Tag Archives: L-catfish

Peckoltia sp. L135

27. March 2019

Currently is season for one of the most beautiful members of the genus Peckoltia, namely L135. The species originates from the Rio Negro and can be easily recognized by the “wormline-pattern” on the head. Only two other species of Peckoltia show a similar pattern: P. braueri from the Takutu river and P. sp. L121 from Guyana. But both have a different, less contrasting pattern on the body.

L135 becomes about 15 cm long. The males differ only slightly in body proportions from the females. In our pictures is the orange animal a male, the white one a female, but the colour represents only the variability in respect of the basic coloration and is not a sexual difference. This makes it difficult to assort pairs. On the other hand the attractive species has already been bred successfully in the aquarium.

For our customers: the animals have code 26480-L 135-1 (4-6 cm) und 26480-L 135-5 (11-14 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

L264 Leporacanthicus joselimai German bred

26. September 2018

Leporacanthicus joselimai (L264) comes from the Rio Tapajós in Brazil and grows 15-20 cm long. It belongs to the carnivorous species of suckermouth catfish and should therefore be fed with a wide range of feed, such as frozen food, granules, flakes, etc.. Since most of the food is eaten at night, it is necessary to plan feeding accordingly.

In the group maintained L. joselimai are very lively and tolerable, while individually kept animals are very shy and often react aggressively to other tankmates. 

The breeding of these beautiful catfish is not yet an everyday event and so we are pleased to be able to offer very pretty offspring of currently 4-6 cm length as German bred ones.

For our customers: the animals have code 26480-L 264X-1 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Panaque sp L330

15. August 2018

The „Full Spotted Royal Pleco“ belongs to the very attractive members of the wood-feeding genus Panaque. The species attains a maximum size of about 40 cm. Sadly in young fish the adult coloration cannot become even guessed, they are striped, like many other members of the genus. Only in halfgrown fish the spotted pattern has developed. We were able again now to import some 15 cm long (standard length, without tailfin) respectively 19 cm (total length, inclusive tailfin) long specimens of L330 from Colombia.

It is very interesting that these only halfgrown fish show some obvious sexual differences. A specimen with a yellow stripe in the caudal fin is – accoding to shape of head and body when looked from top – obviously a male, while the most likely female counterpart has only yellow corners of the caudal fin.

Sadly these comparatively large fish caused a kind of sand storm in the photo tank. Even after the water has been cleared there were attached to the mucus of the body sand particles. So please don´t worry, our fish don´t have an ick (Ichthyphthirius), but only harmless sand granules.

For our customers: the fish have code 26480-L 330-7 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively suppyl the wholesale trade. Only very few specimens available!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Squaliforma cf. emarginata L11

3. August 2018

Among the loricariid catfishes that are known by scientists for a very long time already is this species. It has been described initially 1840 under the name of Hypostomus emarginatus. Since then it has been placed in different genera, in 2001 in Squaliforma and in 2016 in Aphanotorulus, when Squaliforma has been considered to be a synonym of Aphanotorulus. However, that latest act is not followed by all scientists so far, so we are a bit conservative and stay with the placement within Squaliforma.

Sadly the collecting site of the type specimen of Squaliforma emarginata is not known. Not less than 5 L-numbers have been given for that species, all from different locations (L11 from Brazil, Rio Xingu near Altamira, L108 from Ecuador, upper course of the Rio Napo, L116 from Brazil, Rio Trombetas, L131 from Brazil, Rio Tapajós, L153 from Venezuela, Rio Apure). This fish (or very close relatives, who knows) is known currently from almost the whole of the Orinoco and the Amazon basins. As the fish we currently have in stock originate from the Rio Xingu the L-number 11 fits.

L11 can become as large as 40 cm and is known as a very peaceful member of the loricariid family that is very well suited for aquaria large enough. It is also a quite pretty fish!

For our customers: the animals have code 26480-L 011-4 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Panaqolus albomaculatus LDA 31 Venezuela

9. May 2018

In one of the most current issue of the Datz magazine (Datz 3/2018) a new L-number has been published, namely L501. This is a Hypancistrus from Venezuela belonging in the closer relationship of Hypancistrus inspector/L201/L339. It differs from the so far known relatives by the almost unspotted fins and the rather pinkish/orange spots (instead of white spots).

By chance we have right now Panaqolus albomaculatus/LDA 31 from Venezuela in stock, which also have very bright orange spots. The fish are 9-12 cm long, which means that they are almost fully grown. The „typical“ LDA 31 come from Peru and have usually rather whitish spots. However, it is already known for quite a long time that LDA 31 is ahighly variable species (see Wels Atlas Vol 2).

So we decided to take a closer look on our fish and put a pair in the photo tank. They proofed to be without any doubts wood-eaters, as could be easily seen by the spoon-like teeth; Hypanacistrus have pointed teeth and are meat-eaters. So our fish from Venezuela are simply very pretty LDA 31.

For or customers: the animals have code 26480-LDA 031-4 on or stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Leporacanthicus triactis L91 Variety

27. April 2018

The tooth-nose Leporacanthicus triactis from Venezuela s a beautiful aquarium fish that has a number of advantages. Besides the very nice coloration it does not become too big (maximum size reported is about 30 cm, but most specimens in the wild stay much smaller) and it is an omnivorous fish that readily accepts all types of usual fish food.

From time to time very attractive individuals appear in the trade that show a reticulated to spotted pattern. We currently received only the seventh specimen in 20 years, so one can really call it a rarity!

For our customers: the fish has code 26480-L091Y-4 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Guyanancistrus guahiborum L106

11. April 2018

Currently we have extremely nice youngsters of L106 in stock. They originate from Venezuela. There is a second, very similar L-number, L122. L106 has a deeper body. Maximum size reported for L106 is about 15 cm, recently our fish are 4-6 cm long.

The species has been described scientifically in 2005 under the name of Hemiancistrus guahiborum by Werneke, Armbruster, Lujan & Taphorn. The species occurs in the Orinoco drainage, type locality is the Rio Ventuari at raudales Tencua. The authors diagnose their species as differing from all remaining already described species of the Hemiancistrus/Peckoltia group by the broad orange seams of the dorsal and the caudal fins. There is consensus among l-catfish hobbyists that the fish are placed best in the genus Guyanancistrus.

L106 feeds mainly on Aufwuchs and is a very peaceful species. One should keep them – like all l-numbers from the Orinoko drainage – at comparatively high temperatures, eg 28-30°C. Otherwise the fish are undemanding.

For our customers: the fish have code 26480-L 106-1 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Leporacanthicus sp. L326

15. December 2017

This unusual Leporacanthicus originates from the Orinoco. The L-number was given already back in 2002. Initially the fish was imported from Colombia. It is said that these fish were collected in the area around Puerto Carreño. We currently received this fish for the first time ever; our specimens come from Venezuela. L326 differs from all other species of Leporacanthicus with a similar coloration by the shape of the caudal fin, which has two well developed tips. Since the original introduction of the species in the DATZ magazine nothing was heard of the fish anymore; indeed we thought initially that our importation would belong to an absolute new species. Ingo Seidel gave us the hint where to reasearch for – thanks for that!

It is said that this Leporacanthicus can reach a size of about 25 cm. The shape of the mouth – the upper lip has extensions like barbels – and the long, fang-like teeth are typical for the genus. Most probably these fish use their teeth to draw snails out of their shell. In any case L326 is a carnivorous fish that prefers to feed on frozen food items and usually refuses plant material in the aquarium.

The shape and number of the white spots differ individually a lot, but besides the already mentioned shape of the caudal fin the whitish borders of the dorsal and the caudal fin seem to be species-specific.

For our customers: the fish have code 26480-L 326-1 (4-6 cm) and 26480-L 326-3 (8-10 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in small numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

L168 Zonancistrus brachyurus

18. October 2017

We obtained wonderful L168 from Brazil. In this case the L-number provides a safer information than the scientific name. Due to several misidentifications this fish was in the hobby initially named Peckoltia pulcher, then Dekeyseria pulcher, sometimes also Zonancistrus pictus. But the valid name (this is at least current state of the art) is Zonancistrus brachyurus. Moreover, this species is often confused with the very similar species L52 from the Orinoco basin.

Zonancistrus brachyurus attains a maximum length of about 15 cm.  It originates from the Rio Negro system. L168 is very peaceful against conspecifics and can be kept in larger groups. This makes breeding attempts easier. Anyone who tries to breed the beautiful fish is recommended to use very soft water with an pH of 5.5 to 6 and a water temperature between 26 and 28°C. L168 is a typical cave spawner.

For our customers: the fish have code 26480-L 168-4 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Zonancistrus sp. L52

15. February 2017

The season for plecos from the rio Orinoko started very well. Many much sought for species are available in many different sizes. Most specimens of the Orinoco Butterfly Pleco (L52) we currently have in stock are charming and very pretty youngsters, but we also have a few large (9-11 cm) animals in our fishhouse. The species attains a mximum length of about 15 cm. L52 are omnivorous fishes that need some wood as food supplement, too. There are several reports on a successful breeding, the species is a typicla cave brooder. Despite the fact L52 is very undemanding in respect of general water conditions, the experience tells us that they show the most contrasting colours in soft and acidic water.

For our customers: the animals have code 26480 -L 52-0 (3-4 cm) and 26480 -L 52-4 (9-11 cm) on our stocklsit. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer