Other Names:
Whiptail Catfish, LG6
Scientific Name:
Loricariinae sp. (new genus: LG6)
Range:
South America: exact collection point unknown.
Maximum size:
Unknown: probably somewhere between 15-20cm. (6-8"), including tail filaments.
Aquarium:
A tank with dimmed lights and a good amount of hiding places (plants, drift wood, rocks, artificial caves) is ideal for this catfish. A small tank is sufficient for a group of these fish: a 32" (80cm.) tank is enough to house a single specimen, for a breeding group of 4-5 adults at least a 40x16" (100x40cm.) tank is required, and for a larger group an even more spaceous aquarium.
Substrate should be sand or smoothened gravel: these fish love to dig and burrow in the substrate, and sharp, jagged gravel can damage the mouth parts or the underside of the fish. Ideal substrat would be sand with about 15-20% gravel mixed in.
Typical for South American catfish, this species does best in soft, slightly acidic to neutral water, good oxygenation and a good amount of currents. It can however adapt to harder, more akaline water, and may even reproduce under these conditions.
Temperature:
pH:
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Diet:
This fish is an omnivorous species, and besides grazing on algae, it will also readily accept fresh vegetables (cucumber, egg plant, zucchini, lettuce, carrot, capsicum), pellet food (algae, spirulina, catfish/carnivore wafers), frozen foods (mosquito larvae, blood worms, artemia, tubifex, krill), and even meaty foods such as chopped-up shrimp, prawn or mussel.
Temperament:
A friendly, non-aggressive species, that can be kept alone, in the company of its own kind, or together with other bottom dwellers. It may become a bit greedy and pushy during feeding time, keeping smaller, less assertive fish away from their food, but larger bottom dwellers can also shy away this species from its food on their turn. Because of this it is recommended to introduce some food on multiple locations, to avoid too much competition.
This species, like many of its relatives, can change its coloration to blend into their surroundings (all pictures below are of the same fish). This is one of the factors that contributes to the difficulties surrounding proper identification and scientific classification of Whiptailed Loricarids.
Stress-coloration
