Zebra pleco

Hypancistrus zebra

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 79–86°F; 26–30°C
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 3.1 in; 8 cm
Minimum tank: 15 gal; 55 L

Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Very rare
Family: Loricariidae
Origin: Brazil

Overview

The zebra pleco is a small, peaceful loricariid that does not school and is fine kept singly or as a pair, or in a small colony for breeding. Unlike many plecos it is not an algae eater but a carnivore, so feed protein-rich foods such as frozen bloodworms, sinking meaty pellets, and gel foods rather than relying on greens. It sits low among rock and wood and is peaceful with calm tankmates, though it defends a favorite cave. It demands warm, spotless, oxygen-rich water. Provide caves, smooth stone, and gentle current, in a tank around 55 liters or larger.

In the wild

Hypancistrus zebra lives only in the Rio Xingu in Brazil, in warm, clear, fast, and highly oxygenated water flowing over rock. Recreate that with a warm range of 26 to 30 degrees C at a pH of 6.0 to 7.5, plus strong flow and excellent oxygenation. Because warm water holds less oxygen, extra surface movement helps. Use a scape of smooth rounded stones and slate caves with clean sand, and keep nitrates low with frequent water changes, as this fish is unforgiving of poor quality.

Good to know

This striking loricariid, catalogued as L046, reaches only about 8 centimeters and wears bold black and white stripes over an armor of bony plates. Its sucker mouth grips rock in current, but unlike grazing plecos it feeds mainly on meaty foods. It is a cave spawner: the male tends the eggs and guards the fry inside the cave until they can leave, and it is bred with moderate difficulty in captivity.

Did you know

Wild zebra plecos come from a single stretch of the Rio Xingu, and habitat loss from the Belo Monte dam plus heavy collection for the trade led Brazil to ban their export. Almost every zebra pleco sold today is captive-bred.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Zebra pleco 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.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator