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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! 📸

28/03/2025

Baryancistrus chrysolomus "L47"

The Baryancistrus chrysolomus, also known as Magnum Pleco or "L047", can be distinguished by its dark, olive-colored base color with a broad yellow-colored band on the dorsal and caudal fin. This band remains visible even when this species is adult. It becomes a medium large fish of about 25 to 30 cm.

Baryancistrus chrysolomus is only found in the state of Pará in Brazil, and then in the "Volta Grande do Rio Xingu" and its tributaries. The tributaries where it is also collected is the Rio Curuá, a tributary of the Rio Iriri which itself is a tributary of the Rio Xingu.
The riverbed in the Rio Xingu consists of dark volcanic rock and is a fairly warm river where temperatures of 32 ºC and higher have been recorded, especially in the shallower parts. The water there is softly acidic.

Research on wild specimens shows that this species feeds mainly on algae and smaller amounts of invertebrates in the wild. In the aquarium, it is important, especially in the beginning, to offer them several meals a day with varied food that mainly consists of vegetable material.

More info you can find on the new webpage:
https://www.faunatropica.eu/animals/fish/loricariidae/baryancistrus-chrysolomus-l47/

21/03/2025

Rineloricaria beni

Rineloricaria beni is a small species of the Loricariinae. They reach a maximum length of about 10 to 12 cm. They have an elongated, slender body which is typical for stickfish.

The Rineloricaria beni is a fish species that is endemic to South America, Bolivia. Here it is mainly found in the basin of the Rio Beni, a major river in Bolivia. Although it is mainly found in Bolivia, river systems can extend and small populations may occur in adjacent areas.

Breeding Rineloricaria beni can be an interesting challenge. A separate breeding aquarium is recommended. The male in the photo is taking care of the eggs, which in this case are laid on a leaf of an Anubia plant and are clearly fertilized.

Follow for more!

- Photo out of the old box

17/03/2025

Guess the mouth Monday! 👄

The answer of the last riddle is:
Panaque armbrusteri "L27"
guessed right by Nick Voogt and Bart Keus, congratulations!

Panaque belongs to the grazers - aufwuchs eaters. This is recognizable to their mouth structure. The spoon-shaped teeth are a distinct feature that distinguishes Panaque from other Loricariids.
They primarily feed on wood and algae and they have a specialized digestive system adapted to process cellulose.
There are still studies going on for what and how they use the wood with feeding.

In the aquarium it is possible to feed them a diet rich in vegetable matter, including algae wafers and fresh greens. Additionally, providing driftwood is essential.

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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!

26/03/2024

Sponsor alert!
Een nieuwe sponsor heeft zich aangemeld na onze oproep van onlangs; Fauna Tropica mogen we toevoegen aan het lijstje met grote namen uit de hobbywereld. Gespecialiseerd in L-nummers is fauna topica de place to be als je interesse ligt bij deze prachtige dieren.
Wij zijn trots dat Eva haar steentje wilt bijdragen aan onze unieke onderwater dierentuin. ❤️

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