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Loricariichthys melanocheilus Reis & Pereira, 2000

Image contributors to this species:

Freshwater Fish from Uruguay 2nd. edition (1) Julia Mantinian (1)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Habitat: Occurs in ditches and ponds. Reproduction: In sexually active males the lips are transformed into large dermal lobes which are used to hold the eggs after spawning. This species is unique in that the males hold on to the eggs for 11 days. Aquarium Care: Keep on a sandy substrate with branchwork. Reasonably easy to keep with regular good husbandry but this is a large species that will need a lot of room in a large tank. Diet: Omnivore: Dry foods, algae wafers, Spirulina and normal tablet foods. Frozen foods, Artemia nauplii, glass worms and Daphnia. Etymology: melanos, black; cheilos, lip, referring to black, large lower lip of nuptial males.

Common Name:

None

Synonyms:

None

Family:

Loricariidae

Distribution:

South America: Lower Paraná and Uruguay River basins (Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay). Type locality: mouth of Rio Ijuí-Mirim, tributary of Rio Ijuí, Pirapó, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Rio Uruguay drainage, 28º03'S, 55º11'W).

Size:

43.0cm. (17½ins)

Temp:

25-29°c (75-85°f.)

p.H.

6.0-7.0.

Reference:

Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2023. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, ( 10/2023 ).
Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2003. Loricariidae - Loricariinae (Armored catfishes). p. 330-350. In R.E. Reis, S.O. Kullander and C.J. Ferraris, Jr. (eds.) Checklist of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America. Porto Alegre EDIPUCRS, Brasil.
Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.

Family: Loricariidae Back to Ident-A-Cat Click on Thumbnails

Loricariichthys melanocheilus
Dorsal view

Loricariichthys melanocheilus
Dorsal view-Garay, Santa Fe, Argentina

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