Maze Plecostomus L164
Pterygoplichthys sp. (L164)
- Care level
- Specialist
- Adult size
- 40–50 cm
- Minimum tank
- 600 litres
- Temperature
- 24–29 °C
Species profile
Maximus Bristlenose Plecostomus L110/L157
Ancistrus maximus
Common names: Maximus Bristlenose Plecostomus L110/L157, L157, L110, Bristlenose Plecostomus
Recognized speciesPlecostomus
Adult size
Up to 15 cm
Typical adult length 12–15 cm.
Up to 15 cm
Countries of origin
Good fit for your tank?
Good fit for
- A peaceful community with wood and several caves
- A keeper wanting clear adult sexual dimorphism
- A breeder prepared to manage a male-guarded clutch
Think carefully if
- The aquarium was chosen as though this were a typical small bristlenose
- There are too few caves for multiple males
- You expect algae alone to provide a complete diet
Maximus Bristlenose Plecostomus L110/L157 is a South American loricariid currently filed as Ancistrus maximus. Adults reach approximately 15.0 cm. It requires stable, oxygen-rich water, suitable caves, and deliberate feeding.
Appearance and Identification
A notably large Ancistrus with a dark brown body covered in reddish-orange spots. Juveniles may show reddish-orange fin bands that become less prominent as the fish matures.
This profile is identified by L157, L110 and the current assignment Ancistrus maximus. Do not merge it with a visually similar L-number without matching collection locality and diagnostic features.
Adult males develop prominent tentacles across the snout and usually a broader head. Females have few or no central snout tentacles and become fuller through the abdomen.
Tank Requirements
- Suggested filter
- About 300–380 litres an hour
- Suggested heater
- About 75–125 W for this tank
- Minimum tank volume
- 75 litres
- Minimum tank length
- 60 cm
- Minimum group size
- 1
- Recommended group size
- 2
- Activity level
- Moderate
- Flow preference
- Moderate
- Planting preference
- Moderately planted
- Hiding places
- Yes
- Lid recommended
- Yes
- Jumping risk
- Low
Provide driftwood, shaded cover, clean oxygenated water and several close-fitting caves. A group needs enough separated shelters to prevent one male from controlling the entire bottom.
Behaviour and Tankmates
Generally peaceful with community fish but territorial around caves. Adult males may fight or trap one another when shelters are cramped or directly opposed.
Can be kept singly, as a pair, or in a managed group when each adult has a separate shelter and feeding area.
Mature males defend breeding caves, but conflict is usually manageable with sufficient floor space and shelter.
Suitable for calm communities if every pleco has a refuge and feeding access. Keep distinct Ancistrus species or lines separate when breeding because related forms can hybridise.
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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, oxygen-rich freshwater. Strong filtration and gas exchange are essential because warm water, protein-rich feeding, and loricariid waste can reduce oxygen and impair water quality.
Parameter caveat
Acclimate slowly to changes in temperature and conductivity. Keep ammonia and nitrite at zero, control nitrate, and never allow caves or rockwork to create stagnant waste pockets.
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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
- Complete bristlenose or herbivore waferUse a sinking food rich in plant matter, algae, and fibre.
- Blanched courgette, squash, or green beanOffer varied vegetables and remove them before they deteriorate.
- Natural aufwuchs and soft algaeMaintain mature grazing surfaces while still providing a complete diet.
- Occasional frozen insect larvae or brine shrimpUse modest portions as supplementary protein.
Offer vegetable-rich sinking foods, soft vegetables, algae and biofilm, with occasional animal protein. Natural algae alone is not a complete diet.
Feed after lights dim and place food near every occupied cave. 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
- 26 °C
- Breeding pH
- 6.8
- Brood or egg count
- Usually about 30 to 100 adhesive eggs, depending on the form and female size.
- Incubation
- 6 days
- Parental care
- Paternal care
- Baby foods
- Mature biofilmContinuous grazing supports fry between targeted feeds.
- Finely powdered sinking foodFeed tiny portions close to the breeding cave several times daily.
- Newly hatched brine shrimpUseful supplementary protein once fry leave the cave and can take moving prey.
Ancistrus are male-guarded cave spawners. The male guards and fans the clutch, while fry require clean water, biofilm and suitable vegetable-rich foods.
Habitat and Origin
- Geographic origin
- Amazon Basin, Brazil, South America
- Natural habitat
- Fast-Flowing Stream, Freshwater River, Freshwater Stream, Rocky Shoreline
- Aquarium contexts
- Breeding Tank, Freshwater Aquarium, Freshwater Community, Planted Aquarium, Species-Only Aquarium
- Audience level
- Intermediate
Classification
- Profile type
- Recognized species
- Genus
- Ancistrus
- Family
- Loricariidae
- Species group
- Fish, Plecostomus
- Previous scientific names
- Ancistrus sp. (L157), Historic L-number designation retained as a common identifier.
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Multispinis Peckoltia L049
Peckoltia multispinis
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 9–12 cm
- Minimum tank
- 90 litres
- Temperature
- 24–29 °C
Munduruku Plecostomus L361
Hopliancistrus munduruku
- Care level
- Advanced
- Adult size
- 11.2–15 cm
- Minimum tank
- 100 litres
- Temperature
- 25–30 °C
Niveatus Plecostomus L026
Baryancistrus niveatus
- Care level
- Advanced
- Adult size
- 18.8–25 cm
- Minimum tank
- 250 litres
- Temperature
- 26–31 °C