The Best Freshwater Algae Eaters for Tropical Tanks: Magnum Pleco
Distribution this fish Endemic to the rio Xingu
basin in Pará state, Brazil, where it inhabits a section of the river’s chief
channel referred to as ‘Volta Grande do rio Xingu’ right above Belo Monte falls.
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The Best Freshwater Algae Eaters for Tropical Tanks: Magnum Pleco
This is only one of my
favourite Loricarias for the bigger aquarium although they are not actually a
species for the beginner in the hobby as they can be specialised feeders and
tend to be territorial as adults. They may not be as bright coloured as various
other members of the family, never the less the subtle differences between the
body and fin edge colours are in my head really impressive.
This species is well
known from Rio Curuá, Rio Iriri, which is the the largest tributary of the Rio
Xingu, and from the Rio Xingu, immediately above Belo Monte falls in the area
called Volta Grande do rio Xingu and below the village of Belo Monte.
Feeding
Omnivorous. A staple
diet of big pellets, sticks, and wafers together with balls of frozen brine
shrimp, blood worms, market shrimp, or mussels is easily accepted. Sometimes
feed vegetables also such as kale, cucumber, spinach, and canned green beans
that have been rinsed.
Baryancistrus spp. Are
often under nourished and/or suffering from health problems post-importation
and might require a lengthy amount of acclimatisation and quarantine. They may
initially need several meals per day and also have a metabolic rate that is
relatively high.
Features
Dorsal spines (total):
2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7; Anal soft rays: 5. This genus is large and high
backed. They long stemmed teeth and have a substantial suckermouth with a high
number of slender. A membrane that is small lies behind the last ray of the
dorsal fin which joins the anal fin.
Head broad and big;
snout round in dorsal view. Eye large and round, iris operculum present. Orbit
not elevated; interorbital region flat. No ridge between eyes and nares.
Supraoccipital procedure not elevated, almost indistinct from rest of bone,
round posteriorly and elevated. Supraoccipital restricted by a set of big
quadrangular plates closely joined. Predorsal area reduced, with one pair of
separated diamond shaped plates anterior to nuchal plate.
Behaviour and Compatibility
Juveniles are commonly
competitive and comparatively peaceful but men in particular as they age become
highly intolerant of conspecifics towards some other fish viewed as a threat
that is territorial.
It’s consequently kept
with species that inhabit other regions of the tank with medium-to-large sized
characids particularly acceptable. When laying out the décor in aquaria that
are very large you may be able to combine it or keep a group provided care is
taken to supply sufficient territorial space and visual barriers.
Colour
Wide orange to yellowish
band along the complete distal edge of caudal and dorsal fin.
Paler. Really faint pale
spots over body, barely visible on fins.
Added information'
Under the alternate
vernacular name ‘magnum pleco’ or the DATZ code L047 this species was traded
prior to description. It may be distinguished from congeners by way of a
combination of these characters: existence of a wide, light-coloured (generally
yellowish) distal band on the dorsal and caudal fins throughout life, slightly
reduced in adults.
