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Otocinclus macrospilus Eigenmann & Allen, 1942

Image contributors to this species:

Mark Duffill (1) mjm_pt (2) Joost Schuitemaker (1) Johnny Jensen's Photographic Library (1)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Description: Similar to O. hoppei but there is a difference in the caudal peduncle pattern. O. hoppei has a small caudal spot which does not run into the caudal fin and has only one crossbar to this pattern wheras O. macrospilus has two. Aquarium Care: This is a small group of Loricariids which do well in aquaria and will keep the algae down without harming the plants in the tank. Best to keep in a group with more males for breeding purposes. Reproduction: The females will lay eggs on the plants and tank glass after the females have been chased around the tank by the male. Like Corydoras they present a t-position breeding mode. Diet: Omnivore: algae, tablet foods, flake and small frozen foods. Etymology: The specific name macrospilus: macro-, from makrós, long or large; spílos, mark or spot, presumably referring to a “very large, isolated spot across the entire end of caudal peduncle and base of the caudal”.

Common Name:

None

Synonyms:

None

Family:

Loricariidae

Distribution:

South America: Upper Amazon River basin. Type locality: Rio Morona, Upper Amazon basin, Peru.

Size:

3.5cm. (1½ins)

Temp:

22-26°c (71-79°f.)

p.H.

6.0-7.5.

IUCN Red List

The species is listed as Least Concern because it has a wide range and is not exposed to any threat that may warrant listing it in a threatened category but needs updating (IUCN 2016).

Reference:

Evers, H.-G. & I.Seidel: Mergus, Baensch Catfish Atlas Volume 1, 1st English edn., 2005. Pp.944.
Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
Hidalgo del Aguila, M., Chocano, L. & Arguello, P. 2016. Otocinclus macrospilus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.

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

Otocinclus macrospilus

Otocinclus macrospilus

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