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Johnny Jensen's Photographic Library (4) Haakon Haagensen (1)

This Ancistrus species is typified by its unusually broad head flattened body and its black body colour. The males head bristles are very thick and not branched at the end, unlike most of this genera. Both sexes have fleshy 'tentacles' but the males are bushier and longer. Habitat: Inhabits clear running water, to a depth of 3 meters during dry season. Prefers narrow cracks of submerged rocks, small passages between superimposed rocks, or lives below flat rocks on the bottom. Aquarium Care: Provide caves and flat stonework where this species likes to hide under. Reproduction: Not one of the easiest Ancistrus to breed although it has been achieved by accident. Diet: Likes a meaty diet which is somewhat different from most members of the Ancistrinae. Feed frozen foods such as bloodworm and pellet, tablet and pre-soaked flake. Etymology: The specific name ranunculus: meaning "Tadpole" and referring to its unusually flat head.

Tadpole Bristlenose Catfish, L034, Medusa Pleco.

None

Loricariidae

South America: Brazil, Xingu and Tocantins River basins. Type locality: Brazil, Pará, Rio Xingú, furo do Tucum Seco, near Arroz Cru.

14.0cm. (5½ins)

26-30°c (79-87°f.)

6.0-7.0.

Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
Muller, S., L.H. Rapp Py-Daniel and J. Zuanon 1994 Ancistrus ranunculus, a new species of loricariidae fish (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Xingu and Tocantins rivers, Brazil. Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 5(4):289-296.
ScotCat Factsheet no. 169. July. 2010
Seidel, Ingo; Back to Nature guide to L-catfishes 208p.