The fish list

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.

Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Red-fin cactus

L024

Pseudacanthicus pitanga

Rio Tocantins, Brazil · rapids

Temperature

26–30°C

pH

5.5–7.5

Adult size

16 in · 40 cm

Flow

Strong

Swims

Bottom

Temperament

Aggressive

Diet

Carnivore

Breeding

Rarely

Typical price

$130–400

In Canada

Rare

Rarity

Rare or hard to breed

Dark body with red fin edges. Large and aggressive.

Photo: B. Phalan, CC BY 4.0

Gold spot pleco

L001

Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus

Tocantins–Araguaia basin, Brazil · river

Temperature

24–28°C

pH

5.5–7.5

Adult size

12 in · 30 cm

Flow

Gentle

Swims

Bottom

Temperament

Peaceful

Diet

Omnivore

Breeding

Rarely

Typical price

$15–80

In Canada

Occasional

Rarity

Rare or hard to breed

A sailfin that grows to about 30 cm and makes a lot of waste. Big tanks only.

Photo: 5snake5, CC BY-SA 4.0

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.

Photo: JSutton93, CC BY-SA 4.0

Hi-fin green phantom

L200hf

Baryancistrus demantoides

Upper Orinoco and Ventuari, Venezuela · rapids

Temperature

27–30°C

pH

5.5–7.5

Adult size

6 in · 16 cm

Flow

Strong

Swims

Bottom

Temperament

Territorial

Diet

Omnivore

Breeding

Hard

Typical price

$100–250

In Canada

Rare

Rarity

Rare or hard to breed

The hi-fin version, with a tall dorsal. Territorial, and rarely bred.

Photo: Anne Blindheim, CC BY-SA 3.0

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.

Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Leopard cactus

L114

Pará, Brazil. Sources differ on the exact river. · rapids

Temperature

26–30°C

pH

5.5–7.5

Adult size

14 in · 35 cm

Flow

Strong

Swims

Bottom

Temperament

Aggressive

Diet

Carnivore

Breeding

Rarely

Typical price

$250–800

In Canada

Rare

Rarity

Rare or hard to breed

Cream with bold black spots and a spiny body. Grows to about 35 cm and is aggressive.

Photo: Whaldener Endo, CC0

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.

Photo: JSutton93, CC BY SA

Sultan

L264

Leporacanthicus joselimai

Rio Tapajós, Brazil · rapids

Temperature

26–30°C

pH

5.5–7.5

Adult size

8 in · 20 cm

Flow

Strong

Swims

Bottom

Temperament

Territorial

Diet

Carnivore

Breeding

Hard

Typical price

$60–150

In Canada

Occasional

Rarity

Rare or hard to breed

White spots and white-tipped fins on black. Grows to about 20 cm and holds a cave firmly.

Photo: Thomas Siems, CC BY-SA 2.0

Royal pleco

L190

Panaque nigrolineatus

Orinoco basin, Colombia and Venezuela · river

Temperature

24–29°C

pH

5.5–7.5

Adult size

16 in · 40 cm

Flow

Gentle

Swims

Bottom

Temperament

Territorial

Diet

Wood

Breeding

Rarely

Typical price

$50–200

In Canada

Common

Rarity

Rare or hard to breed

Red eyes and pinstripes, but it grows to about 40 cm and eats a lot of wood.

Photo: Neale Monks, CC BY-SA 3.0

Guyana leopard cactus

L600

Pseudacanthicus leopardus

Rupununi and Essequibo, Guyana, and the Rio Branco, Brazil · rapids

Temperature

26–30°C

pH

5.5–7.5

Adult size

12 in · 30 cm

Flow

Strong

Swims

Bottom

Temperament

Aggressive

Diet

Carnivore

Breeding

Rarely

Typical price

$90–300

In Canada

Rare

Rarity

Rare or hard to breed

Spotted cactus pleco with orange-edged fins. Large, spiny and aggressive with other plecos.

Photo: Sesamehoneytart, CC BY-SA 3.0

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.

Photo: Anne Blindheim, CC BY-SA 3.0

Blue phantom

L128

Upper Orinoco, Venezuela · rapids

Temperature

26–30°C

pH

5.5–7.5

Adult size

8 in · 20 cm

Flow

Strong

Swims

Bottom

Temperament

Territorial

Diet

Omnivore

Breeding

Moderate–hard

Typical price

$80–200

In Canada

Occasional

Rarity

Rare or hard to breed

Blue-grey with fine white dots. Grows larger than it looks in the store.

Photo: EnjiBenji, CC0

Three-beacon vampire

L091

Leporacanthicus triactis

Orinoco, Venezuela · rapids

Temperature

26–30°C

pH

5.5–7.5

Adult size

8 in · 20 cm

Flow

Strong

Swims

Bottom

Temperament

Territorial

Diet

Carnivore

Breeding

Hard

Typical price

$60–150

In Canada

Occasional

Rarity

Rare or hard to breed

Eats snails and holds a cave firmly. Can be rough with smaller plecos.

Galaxy vampire

L029

Leporacanthicus galaxias

Rio Tocantins and nearby Pará rivers, Brazil · rapids

Temperature

26–30°C

pH

5.5–7.5

Adult size

10 in · 25 cm

Flow

Strong

Swims

Bottom

Temperament

Aggressive

Diet

Carnivore

Breeding

Hard

Typical price

$60–200

In Canada

Occasional

Rarity

Rare or hard to breed

The vampire pleco. Beautiful, but it gets large and bullies smaller plecos.