Bandit pleco

Hypancistrus furunculus

Also known as L199, Zebra bandit pleco

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 79–86°F (26–30°C)
pH: 5.5–7.2
Adult size: 3.9 in (10 cm)
Minimum tank: 42 gal (160 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Upper Orinoco, Venezuela
Family: Loricariidae

Overview

The bandit pleco is a cave-holding fish that is best kept singly, or as a compatible pair in a roomy tank, since it will defend a chosen crevice against other plecos. It hides by day and grows bolder after dark or when food goes in. Despite the territorial streak toward its own kind it is peaceful with other fish, so a calm community of mid-water species works well. Like its Hypancistrus relatives it is not much of an algae eater and wants a protein-led diet: sinking carnivore pellets, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp, with only a little vegetable. Provide caves and driftwood in a tank of around 160 liters.

In the wild

The bandit pleco lives in the warm upper Orinoco of southern Venezuela, among rock piles and sunken wood in flowing, oxygen-rich water. Set up a mature tank with smooth rockwork and driftwood arranged into many small caves and gaps, over a sand floor, and add brisk flow from powerheads or the filter. Keep the water soft and slightly acidic to neutral, roughly pH 5.5 to 7.2, and warm at about 26 to 30 C. Good oxygen and clean water are the priorities.

Good to know

Hypancistrus furunculus belongs to Loricariidae and reaches about 10 centimeters. It carries the pale, dark-edged bands typical of the zebra-pleco group, though its pattern is looser and more broken. Trade names include L199 and yellowhead or zebra bandit pleco. It has spawned in aquaria for patient keepers, using narrow caves in the manner of its close relatives, with the male tending the eggs.

Did you know

The bandit name is well earned: no two carry quite the same mask, and the broken bands across the head and body vary from one fish to the next, even among siblings from a single brood.