Llanero whiptail
Lamontichthys llanero
Also known as Sturgeon whiptail, High-fin whiptail
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–82°F (24–28°C)
- pH
- 6.0–7.2
- Adult size
- 9.1 in (23 cm)
- Minimum tank
- 79 gal (300 L)
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Rare
- Origin
- Orinoco llanos rivers
- Family
- Loricariidae
Overview
This is a demanding, elegant whiptail for a river-style tank, and it is social, so keep a small group rather than a lone fish, since they are bolder and more active in company. They graze biofilm from wood and stone and need spotless, oxygen-rich, fast-moving water; they fade quickly in still or dirty tanks. Keep them with other calm, current-loving fish. Feed biofilm plus algae wafers and vegetables, and make sure enough reaches the floor. Give them a tank of at least 300 liters with strong flow and high oxygen.
In the wild
It comes from the llanos rivers of the Orinoco system in Colombia and Venezuela, shallow, fast, well-oxygenated water running over sand, wood, and rounded stone. Recreate that with a stream-style layout: sand or gravel, driftwood snags, smooth rocks, and strong flow. Keep it warm at about 24 to 28 C with a pH of 6.0 to 7.2, and keep the water immaculate and highly oxygenated.
Good to know
Lamontichthys llanero is a loricariid that reaches about 23 centimeters, a slim, twig-shaped fish with tall fins and long, trailing filaments on the fin tips. It is built to hold station in current. It is an egg layer of moderate breeding difficulty; the males guard the eggs, which are laid on firm surfaces.
Did you know
Its fins carry long trailing filaments, and rather than swimming about it tends to perch and hold its place against the current all day, facing into the flow like a kite on a string.
Tank mates
Llanero whiptail is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.
Brown pleco
Hypostomus plecostomoidesFreshwater10.2 in (26 cm)79 gal (300 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)
Asian glass hatchetfish
Parachela oxygastroidesFreshwater7.9 in (20 cm)79 gal (300 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Basilisk pleco
Hypostomus basiliskoFreshwater9.4 in (24 cm)79 gal (300 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Circular whiptail
Planiloricaria cryptodonFreshwater8.7 in (22 cm)79 gal (300 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Polka dot pleco
Spectracanthicus zuanoniFreshwater5.1 in (13 cm)79 gal (300 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)
Rubber pleco
Parancistrus aurantiacusFreshwater8.7 in (22 cm)79 gal (300 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Llanero whiptail need?
A Llanero whiptail needs at least 79 gal (300 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH do Llanero whiptail need?
Llanero whiptail are comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.2.
How big do Llanero whiptail get?
An adult Llanero whiptail reaches about 9.1 in (23 cm).
Where to buy
Some links may not be the exact species or variety.
…or ask your local fish store.
Appears in
Freshwater fish · Plecos · Advanced fish · Community fish · Bottom dwellers
Keeping Llanero whiptail?
Track water tests, reminders and stocking fit.
Planning tankmates
See how Llanero whiptail fits a stocking plan. Open the stocking calculator
Add to your site
Show this species on your own site: a shortcode for WordPress, or an HTML embed for anywhere else.
Related species
Sturgeon Catfish
Lamontichthys filamentosusFreshwater6.3 in (16 cm)36 gal (135 L)72–86°F (22–30°C)Basilisk pleco
Hypostomus basiliskoFreshwater9.4 in (24 cm)79 gal (300 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Rubber pleco
Parancistrus aurantiacusFreshwater8.7 in (22 cm)79 gal (300 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Circular whiptail
Planiloricaria cryptodonFreshwater8.7 in (22 cm)79 gal (300 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Ghost pleco
Ancistomus snethlageaeFreshwater8.7 in (22 cm)66 gal (250 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Peruvian royal whiptail
Sturisoma nigrirostrumFreshwater8.7 in (22 cm)66 gal (250 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)