L270 - chocolate zebra catfish - Hypancistrus sp. 5cm

The dark brown and creamy white striped Chocolate Zebra Catfish (Hypancistrus sp.) L270 is also called Curuá Una Zebra Catfish after its origin. It is also known as LDA 76 and synonymized as L307. It originates from the Rio Curua Una in Brazil and reaches fully grown a size of 10-14 cm. Here in our online store you can buy young animals of the chocolate zebra catfish with 5 cm body length.
This beautiful, somewhat shy L-catfish from South America is very contrasting dark brown and white patterned. It should basically be kept in a group of conspecifics, so that it feels really comfortable all around. It is more or less evenly dark and light striped and charms with its pretty patterning. The import from Brazil is forbidden in the meantime, therefore these L270 are captive bred.

The sex differentiation is relatively simple with the chocolate zebra catfish. Males have conspicuously long, bristly odontodes on the caudal peduncle and on the front of the pectoral fins. These very quiet and peaceful catfish live up to 15 years.

Breeding the L 270 is quite possible in the aquarium. This patterned pretty loricariid is one of the Cave brooders and for this reason also needs a good number of suitably large caves in the aquarium. Breeding is possible in the aquarium, but if you want to breed the chocolate loricariid specifically, an extra tank is advisable. No special precautions need to be taken here, although sometimes a larger water change can stimulate spawning. Mating and egg laying take place in a cave. The male Hypancistrus sp. fans and guards the clutch devotedly afterwards. The young fish are raised with frozen food and special catfish sticks. They also take soft vegetables - just like the adults - very gladly.

The L270 prefers an aquarium of 100 cm or more with soft to medium hard water,  a total hardness (GH) up to 20 and a pH between 5 . 0 and 7.5. With water temperatures of 26 to 30 °C it needs it rather cozy. Since the Chocolate Zebra Catfish gets along well with other fish, it can be optimally socialized in a community tank with peaceful tetras, other peaceful catfish or also with peaceful fish of other families that have similar demands on the water quality. It should not be kept with other Hypancistrus, because hybridization cannot be excluded. Also to shrimps like Amanos or Neocaridina this beautiful medium sized Hypancistrus sp. fits very well.

As omnivore the Chocolate Zebra Catfish needs both animal food like frozen food, but also vegetable food like soft vegetables. Special sinking catfish tablets for loricariids are well suited. Hypancistrus sp. also feeds on algae deposits from surfaces and uses the wood fibers of real wood roots as an important source of fiber for healthy intestinal function. Brown autumn leaves are also readily accepted.

Our feed recommendation: The NatureHolic Catfish Feed for all sucking catfish in the aquarium is a balanced tablet food, which does not cloud the water and the fish like to eat. The catfish tablets also contain NatureHolic active ingredient complexes, which provide the sucking catfish with everything they need for a strong immune system, healthy growth and great, contrasting coloration.

Our plant recommendation: For planting, use NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planarians and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend for fish keeping the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.