L66 King Tiger Pleco - Hypancistrus spec. - DNZ 6-7 cm

Hypancistrus sp. L 66 is a loricariid catfish from the southern clearwater tributary, Rio Xingu. The King Tiger Pleco lives there in fast flowing waters. The water in its natural biotope is around 30°C year round and is slightly acidic and soft.
The King Tiger Lornette gets its name from the pattern of lines that covers its body. The thin white lines on a dark brown background are also called worm lines. Its fins are banded all over with white and dark brown.

Over aquariums, in which these Hypancistrus sp. are to be maintained, no too bright light should shine. If more light is desired for optical reasons or because of the plants, the animals need a good structuring with stones and roots for their well-being. Caves and other hiding places also provide resting places.

Hypancistrus should be maintained in  soft to medium hard water. A water temperature of about 26-30 °C is ideal. The king tiger loricariid catfish grows somewhat larger at 14-15 cm and therefore requires more space. For a small group a correspondingly larger aquarium should be provided. An edge length from 100 cm is the minimum for these catfish. Although adult Hypancistrus sp. L 66 hardly eat plants, the Hypancistrus juveniles see them as a welcome change on their menu. Here we recommend hard, less palatable plants such as Anubias or Cryptocorynes.

Under optimal conditions the breeding of this beautiful L-catfish is no problem. To stimulate mating readiness, the water should be soft (below 400 µS), the temperature should be raised to 30 °C. Frequent water changes simulate the rainy season. Increasing the current also encourages spawning. King Tiger Loricariids are cave spawners. The clutch and the hatched fry are guarded devotedly by the male. After about 14 days the yolk sac is used up and the fry leave the cave.

Since Royal Bengal Catfish are very peaceful and compatible cat fish, they can be kept very well also in a community tank. Shrimps, snails, smaller tetras and other smaller fish as well as other catfish go very well with them. However, you should refrain from socializing the King Tiger Loricarius with other Hypancistrus species because of possible hybridization.

Hypancistrus are omnivores. Since King Tiger Plecos live basically bottom-oriented, a sinking food should be chosen. Besides tablet food, King Tiger Plecos also like to eat sinking live food or frozen food.

Our food recommendation: The NatureHolic Catfishfeed for all aufwuchs feeding 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 that provide sucking catfish with everything they need for a strong immune system, healthy growth and great, contrasting coloration. As a snack, supplemental food or vacation food, we recommend the CatfishPlates.

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.