Orinoco polka-dot pleco

Hypancistrus contradens

Also known as L201 group, Contradens pleco

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 79–86°F (26–30°C)
pH: 5.5–7.2
Adult size: 4.7 in (12 cm)
Minimum tank: 42 gal (160 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Ventuari and upper Orinoco, Venezuela
Family: Loricariidae

Overview

This is a solitary Hypancistrus, so keep one to a tank and give it a cave of its own to hold; two adults will bicker over territory unless you are deliberately pairing them to breed. It stays on the bottom among rock and wood and comes out after dark. Despite the suckermouth it is not an algae grazer, so feed meaty sinking foods such as frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp, and good sinking carnivore pellets, with only the occasional vegetable. It is peaceful toward other fish and mixes well with small, calm midwater community species that will not strip the food before it settles. A tank of around 160 liters suits a single adult.

In the wild

In the wild it lives in the warm, rocky reaches of the Ventuari and upper Orinoco in Venezuela, wedged into crevices between stones. Recreate that with a scape of smooth rock and driftwood arranged into caves and shaded gaps, set over sand. Keep the water warm at 26 to 30 C and on the soft, acidic to neutral side, roughly pH 5.5 to 7.2, with steady flow and high oxygen from good filtration. Tannin-stained water from leaf litter or wood suits it well.

Good to know

Hypancistrus contradens belongs to the armoured catfish family Loricariidae and reaches about 12 centimeters, marked with pale domino spots on a chocolate ground. Its species name ends in the Latin dens, meaning tooth, a nod to its dentition, and like all Hypancistrus it carries the reduced teeth of a meat eater rather than an algae scraper. Breeding is of moderate difficulty and follows the genus pattern: a male holds a narrow cave, the female lays inside, and he guards and fans the eggs until they hatch.

Did you know

Most plecos are algae grazers, but Hypancistrus barely touch the stuff. They use the famous suckermouth to hold station in current and to take animal prey, making them one of the few meat-leaning genera in a family built on rasping wood and rock.

Tank mates

Orinoco polka-dot pleco is a peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.