Spotted fin sucker - Beaufortia leveretti

The spotted fin sucker is also called Leverett's fin sucker or golden spotted fin sucker (Beaufortia leveretti). It belongs to the loaches. This fin sucker from China and Vietnam, where it lives in fast-flowing mountain streams with gravel substrate in water with strong current and high oxygen content.

Finsuckers are perfectly adapted to their high current habitats due to their flat shape. They can cling to smooth rocks or even the glass of their aquarium with their suction fins, which the pectoral fins and pelvic fins have reformed into.

The spotted fin sucker grows to a maximum length of 12 cm. Its underside is bright, on the upper side the ornamental fish is light gray to golden gray and has numerous dark fine spots. The fin seams are dark and light striped.

Beaufortia leveretti is a group fish and needs the security of conspecifics. A group size of at least 6 spotted finsuckers is therefore mandatory. The diurnal Spotted Fin Sucker also prefers cool, oxygen-rich and little polluted water in the aquarium and an aquarium temperature of 18-24 °C and a total hardness of 5-15 °dGH. The pH value can be 6.5 to 8.5. The Substrate substrate should consist of fine gravel to sand. In the aquarium the fin suckers also need larger pebbles or other smooth stones and many hiding places. A current pump provides the necessary water movement in the aquarium.

The peaceful Golden Spotted Fin Suckermixes well with current-loving characins or loricariids and can also bekept well with shrimp . Shrimp offspring are not hunted. Ideal is the keeping with current-loving shrimps like Fan shrimp. Crayfish prey on the fin sucker - they can severely injure the beautiful aquarium fish with their claws.

Spotted fin sucker have an underslung mouth with six small barbels. With this, they eat growth, algae, biofilms and the small animals living in them from hard surfaces in nature and also in the aquarium. With frozen food and food tablets for catfish should be fed additionally.

It is very difficult to distinguish the sexes of the spotted fin sucker, and little is known about possible breeding in the aquarium. Beaufortia leveretti has not yet been regularlybred in aquaristics.

Our food recommendation: The NatureHolic Catfish Feed for all growth-eating fish 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 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 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.

Picture: Enrico Richter - exclusively for Garnelio