Orinoco peckoltia

Peckoltia lujani

Also known as L127, Lujan's peckoltia

FreshwaterFish

Orinoco peckoltia (Peckoltia lujani) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

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: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Orinoco basin, Venezuela
Family: Loricariidae

Overview

This is a small, well-mannered peckoltia, best kept singly, though it is peaceful and undemanding in a community. It keeps to caves and driftwood and comes out to forage, and it thrives on a varied diet of sinking wafers, pellets, vegetables, and occasional frozen foods. House it with small, calm tankmates rather than boisterous ones. House it in at least 110 liters with caves, driftwood, and soft, gentle flow.

In the wild

It comes from the Orinoco and Meta river basins of Venezuela and Colombia, warm rivers with wood and rock. Recreate that with driftwood, rounded stones, and caves over a sand or fine gravel floor, with gentle, clean current. Keep the water soft to neutral and warm, around 25 to 29 C with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0.

Good to know

Peckoltia lujani is a small loricariid that reaches about 9 centimeters, marked with fine worm-like lines. Sold as L127, it was known in the hobby for years before it was formally described in 2015. It is named for the ichthyologist Nathan Lujan, and it is an egg layer of moderate breeding difficulty.

Did you know

Nathan Lujan, the ichthyologist it is named for, has himself collected and described many of the fancy plecos of the Orinoco, so colleagues eventually pinned his name on one of them.