Snowball pleco (L102)

Care at a glance

Overview

Keep them singly, since this is a solitary, nocturnal bottom dweller. They are mostly peaceful toward other tankmates, but males fight over caves, so if you house more than one, give a cave per fish and plenty of broken sightlines. Never mix them with other Hypancistrus such as zebra L046, L333, or king tigers, because they hybridize readily. Water should sit between 24 and 28 C with a pH from 5.5 to 7.5. Feed an omnivore that leans toward meat: frozen bloodworm, daphnia, and mosquito larvae, sinking dried foods, and some vegetables. They are not real algae eaters, so do not count on them to clean the tank. They produce a heavy waste load, so stay on top of water changes and oxygen.

In the wild

Snowball plecos come from fast, oxygen-rich blackwater rivers in the upper Rio Negro of Brazil and the Casiquiare and upper Orinoco drainage in Venezuela. These are warm, soft, slightly acidic waters running over rock and sand. To match that, give them a mature tank of at least 113 liters with soft sand or fine gravel, smooth water-worn boulders, and driftwood, kept at 24 to 28 C with a pH from 5.5 to 7.5. Add brisk flow and strong aeration, since this is a rapids fish that needs high oxygen. Provide caves and broken sightlines so each fish has its own hiding spot.

Good to know

This is Hypancistrus inspector, a suckermouth catfish in the family Loricariidae, also sold under the L-number L102. Adults reach around 15 cm. It is a cave spawner where the male guards the eggs and fry, and breeding is achievable but takes some work. Like other plecos it has a sucker mouth and bony armor plates rather than scales.

Did you know

The common name comes from the round white or cream spots scattered across a dark body, which read like snowballs against the background. Those spots tend to be largest and boldest on younger fish and often shrink and fade as the pleco matures, so an old adult can look much plainer than the juvenile you bought.

Related species

• Orinoco Angel Pleco (L201)

  Hypancistrus sp. L201

  5.9 in (15 cm)30 gal (115 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)

• 

  King tiger pleco (L066)

  Hypancistrus sp. L066

  5.1 in (13 cm)40 gal (150 L)79–84°F (26–29°C)
• Colombian Zebra Pleco (L129)

  Hypancistrus debilittera

  3.5 in (9 cm)20 gal (75 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)
• Mega Clown Pleco (L340)

  Hypancistrus sp. L340

  3.5 in (9 cm)20 gal (75 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)
• Queen Arabesque Pleco (L260)

  Hypancistrus sp. L260

  3.9 in (10 cm)20 gal (75 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)

• 

  Zebra pleco

  Hypancistrus zebra

  3.1 in (8 cm)15 gal (55 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)