Adult males sport long tentacles
on the anterior of the head which is unique to this
family. Females usually have short tentacles around
the mouth. Colouration: Dorsum dark
gray, small cream to yellowish dots on plateless area
of snout, top of head, tentacles and entire length
of body. Dots on head more numerous, smaller and closer
together on top of head than on dorsum of body. Sides
of head of body dark grey with white dots to caudal
fin. Ventrum of head and body white. Oral disk and
adjacent area on chest light. Spines, rays and fin
membranes grey with white dots. Caudal-fin spine,
rays and fin membrane light grey with no dots (Souza,
LS de. et al). Aquarium Care: The
Ancistrus genera make good community fish
where they do not grow too big for the aquarium. Some
species have different requirements in the aquarium
so best to read up on the species you have whereas
if they need higher oxygen requirements or not, or
if they prefer cooler waters if they originate from
the southern parts of South America against the species
from further up north. Diet: Vegetable
foods such as cucumber and courgette and also tablet
and meaty foods. Reproducion: Lay
their eggs in caves as a cluster and the first signs
of the breeding process is a few tiny fry darting
around the community tank.
Common
Name:
LDA074
Synonyms:
Xenocara macrophthalma
Family:
Loricariidae
Distribution:
Venezuela:
Upper Orinoco River system from the río Cinaruco
and further upstream to the río Casiquiare.
Type locality: l’Orénoque, Venezuela.
Size:
12.0cm. (4¾ins)
Temp:
25-29°c (77-85°f.)
p.H.
6.0-7.5.
Reference:
Seidel, Ingo;
Back to Nature guide to L-catfishes 208 p Souza, LS de; Taphorn, DC & Armbruster,
JW, 2019 "Review of Ancistrus (Siluriformes:
Loricariidae) from the northwestern Guiana Shield,
Orinoco Andes, and adjacent basins with description
of six new species" (abstract) (Zootaxa, Vol.
4552 No. 1).
Ancistrus
macrophthalmus Dorsal head view-from Caroni River, Venezuela.
Ancistrus
macrophthalmus
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