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Otocinclus affinis Steindachner, 1877

Image contributors to this species:

Daniel Blom (1) Dennis Barrett (1) David Sands (1)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Can be differentiated from the genus Parotocinclus by the absence of an adipose fin. Rarely imported and is rare in nature due to pollution of its habitats. This species is found alongside Hoplisoma nattereri and Scleromystax prionotos and has the same colouration as these two Callichthyidae species. Colouration: It has a base grey colour with a black band with traces of a gold sheen (hence common name) along the flanks and has a small hooked shaped growth on the bony plate behind the head. Diet: Mainly nocturnal and feeds on algae. Aquarium Care: Feeds on plants and roots; in groups of 5 or more individuals; minimum aquarium size 60 cm. (24ins). Due to the catchment area in Rio de Janeiro this Otocinclus needs to be kept in cooler waters. Etymology: The specific name affinis: Latin for related, described as very similar to O. vestitus (both species have large pterotic fenestrae and lack an adipose fin). Remarks: Similar looking to the São Paulo version further south which is said to be another species, which was placed into a new genera, Macrotocinclus, but it is now back to the original Otocinclus genus.

Common Name:

Golden otocinclus

Synonyms:

Macrotocinclus affinis

Family:

Loricariidae

Distribution:

South America: Brazil, vicinity of Rio de Janeiro. Type locality: Flüssen bei S. Crux in der umgebung von Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Size:

5.0cm. (2ins).

Temp:

18-22°c (63-71°f.)

p.H.

6.0-7.5.

IUCN Red List

Otocinclus affinis is naturally infrequent and scarce. The high degree of degradation of the basins where it occurs (Northern Rio de Janeiro and the Ribeira de Iguape river basin, São Paulo) imposes diffuse threats on the different subpopulations of the species, which cannot yet be quantified but must be monitored. As current knowledge of these threats does not indicate a risk of extinction, Otocinclus affinis has been listed in the Least Concern (LC) category (IUCN 2022).

Reference:

Evers, H.-G. & I.Seidel. Mergus, Baensch Catfish Atlas Volume 1, 1st English edn., 2005. Pp.944.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2009. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version (09/2010).
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.

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

Otocinclus affinis

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