Baryancistrus sp. – Big White Spot Pleco – L142
As you can tell from the name, Baryancistrus sp. is not yet officially described. They have been given a placeholder: L142 or LDA33 so that they can be distinguished from other species. More explanation about this in the article L-Numbers and LDA-numbers? The explanation! They are also called Big White Spot Pleco.
Description
Baryancistrus sp. – Big White Spot Pleco – L142 is suitable for a community aquarium but can be very aggressive against other armored catfish, and against conspecifics in particular. This species is in fact fairly territorial: finding and maintaining caves, suitable for building a nest, is usually the stumbling block. More than one Big White Spot Pleco in a cramped tank can result in the death of one or more fish, although they can be kept together in a very spacious tank with lots of decoration.
Origin
South America: Rio Amazonas, North East Brazil.
Maximum Size: 25-30cm.
The aquarium
This large catfish species prefers a dimly lit aquarium with plenty of hiding places, like plants, driftwood, rocks and/or artificial caves. To keep several specimens of this species, or to keep this species together with other bottom dwellers, an aquarium of 150x50cm is required. This species is quite territorial. In the absence of suitable hiding places or too little space, the Snowball Pleco can behave particularly aggressively toward other bottom dwellers. If it is the only bottom dweller in the aquarium, an aquarium of 120x45cm. is sufficient. Juveniles can be kept temporarily in smaller aquariums without any problems, as long as there are sufficient hiding places. A strong filter is important, as this fish produces a lot of waste due to its almost insatiable hunger.
Although this species, once acclimatized, is an adaptable and strong fish, like most other Baryancistrus species, it often does not grow or only grows very slowly. This can be explained by the fact that in most cases the posture in captivity does not take place under natural conditions. The Snowball Pleco naturally occurs in shallow water, often strongly heated by direct sunlight, with a lot of current and high oxygen content. Under these conditions, the stones and pebbles between which this species is found are more or less permanently overgrown with an organic layer consisting of plant and animal components (“Aufwuchs”). The high water temperature ensures a fast metabolism, with the result that these animals spend a very large part of the day looking for food. It is therefore not surprising that this kind of (not easy to reproduce!) conditions are required to achieve a natural attitude (and growth), and that this fish is especially suitable for a special aquarium.
Temperature: 25 °C – 32°C
pH: 5.5 – 7.5
Diet
Given the large sucking mouth, occupied by many very small teeth, this species is a so-called “Aufwuchs” eater. Aufwuchs is the organic layer, partly plant, partly consisting of small organisms (crustaceans, freshwater sponges, small insects, insect eggs and larvae, and plankton), which forms on submerged surfaces, and which is grazed on by this Harness Catfish.
Once acclimated, the Snowball Pleco is otherwise not very picky, and will in most cases feed on both plant foods (blanched vegetables, tablets, algae, and, to the chagrin of many aquarists, aquarium plants as well) and meat foods (shrimp, krill, mussels, mosquito larvae, blood worms). However, the emphasis should be on vegetable food, as it is closer to the natural diet, and because a diet that is too high in protein can lead to digestive problems, blockages and even death.
Comments
Baryancistrus species are notorious for the difficulty of acclimatization: a significant proportion – in some species more than 50% – of imported specimens from this genus die during the first month in captivity due to stress and malnutrition. Another problem with recently imported specimens is the damage to the bacterial intestinal flora, which has been disturbed by transport (resulting in digestive problems and a greatly reduced absorption of extremely important nutrients, especially during the first weeks). Fish offered in stores must have been quarantined by the importer/trader for at least a number of weeks to guarantee reasonable chances of survival. This is not the case with fish with sunken eyes and bellies, and unfortunately, more often than not they will die within a few weeks.
Once home, this fish must be kept in a quarantine aquarium for a number of weeks to allow the animal to get used to life in captivity and the local water parameters. During this period it should also be checked whether the Armored Catfish is eating well: depending on the food offered, red to dark brown colored thin, solid strings of feces (also called spaghettis by hobbyists) should be found in the aquarium, as a sign that they eat the food. In addition, it can be determined which types of food are accepted and which are not. Once the fish is eating well, is active and alert, and looks healthy (good coloring, round belly, slightly bulging, clear eyes), it can be moved to a larger aquarium.
But the problems don’t end there: no matter how vulnerable Baryancistrus species are during the first few weeks, once acclimatized it is often a completely different story. Once the fish has become accustomed to its new environment, it will claim a territory and defend it against intruders. Congeners in particular are not tolerated, but other bottom dwellers can also have a hard time. Fights can be quite fierce, and in some cases it is advisable to separate the fish to avoid unnecessary stress and injury. But with the help of sufficient hiding places and breaking sight lines, the territory problem can usually be solved without the need to move one or more fish.
Video
Authors
Jonas Hansel – Piranha-info.com (original website no longer online)
Copyright images
Jonas Hansel – Piranha-info.com (original website no longer online)
