most of what aquarists now know as “fancy plecs”, or those cataloged in the comprehensive loricariid number list. Characterized by notorious odontodal growth in the operculous and pectoral regions, ancistri is best known for its bushy snouted bizarros and attractively mottled miniatures, including the highly sought after hypancistrus zebra. Though the aforesaid fish are moderately sized, ancistrids are equally represented on both peripheries of the size spectrum. Panaque, Megalancistrus, and Acanthicus sp. are amongst the largest loricariids of all, with distinctive individuals exceeding three feet in length! Suffice to say, with all of these peculiar species, ancistrids are the most variable of the hypostomines.

Commonplace giants such as hypostomus punctatus and pterygoplicthys gibbiceps take up residence in the second hypostomine tribe, hypostimi. Of all loricariids, this grouping of fishes has received the most publicity, due to steadfast availability. By and large, it is nigh impossible for the catfish layman to attempt to distinguish between hypostomid species, as they are only minutely variable in size, shape, and patterning. Hailing from the waterways of Texas to the tip of Argentina, they are also the most geographically widespread of all loricariids.

Hypoptopomatinae

This particular subfamily primarily manifests itself in the wild as a collection of substrate dwelling species, spending most of their lives feeding and reproducing under the decaying confines of leaf litter. Despite generally poor representation in the aquaria, the otocinclus genus of catfishes has rocketed hypoptopomatines to nearly ubiquitous status in the trade. Popular due to the minute size and superlative algal decimating capabilities of its members, they are, as with most of the subfamily, peaceful, timid fishes with a noticeable inflexibility to varying water conditions. Though confined to the rivers of central South America, hypoptopomines are by far the most abundant of loricariids if sheer numbers are to be taken into consideration. One kick into the bed of any given Peruvian stream can send literally thousands of lampiella, parotocinclus, or hypoptopoma scattering for cover!

Loricariinae

Sturistoma, loricaria, and farlowella are just several of the genera comprising the odds-and-ends loricariinae subfamily. Greatly extended adipose regions and thickset pectorals held close to the body are loricariine trademarks. Distributed throughout the Americas, they are second only to hypostomids in subfamily dissemination. Loricariines require particular consideration when being introduced to new tanks, as, though moderately large, they tend to be quite delicate.

Water, Anyone?

Water plays a rather inconsequential role in the loricariid tank. As with many fish, plecos are quite tolerant of an extensive assortment of different pH and hardness levels. Henceforth, one need not bother with RO/tap water concoctions, filtration supplementation by way of peat, et cetera. Low conductivity stimulates egg release, but many loricariid spawns come to pass in tanks topped off merely with treated tap water. Contaminants, comprising of such compounds as ammonia, nitrite/ate, heavy metals, and salts are usually not well received. Even diminutive amounts of these substances can result in markedly dulled colors, erratic behavior, and even fatality.

Plecos and Plants

Planted tanks and loricariids do not often mingle with desirable results. For the most part, these fish are fairly clumsy swimmers and become easily startled; a poor combination of characteristics in most heavily planted tanks. That being said, several hypoptopomatines, including the aforementioned otocinclus, attributable to their humble size, can adapt to even the most verdant of underwater jungles and have resultantly become planted tank staples. Sparse planting in loricariid tanks is always welcome, for the plants aid in the removal of undesirable nitrogen based pollutants from the water column, effectively stabilizing tank conditions. “Inedibles”, for instance microsorum and anubias sp., are hardy, undemanding plants ideal for the fast flowing riverine conditions frequented by most plecos.


Loris in Love

As a general rule, plecos are cave spawners. During the flooding season, the fish either excavate deep burrows into adjacent riverbanks or take up residence in partially concealed hollows of wood and rock, making the necessary preparations for the propagation of their respective species. Once spawning concludes, the male (in all known occurrences) persists in the safeguarding of his clutch, making use of his thickly armored head as an impediment to deter prospective predators. With the clutch hatched, the male stands guard for several more days, and then swims off, leaving his progeny to weather the perils of Mother Nature alone. Stimulating loricariid spawning in the home aquaria is not as difficult as is often inferred. As aforementioned, most loricariids require the presence of shelter to spawn. Even “caveless spawners” of the species sturistoma, [par] otocinclus, and loricaria rely on one form of ground cover or another in which they can conceal their eggs. However, one should note that different genera will possess different cave preferences. More on that in future articles. As the torrential rains bear down upon the South American landscape, once trickling tributaries roar with the passage of gallons upon gallons of rainwater gushing their way downstream. When the downpours finally cease, sunshine again embraces the land, warming the precipitation cooled watercourses. It is during this transition between the winter and spring months, respectively, that spawning commences. Emulating these circumstances seems to assist in stirring even the most listless of plecos into the procreating mindset. Personally, the following procedure has yielded good results with a number of ancistrus species, L-66, and panaqolus maccus. It is advisable to follow the instructions closely, but experimentation is always welcome:

Step one: Power feeding. Referring to the heavy feeding of live and/or rich foods, this is akin to the period of intense gorging prior to the commencement of the spring rains in which both sexes feed heartily on protein abundant foods (aufwuchs and benthic arthropods). Meaty cuisine such as bloodworm, shrimp, and squid should be administered during this two week period. Allow water levels to drop.

Step two: Conditioning. To simulate the onset of these perennial storms, a large water change is called for. Depending on the hardness of the tap water in one’s area, between 50-75 percent of the tank volume is to be displaced (the harder the water, the large the water change) by reverse osmosis/rain water. Decrease the temperature about ten degrees over the course of three days, allowing the tank to idle here for approximately two more days. Finally, raise the water temperature 2 degrees per day for the next five days until

Step three: Power feeding revisited. Resume the power feeding regime, and keep a lookout for those eggs.

Feeding
There is an admittedly common assumption in the aquarium hobby that loricariids are all browsers of algae, snippets left by gluttonous tankmates, and the occasional supplementary lettuce leaf. It would be in your best interest (and that of your fishes) to discard this supposition. Of the 700+ described species of loricariids, none seek nourishment exclusively from plant matter. Rather, all are opportunistic omnivores, feeding on detritus, fruits, submerged invertebrates, and aufwuchs, among other things. Thusly, in the home aquarium, sustenance should be administered consistent with the “natural” diet of the species. For those fish with more herbivorous tendencies, kale and other nutritious leafy vegetables are considered excellent cuisine. Try to avoid the general aquarium fare of iceberg, romaine, and spinach; they are relatively lacking in nutrients and are, in all interpretations of the phrase, empty calories. A source of dietary fiber is vital to the health of several loricariids, specifically the “wood eaters” of the panaque/panaqolus genera. Bogwood is customarily situated in such tanks to satiate this appetite for grit, doubling as attractive ornamentation. In the absence of such wood, fibrous vegetables (squash, zucchini, etc.) are to be dispensed, lest one desires to clear his or her aquarium stock via intestinal blockage.

Very well written Noodles, well done

This should be submitted as a permanent article. Well written and concisely informative. Looks like I now have competiton


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Thanks, Cass. I doubt I'll be able to match the countless excellent articles you've produced.

Very nice, a great overall article. I can't wait to see more about the breeding and care of these great fish, it is impossible to learn enough about them. Such a shame that most so-called "aquarists" only buy common plecos, because of the low price. More people should be introduced to some of the more unique species.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Such a shame that most so-called "aquarists" only buy common plecos, because of the low price. More people should be introduced to some of the more unique species.

In Australia we're very limited in the pleco species because of import bans introduced many years ago. I paid AU$45 for my 10cm common plec,$65 for my 15cm chocolate and $85 for my 8cm peppermint bn. All these prices would be ridiculous to most people outside of this country but we have no choice and we can only dream about owning some of the more spectacular types of plecos

One advantage of living in a temperate country like the UK: no import bans on most Plecs or other tropical fishes for the aquarium trade, because they can't survive or breed in our waters.

One disadvantage of living in a temperate country like the UK: being 8,000 miles from South America means that import costs for quite a few species are prohibitive, and means that while some of the commoner species are a lot cheaper than your Australian prices, some of the others are in lottery winner territory. I recently checked how much Hypancistrus zebra juveniles were going for, and the dealer I spoke to said I'd be lucky if I could get them for less than £100 each. That's something like $190 US per fish. Yeep.

However, this means that if I acquire a windfall and can buy a breeding group of Hypancistrus zebra, I'm set to make a killing

On the subject of exotic Loricariids in general, these are fishes I'd love to branch out into if I had [1] a house that wasn't a brick shack; [2] enough space for all the aquaria; [3] starting capital for setting up said aquaria, and [4] sufficient disposable income to keep a dozen aquaria going without worrying where my rent or my next meals were coming from





Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002