Sturgeon Catfish

Lamontichthys filamentosus

Also known as Kite Pleco

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–86°F (22–30°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 6.3 in (16 cm)
Minimum tank: 36 gal (135 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Difficult
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador
Family: Loricariidae

Overview

The sturgeon catfish, also called the kite pleco, is a peaceful, delicate loricariid that is reasonably sociable and can be kept in a small group of its own kind. It clings to wood and rock in the current, rasping algae and tiny organisms from the surface, and it needs only calm, similarly gentle tankmates. This is a demanding fish that lives or dies by water quality and oxygen, so it is best for experienced keepers. Feed algae wafers, vegetables, and sinking foods. Provide strong flow and driftwood, and aim for a tank around 135 liters or larger.

In the wild

Lamontichthys filamentosus comes from fast, oxygen-rich reaches of the western Amazon in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador, where it clings to solid surfaces in strong current. Despite its fragile look it must have brisk flow and high oxygen, so provide powerful filtration and moving surface water. Hold the temperature between 22 and 30 degrees C at a pH of 6.0 to 7.5, and remember that warmer water carries less oxygen, so keep it well aerated. Use driftwood and smooth rock as grazing surfaces.

Good to know

This member of Loricariidae, the suckermouth armored catfishes, reaches about 16 centimeters and has a flattened, kite-shaped body with long trailing filaments on the fins. Its underside bears an armor of bony plates and a sucker mouth that both grips surfaces in current and rasps benthic algae and micro-organisms. It is delicate and needs pristine, oxygen-rich water. Breeding is not recorded in home aquariums.

Did you know

The sturgeon catfish trails long, whip-like filaments from its fins and tail, and its slender, flattened shape and rows of body plates give it the look of a miniature sturgeon, though the two fish are not related.