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Freshwater fishes

The fish list

499 species, each with the water it needs, who it gets along with, and where it comes from. Find one, or browse by family, genus or river.

EndangeredRarePopularPeacefulSmall (6 cm or less)Calm waterStrong flowSchooling✓ L-numbers✓ With photo Basic profiles too
Showing: River & region: Xingu ✕

Xingu 14 fish

Sunshine pleco

L014
Sunshine pleco ≈

Plecos · ScobinancistrusRare

  • 27–31°C!
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Strong!
  • 12 in!
  • Bottom
  • Meat
  • Territorial!

Yellow spots and orange fin edges.

Rio Xingu, Brazil

Sunshine pleco

L014

Scobinancistrus aureatus

Rio Xingu, Brazil · rapids

Temperature
27–31°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
12 in · 30 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Carnivore
Breeding
Rarely
Typical price
$150–400
In Canada
Rare
Rarity
Rare or hard to breed

Yellow spots and orange fin edges. A big snail-eater that needs a large tank.

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Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Candy stripe

L015
Candy stripe ≈

Plecos · PeckoltiaUncommon

  • 25–30°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Gentle
  • 4 in
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
  • Peaceful

A small Peckoltia with bold yellow and dark bands.

Lower Amazon and Xingu basins, Brazil

Candy stripe

L015

Peckoltia vittata

Lower Amazon and Xingu basins, Brazil · river

Temperature
25–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
4 in · 10 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Breeding
Moderate
Typical price
$30–70
In Canada
Occasional
Rarity
Uncommon

A small Peckoltia with bold yellow and dark bands. Peaceful, and a different genus from L236.

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Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Scarlet cactus

L025
Scarlet cactus ≈

Plecos · PseudacanthicusRare

  • 26–30°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Strong!
  • 24 in!
  • Bottom
  • Meat
  • Aggressive!

Grey with scarlet fins.

Rio Xingu, Brazil

Scarlet cactus

L025

Pseudacanthicus pirarara

Rio Xingu, Brazil · rapids

Temperature
26–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
24 in · 60 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Aggressive
Diet
Carnivore
Breeding
Rarely
Typical price
$400–1000
In Canada
Rare
Rarity
Rare or hard to breed

Grey with scarlet fins. Can pass 60 cm, so it needs a tank of its own.

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Photo: JSutton93, CC BY SA

Xingu royal

L027
Xingu royal ≈

Plecos · PanaqueRare

  • 26–30°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Strong!
  • 16 in!
  • Bottom
  • Wood!
  • Territorial!

A large royal pleco from the Xingu and Tocantins.

Rio Xingu and Tocantins, Brazil

Xingu royal

L027

Panaque armbrusteri

Rio Xingu and Tocantins, Brazil · rapids

Temperature
26–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
16 in · 40 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Wood
Breeding
Rarely
Typical price
$100–300
In Canada
Rare
Rarity
Rare or hard to breed

A large royal pleco from the Xingu and Tocantins. Needs a very big tank.

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Photo: JSutton93, CC BY-SA 4.0

Zebra

L046
Zebra ≈

Plecos · HypancistrusCR

  • 28–31°C!
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Strong!
  • 3 in
  • Bottom
  • Meat
  • Peaceful

Brazil banned wild export, so Canadian stock is tank-bred.

Volta Grande of the Rio Xingu, Brazil

Zebra

L046

Hypancistrus zebra

Volta Grande of the Rio Xingu, Brazil · rapids

Temperature
28–31°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
3 in · 8 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Carnivore
Breeding
Moderate, slow
Typical price
$150–500
In Canada
Occasional
Status in the wild
Critically endangered

Brazil banned wild export, so Canadian stock is tank-bred. Clean, even stripes where L236 are broken and patchy.

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Photo: Birger A, CC BY-SA 3.0

Golden cloud

L048
Golden cloud ≈

Plecos · ScobinancistrusRare

  • 27–31°C!
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Strong!
  • 12 in!
  • Bottom
  • Meat
  • Territorial!

Fine pale spots on black.

Xingu and Tapajós basins, Brazil

Golden cloud

L048

Scobinancistrus cf. pariolispos

Xingu and Tapajós basins, Brazil · rapids

Temperature
27–31°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
12 in · 30 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Carnivore
Breeding
Rarely
Typical price
$150–400
In Canada
Rare
Rarity
Rare or hard to breed

Fine pale spots on black. Large and rarely available.

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Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Gold nugget

L081
Gold nugget ≈

Plecos · BaryancistrusRare

  • 27–30°C!
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Strong!
  • 8 in!
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
  • Territorial!

Black with yellow spots and gold fin edges.

Rio Xingu, and the Rio Iriri for L177

Gold nugget

L081

Baryancistrus xanthellus

Rio Xingu, and the Rio Iriri for L177 · rapids

Temperature
27–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
8 in · 20 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Omnivore
Breeding
Hard
Typical price
$60–250
In Canada
Occasional
Rarity
Rare or hard to breed

Black with yellow spots and gold fin edges. Grows larger than Hypancistrus and holds a territory.

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Photo: Anne Blindheim, CC BY-SA 3.0

Xingu Lipbrooder

L010
Xingu Lipbrooder ≈

Plecos · Loricaria

  • 24–28°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
Rio Xingu, Iriri and Curua, Brazil

Xingu Lipbrooder

L010

Loricaria birindellii

Rio Xingu, Iriri and Curua, Brazil · river

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
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Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Peppermint pleco

L031
Peppermint pleco ≈

Plecos · Parancistrus

  • 27–31°C!
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Veg
Rio Xingu, Brazil

Peppermint pleco

L031

Parancistrus nudiventris

Rio Xingu, Brazil · river

Temperature
27–31°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Grazer
View full profile

Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Medusa pleco

L034
Medusa pleco ≈

Plecos · Ancistrus

  • 23–27°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
Rio Xingu, Brazil

Medusa pleco

L034

Ancistrus ranunculus

Rio Xingu, Brazil · river

Temperature
23–27°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
View full profile

Photo: Micke, CC BY NC

Magnum pleco

L047
Magnum pleco ≈

Plecos · Baryancistrus

  • 27–30°C!
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Veg
Rio Xingu, Brazil

Magnum pleco

L047

Baryancistrus chrysolomus

Rio Xingu, Brazil · river

Temperature
27–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Grazer
View full profile

Photo: 5snake5, PD

Zebra pleco

L098
Zebra pleco ≈

Plecos · Hypancistrus

  • 27–30°C!
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Meat
Rio Xingu, Brazil

Zebra pleco

L098

Hypancistrus zebra

Rio Xingu, Brazil · river

Temperature
27–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
View full profile

Photo: Birger A, CC BY-SA 3.0

Peppermint pleco

L176
Peppermint pleco ≈

Plecos · Parancistrus

  • 27–31°C!
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Veg
Rio Xingu, Brazil

Peppermint pleco

L176

Parancistrus nudiventris

Rio Xingu, Brazil · river

Temperature
27–31°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Grazer
View full profile

Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Peppermint pleco

L300
Peppermint pleco ≈

Plecos · Parancistrus

  • 27–31°C!
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Veg
Rio Xingu, Brazil

Peppermint pleco

L300

Parancistrus nudiventris

Rio Xingu, Brazil · river

Temperature
27–31°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Grazer
View full profile

Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Showing 14 of 14