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26/11/2025

Cheatostoma joropo L445

This medium-sized species is described from the Piedmont region (the Andean foothills), in the Meta River basin and its tributaries.
C. joropo has many synonyms in the trade; for example, it can be found on stock lists as Chaetostoma sp. L187a, Spotted Bulldog pleco, or under the old name Chaetostoma sp. "Villavicencio I."

The head, body, and fins are covered with black spots on a grayish-brown base color. In the right light, the color can also appear brownish-gold.

It is often found in aquarium shops and is relatively inexpensive. It's also not too difficult to keep in an aquarium. Rocks and pebbles of varying sizes are important for the setup. This creates a clear territorial structure. In my experience, even the smallest males can be very territorial toward each other.

Based on the analysis of the stomach and intestinal contents this pleco can be concluded to be an algivore (algae eater) with a slight omnivorous tendency. This also fits with its specialized mouth structure, which makes it a perfect grazer.

Do you wanna read more about this pleco? Then take a look at the new webpage!
https://www.faunatropica.eu/animals/fish/loricariidae/chaetostoma-joropo-l445/

07/11/2025

Only one more day till Vivarium!

Today we'll finish the Vivarium project and arrange the last things at our stand 🥰

Do we see you tomorrow at our stand nr. 39?

08/10/2025

I am incredibly grateful to be able to sponsor this final Vivarium edition's project again and also help the project team create something truly fantastic with this one last project!

11/07/2025

We received the Vivarium flyers! 💙💚💛♥️

You will find the coupons with every order in your package 😉
So get your discount on the entrance on 8 + 9 November

See you there!!

22/05/2025

Pseudohemiodon apithanos 'real'

This species is native to South America, Colombia and Ecuador, the San Miguel River basin and the western Amazon. They are almost always imported from Colombia.

P. apithanos has an elongated, flat body with a broad, flat head and grows to about 15 to 18 cm in length. This species often has a pattern on the head or body with a more and darker checkered tail, but this varies per individual. In addition, the patterns can vary and change depending on how they feel.
They are usually brown in color, but there are also red variants, more about that later.

They live on the bottom, mainly in the sand where usually only their eyes are visible. They are mainly active at night and come out as soon as it gets dark. When feeding, they also come out of the sand, as can be seen in the photo.

This species will soon have its own page on the website, stay tuned!

- photo out of the old box

07/05/2025

S*x difference post - Planiloricaria cryptodon

Finally I got the chance to take pictures of males of the Planiloricaria cryptodon, so for today a new s*xing post!

This species has few visible secondary s*xual characteristics, which can sometimes make it difficult to determine the s*x. But here are some pictures of the visible s*xual characteristics.

From the side, the head of the male is slightly flatter than that of the female. The head of the female seems much higher and thicker, in front of the dorsal fin. Unfortunately, the picture was not taken from exactly the same angle, but there is still a clear difference visible.

The pelvic fins of the male are supposed to be longer and more pointed than those of the female, but this is not always easy to see. As can be seen in these two adult specimens from above, the male does indeed have slightly longer, rounder and more pointed pelvic fins than the female.
Unfortunately, the shape of the head from above is not a good indication of the s*x of this species, as the shape of the head can vary from specimen to specimen.

As can be seen in the photo of the ge***al papilla, the male has a more elongated papilla and the female a round, blunt papilla. The bald spot around the papilla can have different shapes in one s*x and contrary to what was initially thought, this is not a good indication of the s*x. Furthermore, the papilla is not always clearly visible in this species, which can sometimes make determining the s*x very difficult.

Thank you Alexander Buil and Norman Behr!

More info about this species you can find on the website:
https://www.faunatropica.eu/animals/fish/loricariinae/planiloricaria-cryptodon/

30/04/2025

Hypancistrus sp. "L201" eggs

Last week I posted the Hypancistrus sp. "L201" and now the eggs of this nice small pleco.
The "L201" is a typical cave breeder where the male takes care of the eggs and larvae. The incubation period depends a bit on the temperature, but normally the eggs hatch after 5 - 7 days.
Unfortunately, this time the male had thrown the clutch out of the breeding cave which gave me the opportunity to take good pictures of the eggs.

The eggs are yellow and relatively large compared to the adults, which is typical for many Hypancistrus species.
As you can clearly see in the picture, the eggs are fertilized and larvae are developing in them. In some eggs the blood vessels are clearly visible and in the two eggs at the top you can also clearly see the development of the head and spine, the eyes and the mouth are clearly visible.
The mouth is not yet as developed as in adult plecos and seems to be pointing upwards, this will develop further in the coming days.

All the larvae have hatched and are doing well.

- Photo from the old box

25/04/2025

Hypancistrus sp. "L201"

The Hypancistrus sp. "L201" is also known as the "Orinoco angel pleco" or simply "L201". It is a small-staying pleco, reaching about 10 - 12cm, which makes it very popular in aquariums. It is a striking pleco due to its white spots on a black base color. The spots can vary in size and shape.

The Hypancistrus sp. "L201" originates from the river basins of the Rio Orinoco and its tributaries in Venezuela and Colombia. In these tropical waters, they find shelter among rocks and driftwood. The water quality there is typically soft and slightly acidic to neutral, with a warm temperature.

In the aquarium, the "L201" generally does not have extreme requirements. A well-decorated aquarium with sufficient hiding places in the form of stones, slate, and driftwood is highly appreciated. Ensure good water quality with regular water changes and a suitable temperature (around 24-28°C).

This Hypancistrus is a carnivore ~ omnivore and has a preference for small invertebrates, algae, and biofilm. A varied diet in the aquarium is essential for their well-being.

The Hypancistrus sp. L201 is generally a peaceful inhabitant that coexists well with other calm fish of similar size.
In addition, they are also reasonably easy to breed. More about that later!

- Photo from the old box

20/04/2025

Happy Easter everyone! 🐰🥚 Enjoy a wonderful weekend filled with good company, sunshine, good times and of course... lots of egg hunting! Wishing you a lovely Easter weekend! 🌷🐣

Orders are shipped as usual these days!

14/04/2025

Rineloricaria beni

Not so long ago I shared the photo of the Rineloricari beni male with eggs. Here is a photo of one of the hatched youngsters. The youngsters are very small when they hatch. This baby in the photo is 4 mm long.

We put the youngsters in a floating breeding ring and they eat well from the catappa leaves and EBO Spirulina paste.

In the meantime I have also created an information page for this species on the website:
https://www.faunatropica.eu/animals/fish/loricariinae/rineloricaria-beni/

- Photo from the old box

07/04/2025

Guess the mouth Monday! 👄

The answer of the last riddle is:
Parancistrus nudiventris "L31"

Unfortunately no one guessed it correctly this time.

In general, Parancistrus are omnivores with a preference for plant material and algae, but they also need animal protein. They graze on the algae layers that grow on rocks and other substrates.
The "L31" has a long intestine, which is typical of fish that have a primarily algae-based diet. Analysis of the stomach contents has shown that in addition to plant fibers, they also eat insect larvae, small crustaceans and bryozoans.

In the aquarium, it is therefore important to feed a varied diet, with a preference for plant material and algae-based foods, to keep these fish healthy.

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Here a new "Guess the mouth Monday"
As before: first one who guesses the right species/L-number (not only genus) to which this mouth belongs, will next Monday, wins!

04/04/2025

New webpage is LIVE!

After a long wait, the Baryancistrus sp. "LDA33" / "L142" now has its own page on the website! We've mentioned this fish before, but now you can find all the details in one place. Discover everything you need to know about this unique pleco.

➡️ https://www.faunatropica.eu/animals/fish/loricariidae/baryancistrus-sp-l142-lda33/

Check it out and tell us what you think! Anyone already keeping this amazing pleco? Share your pics below! 📸

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