Baryancistrus chrysolomus – Mango Pleco – L047
Baryancistrus chrysolomus was officially described in 2011 by Rapp Py-Daniel, Zuanon & Ribeiro de Oliveira. The genus name Baryancistrus can be divided into two parts. From ancient Greek barys meaning heavy and Ancistrus, summarized something like Heavy Ancistrus. The species name chrysolomus can also be broken into two parts. From ancient Greek chryso means orange or yellow and loma means edge. A reference to the colored edge of the fins.
They fall within the family Loricariidae. Magnum Pleco or Mango Pleco is also used as a non-scientific name. In the L-number system they have been given the number L047. More information about the L numbering can be found in the article: L-Numbers and LDA-numbers? The explanation!
Description
Baryancistrus chrysolomus can reach a total length of about 30 to 35 centimeters. The color of the fish is mainly dark brown. The extreme edges of fins are trimmed with two bands. A gradient from brown to black with yellow on the outer edge. Sometimes some faint yellow spots are visible in the dark brown of the body.
Character
Suitable for a community aquarium, but can be very aggressive towards other Armored Catfish, other Mango Plecos in particular. This species is in fact fairly territorial: finding and maintaining caves, suitable for building a nest, is usually the stumbling block. More than one specimen in an aquarium that is too small can result in the death of one or more fish, although they can certainly be kept together in a very spacious tank with lots of decoration.
Origin
South America: lower reaches of the Rio Xingú, downstream of Altamira (Ilha do Fazenda), Pará, Brazil.
Diet
Given its large sucking mouth, covered with many very small teeth, Baryancistrus chrysolomus is a so-called “Aufwuchs” eater. Aufwuchs is the organic layer, partly vegetable, partly consisting of small organisms (crustaceans, freshwater sponges, small insects, insect eggs and larvae, and plankton), which forms on submerged surfaces, and which is grazed by this Armored Catfish.
Once acclimatized, the Mango Pleco is not very picky and in most cases it will feed on both vegetable food (blanched vegetables, tablets, algae and, to the dismay of many aquarists, also aquarium plants) and meaty food (shrimp, krill, mussels, mosquito larvae, bloodworms). However, the emphasis should be on vegetable food, as it is closer to the natural diet, and because a diet that is too high in protein can lead to digestive problems, blockages and even death.
The Aquarium
This quite large catfish prefers a dimly lit aquarium with plenty of hiding places, in the form of plants, driftwood, rocks and/or artificial caves.
To keep several specimens of this species, or to keep this species together with other bottom dwellers, an aquarium of 120×50 centimeters is required, as the species can be quite territorial. In the absence of suitable hiding places or insufficient space, the Mango Pleco can behave particularly aggressively towards other bottom dwellers. If it is the only bottom dweller in the aquarium, an aquarium of 100×40 centimeters is more than sufficient. Juveniles can be kept temporarily in smaller aquariums without any problems, as long as there are sufficient hiding places. A strong filter is important, as this fish produces a lot of waste due to its almost insatiable hunger.
Although this species is an adaptable and strong fish once acclimatized, it, like most other Baryancistrus species, often does not grow or grows only very slowly. This can be explained by the fact that in most cases the behavior in captivity does not occur under natural conditions. The Mango Pleco naturally occurs in shallow water, often strongly heated by direct sunlight, with a lot of current and a high oxygen content. Under these conditions, the stones and pebbles between which this species is found are more or less permanently overgrown with an organic layer consisting of plant and animal components (“Aufwuchs”). The high water temperature ensures a fast metabolism, with the result that these animals spend a very large part of the day looking for food. It is therefore not surprising that this kind of (not easy to reproduce!) conditions are required to achieve a natural attitude (and growth), and that this fish is especially suitable for a special aquarium.
Water parameters
Preferably keep the temperature between 25 and 32 degrees Celsius. The pH may be between 5.5 and 7.5.
Comments
Baryancistrus species are notorious for the difficulty of acclimatization: a significant proportion – in some species more than 50% – of imported specimens from this genus die during the first month in captivity due to stress and malnutrition.
Another problem with recently imported specimens is the damage to the bacterial intestinal flora, which has been disturbed by transport (resulting in digestive problems and a greatly reduced absorption of extremely important nutrients, especially during the first weeks). Fish offered in stores must have been quarantined by the importer/trader for at least a number of weeks to guarantee reasonable chances of survival. This is not the case with fish with sunken eyes and bellies, and unfortunately, more often than not they will die within a few weeks.
Once home, this fish must be kept in a quarantine aquarium for a number of weeks to allow the animal to get used to life in captivity and the local water parameters. During this period it should also be checked whether the Armored Catfish is eating well: depending on the food offered, red to dark brown colored thin, solid strings of feces (also called spaghettis by hobbyists) should be found in the aquarium, as a sign that they eat the food. In addition, it can be determined which types of food are accepted and which are not.
Once the fish is eating well, is active and alert, and looks healthy (good coloration, round belly, slightly bulging, clear eyes), it can be transferred to a larger aquarium.
But the problems don’t stop there: as vulnerable as Baryancistrus species are during the first few weeks, once acclimatized it is often a different story. Once the fish has become accustomed to its new environment, it will claim a territory and defend it against intruders. Congeners in particular are not tolerated, but other bottom dwellers can also have a hard time. Fights can be quite fierce, and in some cases it is advisable to separate the fish to avoid unnecessary stress and injury. But with the help of sufficient hiding places and breaking sight lines, the territory problem can usually be solved without the need to move one or more fish.
Additional information
It is generally accepted that the Mango Pleco belongs to the genus Baryancistrus, although not everyone is convinced of this.
Video
Authors
Jonas Hansel – Piranha-info.com
John de Lange
Copyright images
Jonas Hansel – Piranha-info.com
Enrico Richter – AmazonPredators
