Red Striped Alenquer Pleco Care Guide
Pseudacanthicus
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Bioload Score
12000
- Max Size
- 40 cm / 15.7"
- Temperature
- 26–30°C (79–86°F)
- pH Range
- 6 – 7.5
- Min Tank Size
- 500L (132 gal)
- Min Group Size
- Can be kept alone
- Tank Level
- Bottom
- Origin
- South America
- Temperament
- Semi-Aggressive
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Breeding Difficulty
- Difficult
Diet
An omnivorous bottom feeder that eats algae, vegetable matter, sinking foods and meaty foods such as prawns or mussels.
Community Compatibility
Suitable tankmates include large peaceful South American cichlids, silver dollars, large characins and other robust non-territorial fish, provided there is ample space and shelter.
Good to Know
The Red Striped Alenquer Pleco is a trade name used for a striking Pseudacanthicus from the Brazilian Amazon whose red-edged fins and markings become more vivid with age.
Gender Differences
Mature males are usually slimmer with a broader head and more pronounced cheek and body odontodes, while females tend to be rounder through the abdomen.
About the Red Striped Alenquer Pleco
The Red Striped Alenquer Pleco is a heavily built loricariid with a broad, armour-plated body, a large sucker mouth and formidable fin spines. Its dark brown to black base colour is contrasted by red or orange edging on the fins and, in some specimens, reddish markings across the body. Individual colour and patterning can vary considerably because the name is primarily a specialist trade designation.This pleco is a powerful, secretive bottom-dweller that spends much of the day resting in cover and becomes more active after dark. It is territorial toward its own kind and other similarly shaped bottom fish, with the large odontodes along its cheeks and body giving it an impressive defensive appearance.Pseudacanthicus plecos originate in fast-flowing tributaries and rocky river habitats of the Brazilian Amazon basin. Their flattened profile, strong paired fins and rasping mouth are well suited to clinging to submerged rock and wood while feeding among crevices and current-swept surfaces.The Red Striped Alenquer Pleco is not generally treated as a formally described species in the aquarium trade; instead, it is circulated under a locality or collection label associated with Pseudacanthicus. Its eventual adult size, striking colour and assertive personality make it a specialist fish for large aquariums rather than a typical community pleco.
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