Baryancistrus beggini “L239”

Order: Siluriformes
Suborder: Loricarioidei
Family: Loricariidae
Subfamily: Hypostominae
Genus: Baryancistrus
Species: Baryancistrus beggini, Lujan, Arce H. & Armbruster, 2009

This unique pleco-species stays with around 10 - 12 cm rather small and is a great addition for most tropical aquariums.

On the first look, this fish looks overal black, but in the right light "L239" shimmers blue, which can be especially intense in the dorsal and caudal fin.
Older specimen are mostly darker with a dark brown basic color which looks like a golden glow in the right light.

There is some confusion about the true genus of this species, since many aquaristis don't agree with it, being described as a Baryancistrus. Indeed there is some major differences in the webbing between dorsal fin and the adipose, of Baryancistrus species and "L239".
Other than that, it is commonly also known under the synonym "Blue Panaque", which refers to the blue hue of this fish.

It doesn't resemble a Panaque also and is probably part of another genus. Many people prefer to put it into the genus Ancistrini, which is a genus mostly used to place species, where the true genus is not known, hence it resembles a collection of all kind of different plecos. It is possible that the "L239" belongs to a total new genus.

Nonetheless, with the right care an easy to keep fish, which is often visible in the tank and doesn't show aggression towards other tank-mates.

In the wild the Baryancistrus beggini "L239" lives in South America, Venezuela, in the Rio Orinoco and the Rio Ventuari. Also they can be found in Colombia in the lower Rio Guaviare, which flows into the Rio Orinoco.

They are mostly exported from Colombia or Peru and are almost the whole year available on stocklists from the exporteurs.

They live in a medium-fast streaming water in spaces between granite bedrocks and stones.

Other pleco species that inhabit the same areas around the Rio Ventauri and Rio Orinoco include: Leporacanthicus triactis "L91" and Pseudolithoxus anthrax "L235".

The Baryancistrus beggini are known to have a fast metabolism and from gut analysis of wild specimens we know that the diet consisted mainly of periphyton and associated microorganism. This means that they require more direct feeding than most other plecos and that this species is not as herbivorous as some other members of the genus.

Especially with newly imported animals, you often see animals with sunken eyes and a very thin belly. In some cases they are so thin that you can clearly see the abdominal plates and bones.
It is therefore important to take a good look at the fish you want to purchase and to feed them a number of times throughout the day, especially during the first period.

They are not too difficult with taking and accepting different foods such as frozen or live foods, as well as tablets.

We feed ours mostly with Krill soft granulate or Artemia soft granulate, Dr. Bassleer Biofish Food Garlic and Spirulina soft granulate.

At least 80 - 100 cm length aquarium.

If this fish eats good it is not a really difficult pleco to keep in an aquarium. Still it is not a beginners pleco. It is important to look with which other fish you keep this species. They are not aggressive or territorial but it is important that they get enough food. So be careful if you keep this pleco species with greedy eaters.

The water quality has to be good and they need a good filter. Also there has to be some soft wood in the aquarium for the digestion.

It is a pleco which is often visible in the aquarium and doesn't show aggression towards other tank-mates.

Baryancistrus beggini is not the easiest pleco when it comes to differentiating male and female. We hope that this page will help a little bit in future to identify their sex easier.

From the side we see not many differences. Head- and body shape looks quite similar.

Closer inspection of the heads reveals a minimal bigger head of the male.

Also with this species the odontodes can be a bit misleading, since it doesn't have to be that the male shows bigger ones than the female. This counts for both odontodes on the gills and the pectoral fins.

Also the little spikes on the tail is seen by both male and female, making sexing not really the easiest task with "L239".

Since the specimens on this picture are still not adult, the body shape from top also doesn't show too much difference. You could say that the female has a slightly bigger belly. When being gravid, this is of course better visible.

The biggest difference between male and female appears to be the genital area. The papilla of the male is slightly smaller, where as the females papilla looks bigger with orange dots around it.

This pleco species has been bred in the aquarium before.

They need caves to breed and after fertilization the eggs, the male will take care of the eggs and youngsters.