Spectracanthicus zuanoni – L020
Spectracanthicus zuanoni was described in 2014 by Chamon and Rapp Py-Daniel. Prior to the official name, they were given the placeholder name L020. This has actually been omitted due to the official description, but it will remain available in books and websites for a long time to come.
They are sometimes called the Polka Dot Pleco.
Description
Spectracanthicus zuanoni is not aggressive as long as there is sufficient space and, most importantly, hiding places: at least one per specimen. As with many smaller Armored Catfish species, it is recommended to keep this species in a small group. They then show more natural behavior and they feel more at ease. However, if there is not enough space or there are too few shelters, fierce fights can break out, and they can certainly be injured!
As mentioned, this species does not grow very large. They can reach a maximum standard length of about 10 to 12 centimeters (14 cm total length including tail).
The Spectracanthicus zuanoni has already been bred in captivity several times, everything indicates that reproduction takes place in the same way as with many other small Pleco species. This means that ideal breeding conditions include fast-flowing, warm water (28-30 degrees Celsius) with high oxygen content. The latter can be achieved using a diffuser connected to a filter or flow pump (an extension of the outflow that adds air to the water), or by placing the outflow of one of the filters at surface level, so that the water surface is broken and exchange of gases can take place (CO2 is exchanged for oxygen).
The aquarium should be equipped with artificial breeding caves (or something similar made of rocks/driftwood). The entrance must be provided with a strong current. The ideal distribution of sexes is 2 or 3 females per male.
Origin
South America: Rio Xingú near Altamira, Pará, Brazil.
Diet
Omnivore: accepts plant-based food (algae tablets and vegetables such as peas, lettuce, zucchini, cucumber, eggplant and pre-cooked spinach) as well as meat food, such as pieces of shrimp, mussel, fish and meat-containing pellets.
The Aquarium
This small catfish prefers a dimmed aquarium with plenty of hiding places, in the form of plants, driftwood, rocks, and/or artificial caves. To keep multiple specimens of this species, or to keep this species together with other bottom dwellers, an aquarium of 100x40cm is required, as the species can be quite territorial. If there is a lack of hiding places, the Polka Dot Catfish can behave quite aggressively towards other bottom dwellers. If it is the only bottom dweller in the aquarium, or in the case of a pair, an aquarium of 80x35cm is sufficient.
This species does best in soft, slightly acidic to neutral water, richly oxygenated and with plenty of current. A strong filter is important, as this fish produces a lot of waste.
Comments
A species that closely resembles L020 is Oligancistrus sp. L354, which is found in the Rio Iriri (a branch of the Rio Xingú). However, this species grows larger (up to 20 cm in length), has larger spots and a much coarser pattern. There are also species from other genera that look a lot like the Polka Dot Pleco, such as Baryancistrus sp. L019, but these lack the membrane connecting the dorsal fin and the adipose fin, a feature unique to the genus Oligancistrus.
Video
Authors
Jonas Hansel – Piranha-info.com (original website no longer online)
John de Lange
Copyright images
Jonas Hansel – Piranha-info.com (original website no longer online)
