Orinoco peckoltia
Peckoltia lujani
Also known as L127, Lujan's peckoltia
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 77–84°F
- 25–29°C
- pH
- 5.5–7.0
- Adult size
- 3.5 in
- 9 cm
- Minimum tank
- 29 gal
- 110 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Egg layer · Medium
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Loricariidae
- Origin
- Orinoco basin, Venezuela
Overview
The Orinoco peckoltia is a small, well-mannered pleco for the bottom of a calm community tank. It is best kept by someone with a little experience.
Did you know
The Orinoco peckoltia is named for the ichthyologist Nathan Lujan. He has collected and described many of the fancy plecos of the Orinoco himself. In time, his colleagues pinned his name on one of them.
Caring for the Orinoco peckoltia
Give an Orinoco peckoltia at least 29 gal (110 L). Furnish it with driftwood, rounded stones and caves over a sand or fine gravel floor. It keeps to the caves and driftwood and comes out to forage.
Keep the water soft and warm, at 77 to 84°F (25 to 29°C) with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0. A gentle, clean current suits it. Feed a varied diet of sinking wafers, pellets and vegetables, with occasional frozen foods.
It is best kept singly, though it is peaceful and undemanding in a community. House it with small, calm tank mates rather than boisterous ones. It is an egg layer, and breeding it is of moderate difficulty.
Good to know
Peckoltia lujani is a small loricariid marked with fine, worm-like lines. It is sold as L127 and was known in the hobby for years before its formal description in 2015.
In the wild
The Orinoco peckoltia comes from the Orinoco and Meta river basins of Venezuela and Colombia. These are warm rivers with wood and rock.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The Orinoco peckoltia is a peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Checkered rainbowfish
Melanotaenia splendida inornata
Freshwater4.7 in (12 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)72–86°F (22–30°C)
Redfin halfbeak
Nomorhamphus ebrardtii
Freshwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Aguaboa bristlenose pleco
Ancistrus aguaboensis
Freshwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)
Costae tetra
Moenkhausia costae
Freshwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Silver hatchetfish
Gasteropelecus levis
Freshwater1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 30 gal (112 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Striped raphael catfish
Platydoras armatulus
Freshwater8.7 in (22 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)75–86°F (24–30°C)
Common questions
What size tank does an Orinoco peckoltia need?
An Orinoco peckoltia needs at least 29 gal (110 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does an Orinoco peckoltia need?
An Orinoco peckoltia is comfortable at 77–84°F (25–29°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.0.
What does an Orinoco peckoltia eat?
An Orinoco peckoltia eats a varied diet of sinking wafers, pellets and vegetables. Add occasional frozen foods as well.
How big does an Orinoco peckoltia get?
An adult Orinoco peckoltia reaches about 3.5 in (9 cm).
How does an Orinoco peckoltia breed?
The Orinoco peckoltia is an egg layer. Breeding it is of moderate difficulty.
Related species
4.3 in (11 cm)29 gal (110 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Orinoco dwarf pleco
Peckoltia lineola
4.3 in (11 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
4.7 in (12 cm)30 gal (115 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Candy striped pleco (L015)
Peckoltia vittata
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5.1 in (13 cm)42 gal (160 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Spotted tiger pleco
Peckoltia brevis
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5.5 in (14 cm)53 gal (200 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Bola pleco
Peckoltia bachi
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5.9 in (15 cm)42 gal (160 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Brown dot peckoltia
Peckoltia oligospila
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Peckoltia pankimpuju
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