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Kent Cannon (2) Danny Blundell (1) Peru Aquarium Group (1) Johnny Jensen's Photographic Library (3)

Description: You can identify a Pterygoplichthys species from Hypostomus for example due to the many more rays in the dorsal fin, which can be up to 10 or over. They also have nasal flutes on the nose. Aquarium Care: Reasonably peaceful if large species which will need a good sized aquarium starting of with a 3 footer when small with good external filtration to facilitate a good oxygen content, as it excretes copious amounts of waste if fed properly on vegetable matter. If the water quality is not adhered to, small holes can appear in the fin membranes. You will notice when your water quality is not up to the mark as they "hang" in the water just of their fins, from the substrate, which means 'get that water change done'. It is kind to plants in the aquarium, the only problem is when it gets bigger and can uproot them in its conquest around the tank. Diet: They are mostly vegetarian with algae being their number one source of food but to keep a large fish fed on algae alone is impossible so you can feed also, spinach, blanched lettuce, cucumber, courgette (zucchini) and also non veg food such as tablets and prawns.

Rhino Pleco, Chocolate Pleco, Alligator Pleco

Liposarcus scrophus, Glytoperichthys scrophus

Loricariidae

Peru: Marañón and Ucayali River basins.

28.0cm. (11ins)

23-28°c (73-83°f)

6.5-7.2.

All L-Numbers Datz Special. www.datze.de