Wolverine pleco

Hopliancistrus wolverine

Also known as L017, Flat head pleco

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 81–88°F (27–31°C)
pH: 6.0–7.2
Adult size: 7.9 in (20 cm)
Minimum tank: 66 gal (250 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Rio Xingu, Brazil
Family: Loricariidae

Overview

The wolverine pleco is a flat, stocky slab-dweller best kept singly or as a pair, wedging itself under rock and defending its spot from other plecos. It is a hot, fast-water fish that clings to stone and comes out to graze in the evening. Handle it with care, since it can lock stiff spines out from its cheeks and snag in a net. It is peaceful with tankmates and suits a warm community of sturdy fish. Feed it a varied diet with a good share of protein, sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and some vegetable. Give it a tank of around 250 liters with strong flow, high oxygen and plenty of stone.

In the wild

This pleco comes from the Rio Xingu in Brazil, a hot, clear, fast-flowing river where it wedges under and between slab rock. Its tank should echo that with smooth stone stacked into caves and crevices, a sand floor, and strong, well-oxygenated flow. Keep the water soft to neutral, roughly pH 6.0 to 7.2, and hot at about 27 to 31 C, warmer than most plecos want. Strong current and high oxygen are essential.

Good to know

Hopliancistrus wolverine belongs to Loricariidae and grows to around 20 centimeters, a broad, flat-headed catfish marked with small yellow dots. It was described in 2021 and took its trade nickname as its formal name, for the strong, curved spines it can flick out from its cheeks. It has been bred in aquaria only rarely, by keepers able to give it hot, fast water.

Did you know

Science borrowed the fish's comic-book nickname on purpose: like its namesake, it can unsheathe hooked spines from its cheeks, so a keeper who nets one carelessly can find it hooked fast in the mesh.