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Robin Warne (1) Hudson Crizanto Gonçalves (3)

Description: The Rhinelepis group is unique among Loricariids for possessing a round (normal) iris versus a bilobed iris (although it is often hard to see the flap in bilobed, preserved fishes). The species has also thick plates and lacks an adipose fin. Habitat: Among the Loricariidae of the São Francisco river basin, R. aspera is the one that reaches the largest size, and can exceed 4 kg of body weight. R. aspera can be found throughout the basin of the São Francisco and Paraná rivers, with its typical location in the São Francisco river (Fowler, 1954). The black armored catfish Rhinelepsis aspera Agassiz, 1829 (‘cascudo-preto’) is an important and currently rare commercial fish of the São Francisco River, although still found in large numbers in its main tributary, the Paracatu River. Its flesh is firm, tasty and practically devoid of bones and fat. It is caught with gill nets. Reproduction: May not be possible as this genera migrate to spawn, and scatter their eggs with no parental protection. Aquarium Care: Grows rather large and would need a large tank to accommodate it. Diet: Omnivore: Feed veg, frozen foods and also tablet and pellet food.

Black armored catfish

None

Loricariidae

Brazil: São Francisco and upper Paraná River basins. Type locality: in flumine S. Francisci, Brazil.

30.0cm. (12ins)

23-27°c (73-81°f)

6.0-7.0.

Armbruster, J.W., 1998. Phylogenetic relationships of the suckermouth armored catfishes of the Rhinelepis group (Loricariidae: Hypostominae). Copeia 1998(3):620-636.
Yoshimi Sato, Nelsy Fenerich-Verani, José Roberto Verani, Hugo Pereira Godinho, Edson Vieira Sampaio; Induced Reproduction and Reproductive Characteristics of Rhinelepis aspera Agassiz, 1829 (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes, Loricariidae). Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais.