Authors: Darren Stevens, Firenzenz and Geoff Haglund
First published in Aquarium World August 2010

The genus Hypancistrus contains some of the most stunning plecos in the hobby, including the iconic zebra pleco (Hypancistrus zebra), the king tiger pleco (Hypancistrus sp. L066), and the Queen Arabesque pleco (Hypancistrus sp. L260). There are 9 scientifically described Hypancistrus species, and many other varieties awaiting scientific names. Hypo means “less than” in reference to Hypancistrus having fewer teeth than Ancistrus. Hypans look similar to Panaqolus (the genus for the smaller species formerly placed in Panaque e.g. clown plecos and flash plecos) and Peckoltia but can be separated based on their teeth. Panaqolus and Peckoltia have similar numbers of teeth on the upper and lower jaws while Hypancistrus have fewer and much larger teeth on the lower jaw giving them a ‘buck-toothed’ look. Hypans are generally found in slow to moderately flowing water, often in the vicinity of rapids in the Rio Negro, Rio Orinoco and southern Amazonian tributaries. They generally live among rocks or in the crevices between them in waters up to 15 metres deep.

Many Brazilian Hypancistrus are banned from export by Brazil’s environmental protection agency, IBAMA, to protect wild populations. Luckily many species have been bred a number of times in captivity, so are likely to remain in the hobby.

As with many plecos, hypans are cavespawners. The male guards a cave, entices the female into it, and then traps her until they spawn. Once they’ve spawned the male guards the eggs in the cave until they hatch in 7–10 days. Egg size and numbers vary greatly between species. Hypans live in colonies and a successful breeding setup will often have multiple females. Breeding in captivity is generally triggered by simulating seasonal changes: dropping and raising water temps, increasing water flow, and water changes. Hypans readily interbreed so unless you favour hybrids don’t keep more than one species in the same tank.

Hypans are omnivores with most species having a tendency towards meaty foods. As juveniles some species eat more plant material, but as adults they are mainly carnivorous. Feed your hypans on live, frozen, and commercially prepared foods with a good protein content (e.g. NovoTab, carnivore tablets, shrimp pellets, Repashy Bottom Scratcher, shrimps, blackworms, bloodworms, brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, etc.) and try them on a few greens (algal wafers, Repashy Soilent Green, courgettes, etc.) The following Hypancistrus are found in New Zealand although some species are rarely available and expensive.

Zebra pleco (Hypancistrus zebra L046)

The zebra pleco is one of the most recognisable and iconic plecos in the hobby with its striking broad black and white banding. The white banding has a blue hue to it and they have blue eyes which are rare in plecos. There is a very rare variety, L098, which has black spots in the place of some of the black stripes. A further form, L173, closely resembles H. zebra but has wavy lines, and its status is unresolved. Both varieties are not thought to have been imported into New Zealand. Zebra plecos are a small pleco (to 8 cm SL) suited to medium sized tanks with pH’s of 6.0–7.5 and temperatures of 26–30°C. They originate from the Rio Xingú in Brazil where they were captured in deep water (up to 20 metres) by divers with air supplies. This is risky and has likely resulted in fatalities. Zebra plecos were the first Hypancistrus to be scientifically described and the first species to be banned from export on 1 December 2004. Unfortunately due to illegal collecting they have become very rare in the wild and they are also threatened by the Belo Monte dam which is now complete. Luckily they are regularly bred in captivity so they are likely to remain in the hobby. In New Zealand, zebra plecos were bred in the 1990’s and then numbers dwindled and they became very rare. They were imported relatively recently and bred, although at about $400–500 each they are likely to remain out of the price range of most aquarists.

Chocolate zebra pleco (Hypancistrus sp. L270, L307, LDA76)

The chocolate zebra pleco is a beautiful small (to about 15 cm SL) caramel coloured pleco covered with broad irregular chocolate bands. They originate from the Rio Curuná, a small river between the Rio Tapajós and the Rio Xingú, in Brazil. They are suited to most community tanks with pH’s of 6.5–7.0 and temperatures of 26–30°C. Chocolate zebras have been bred several times in New Zealand and they are reasonably priced and relatively freely available.

Colombian zebra pleco (Hypancistrus debilittera L129)

The Colombian zebra pleco is a striking small (to about 7 cm SL) chocolate coloured pleco covered with narrow irregular caramel bands. They originate from the Rio Bita, a tributary of the Rio Orinoco in Colombia. They are suited to most community tanks with pH’s of 6.4–7.6 and temperatures of 24–28°C. Colombian zebras look similar to chocolate zebras, but they are smaller and generally have narrower, more tightly defined, and less wavy caramel bands than chocolate zebras. A second Colombian hypan, the mega clown pleco (Hypancistrus sp. L340, LDA19) may also have been imported. Mega clown plecos are very similar to Colombian zebras but they are more orange coloured and apparently have fewer teeth. Colombian zebras have been bred several times in New Zealand and they are reasonably priced and relatively freely available.

King tiger pleco (Hypancistrus sp. L066)

The king tiger is a stunning small (males grow to about 15 cm SL, females grow to about 10 cm SL) pale grey to off-white, sometimes yellowish pleco covered with a network of fine dark grey to black scribbles. They originate from the lower Rio Xingú and Rio Tocantins in Brazil. They are suited to most community tanks with pH’s of 5.8–7.0 and temperatures of 26–30°C. King tigers are similar to other co-occurring black scribbled Hypans (L236, L333, L399/L400, etc.) and genetic data suggests they may all belong to a single species complex (Camargo et al., 2013). The L399/L400 variety has also been imported in the past and possibly also the L333 variety. King tigers have been bred several times in New Zealand and they are reasonably priced and relatively freely available.

Queen Arabesque pleco (Hypancistrus sp. L260)

The Queen Arabesque pleco is a lovely small (to about 12 cm SL) white pleco covered with a network of very fine black scribbles. They originate from the Rio Tapajós in Brazil. Queen Arabs are suited to most community tanks with pH’s of 6.4–7.6 and temperatures of 26–30°C. Queen Arabs are regularly imported but expensive in New Zealand. Queen Arabs are very similar to Hypancistrus sp. L411 ‘Monte Dourado’ which may have been imported in the past. They have been bred a few times in New Zealand.

If it isn’t squiggly then it is going to be spotty. The other body patterning among hypans is spots – usually light spots on a dark body.

Orinoco angel pleco (Hypancistrus sp. L201)

The Orinoco angel pleco is a stunning small (to 12 cm SL) dark brown to black pleco covered with large white or yellowish spots. They originate from the upper Rio Orinoco and are suited to most community tanks with pH’s of 6.5–7.5 and temperatures of 26–30°C. Orinoco angels are often confused with another Orinoco hypan, the Orinoco polka-dot-pleco (Hypancistrus contradens), and they were once thought to be the same species. Hypancistrus contradens generally has larger spots and it is a larger and more robust species than H. sp. L201. Orinoco angels have been bred a few times in New Zealand and are occasionally imported but are relatively rare.

Demini pleco (Hypancistrus sp. L136a-c, LDA05, LDA06)

The Demini pleco is a beautiful small (to 11 cm SL) brown pleco covered with very fine to larger off white spots. In body shape and size it is very close to L046, as opposed to the bigger L066, L260, and L270. They originate from the Rio Demini in northern Brazil. They are suited to most community tanks with pH’s of 6.5–7.0 and temperatures of 25–29°C. Demini plecos were bred once several years ago in New Zealand and have since become very rare.

There are other Hypancistrus that are occasionally imported in small numbers including H. furunculus which looks similar to L270, Hypancistrus sp. L262 which looks like a finely spotted Queen Arabesque pleco (L260), and the snowball pleco (H. inspector, L102). Snowball plecos (L102) are similar to Orinoco angel plecos (L201) but they have finer spots on the head, often a black edge to the dorsal and caudal fins, and the spots on the upper lobe of the tail combine to form bands. The common name ‘Snowball’ is often confused with ‘Snowflake’, which is common name for Baryancistrus sp. L142 – a good example where the use of common names without corresponding scientific names can lead to confusion, or worse as these two “snows” wouldn’t make good tank mates. A further variety, the black phantasm, Hypancistrus sp. L501, is very similar to the snowball pleco (L102) and may also have been imported.

Compared to many fancy plecos, hypans are relatively easy to breed, and combined with their good looks and small size they are a popular choice for fish keepers. However, some hypans are very rare in New Zealand, and unless they are bred or more species are added to the approved import list, some species will die out in New Zealand. Recently the zebra pleco, Colombian zebra pleco, and the Queen Arabesque pleco were added to the approved import list.

References:
Planet catfish (www.planetcatfish.com)
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
Jonathan Armbrusters Loricariidae website
(http://www.auburn.edu/academic/science math/res_area/ loricariid/fish_key/lorhome/index.html)
Armbruster, J.W. (2002). Hypancistrus inspector: A New Species of Suckermouth Armoured Catfish (Loricariidae: Ancistrinae). Copeia 2002(1): 86–92.
Armbruster, J.W.; Lujan, N.K.; Taphorn, D.C. (2007). Four New Hypancistrus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from Amazonas, Venezuela. Copeia 2007(1): 62–79.
Camargo, M.; Gimenes, H. Jnr.; Melo De Sousa, L.; Rapp Py-Daniel, L. (2013). Loricariids of the Middle Rio Xingu – Loricariiden des mittleren Rio Xingu. Panta Rhei, Hannover, Germany. 288 p.
Seidel, I. (2008). Back to nature guide to L-Catfishes. Fohrman Aquaristik AB, Sweden. 208 p.

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