Cactus Plecostomus L079
Pseudacanthicus sp. (L079)
- Care level
- Specialist
- Minimum tank
- 400 litres
- Temperature
- 25–30 °C
Species profile
Butterfly Plecostomus L052/L168
Dekeyseria picta
Common names: Butterfly Plecostomus L052/L168, L052, L168
Recognized speciesPlecostomus
Adult size
Up to 15 cm
Typical adult length 11.2–15 cm.
Up to 15 cm
Countries of origin
Good fit for your tank?
Good fit for
- A peaceful mature aquarium with shaded wood and stone
- A keeper who enjoys subtle colour-changing camouflage
- An aquarist able to feed shy nocturnal fish
Think carefully if
- The tank has aggressive bottom competitors
- You expect a constantly visible algae cleaner
- The fish cannot be observed closely after import
Butterfly Plecostomus L052/L168 is a South American loricariid represented by L052, L168. It requires stable oxygen-rich water, suitable caves, and deliberate species-appropriate feeding.
Appearance and Identification
A flattened butterfly pleco with dark bars, mottling and pale areas that can change sharply with mood, lighting and background. Its camouflage can make the same fish appear striped, marbled or almost uniformly dark.
Use the L-number identification L052, L168 together with the current assignment Dekeyseria picta. Do not merge it with visually similar forms without matching collection locality and diagnostic features.
Breeding males develop elongated odontodes along the snout margin and pectoral-fin rays. Females remain smoother and become fuller through the abdomen, but juveniles are difficult to sex.
Tank Requirements
- Suggested filter
- About 400–500 litres an hour
- Suggested heater
- About 100–150 W for this tank
- Minimum tank volume
- 100 litres
- Minimum tank length
- 80 cm
- Minimum group size
- 1
- Recommended group size
- 3
- Activity level
- Moderate
- Flow preference
- Moderate
- Planting preference
- Moderately planted
- Hiding places
- Yes
- Lid recommended
- Yes
- Jumping risk
- Low
Provide a mature, well-filtered aquarium with wood, flat stones, shaded retreats and clean oxygenated water. A calmer blackwater-style layout suits it better than treating every loricariid as a torrent specialist.
Behaviour and Tankmates
Generally peaceful and secretive, with most activity occurring after dark. It may defend a preferred shelter from other plecos but is not usually an aggressive community fish.
Can be kept singly. A pair or group requires several appropriately sized caves and enough floor area for every adult to feed without being trapped.
Mature males commonly defend caves and favoured feeding areas from similarly shaped loricariids.
Keep with calm fish that will not outcompete it at night. Avoid aggressive bottom dwellers and make sure each loricariid has a separate shelter.
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Xilong XL-803D canister filter – up to 100 L
An external-filter option for the moderate-flow setup described above. The seller lists a 400 L/h pump and an aquarium capacity of up to 100 litres.
Check the volume of your actual aquarium and the needs of its complete stocking. Use the flow control or spray bar to avoid a concentrated current. A larger tank or a species requiring strong river flow needs a different filter selection.
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Cut-to-fit aquarium filter media pad
A cut-to-fit pad for compatible filter compartments. The listing describes a sheet approximately 16 by 12 inches; check the offered variant and the space inside your filter.
The seller description varies between five and eight layers, so confirm the actual sheet before ordering. Keep the filter manufacturer’s media arrangement and avoid obstructing the flow.
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Xinyou ceramic filter rings – 300 g
A biological-media option for a filter with a suitable media basket. This listing is a 300 g pack of ceramic rings.
Check the ring size and available basket space. Installing new media does not make a new aquarium instantly cycled, and these rings do not replace routine water-quality checks.
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Water Parameters
Maintain stable clean water with strong oxygenation. Warm water, protein-rich food, wood waste, and crowded hardscape can rapidly reduce oxygen and degrade water quality.
Parameter caveat
Acclimate slowly to temperature and conductivity changes. Keep ammonia and nitrite at zero, control nitrate, and inspect caves and rockwork for trapped waste.
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Manual aquarium siphon and gravel cleaner
A manual siphon for routine aquarium water changes and accessible waste removal. The seller lists a hose approximately 1.6 m long.
Control the flow and keep the intake clear of fish and delicate planting. Clean the areas appropriate for your substrate and layout rather than disturbing the entire planted bed.
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Feeding
- Diet types
- Algae Grazer, Aufwuchs Grazer, Herbivore, Omnivore
- Feeding frequency
- Daily
- Preferred foods
- Natural aufwuchs and biofilmMaintain mature rocks and wood for continuous supplementary grazing.
- Complete herbivore or algae waferUse a high-quality sinking staple with fibre.
- Blanched leafy greens or courgetteOffer occasionally and remove leftovers.
- Frozen daphnia or insect larvaeUse small portions as supplementary protein.
Offer vegetable-rich sinking foods, biofilm, soft vegetables and modest invertebrate foods. It can graze algae but should never be purchased as a substitute for aquarium maintenance.
Feed after lights dim and distribute food near every occupied shelter. Confirm that subordinate fish eat and remove rich leftovers before they affect water quality.
Breeding
- Breeding type
- Cave Spawner, Egg Layer
- Breeding difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding temperature
- 25.5 °C
- Breeding pH
- 6.5
- Brood or egg count
- Usually several dozen adhesive eggs, with clutch size depending on species and female size.
- Incubation
- 7 days
- Parental care
- Paternal care
- Baby foods
- Mature biofilmProvides continuous grazing after fry leave the cave.
- Fine powdered sinking foodFeed tiny portions close to shelter several times daily.
- Newly hatched brine shrimpUse as supplementary protein once fry can take moving prey.
Captive reproduction with male parental care has been documented. The fish uses a concealed spawning site, and clean water plus careful protection of eggs and larvae are important.
Habitat and Origin
- Geographic origin
- Amazon Basin, Brazil, South America
- Natural habitat
- Fast-Flowing Stream, Freshwater River, Rocky Shoreline
- Aquarium contexts
- Freshwater Aquarium, Freshwater Community, Planted Aquarium
- Audience level
- Intermediate
Classification
- Profile type
- Recognized species
- Genus
- Dekeyseria
- Family
- Loricariidae
- Species group
- Fish, Plecostomus
- Previous scientific names
- Dekeyseria sp. (L052), Historic L-number designation retained for identification., Dekeyseria sp. (L168), Historic L-number designation retained for identification.
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Candy-striped Peckoltia L015
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- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 11.2–15 cm
- Minimum tank
- 90 litres
- Temperature
- 24–29 °C
Carinatus Plecostomus L166
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- Care level
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- Adult size
- 22.5–30 cm
- Minimum tank
- 300 litres
- Temperature
- 22–29 °C
Changae Dwarf Panaque L226
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- Care level
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- Adult size
- 8.2–11 cm
- Minimum tank
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- Temperature
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