Breeding Hypancistrus inspector (L102)

How to breed the L102 Hypancistrus inspector (snowball pleco): sexing by odontodes, a high-flow cave setup, male brood care and rearing carnivorous fry.

Overview

Hypancistrus inspector (L102), the snowball pleco, is a loricariid from the upper Rio Negro basin in Brazil and the Casiquiare drainage in Venezuela, normally collected from rocky rapids. Seriously Fish gives a maximum standard length of 140-160 mm and describes it as peaceful, and Wikipedia lists it as Least Concern. It has been bred in aquaria as a cave spawner.

Sexing

According to Seriously Fish, adult males have more odontodes on the leading pectoral-fin rays and in the interopercular region than females, and often show an overall reddish tone that females do not. Males are more slender when viewed from above.

Conditioning

Wild fish prefer aquatic invertebrates and small animals, so condition breeders on sinking foods, frozen Daphnia, bloodworms and mosquito larvae with supplemental vegetables.

Breeding Setup

Seriously Fish recommends a temperature of 22-30 C and pH 5.0-7.5 with high water movement and dissolved oxygen, plus weekly 30-50% water changes. Provide narrow caves as spawning sites.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

The species is a cave spawner in which the male is responsible for brood care; the female lays a clutch inside the cave and the male tends and defends it.

Egg & Fry Care

The male guards the clutch in the cave through hatching and the fry remain there until their yolk reserves are used up. As the species is carnivorous, the free-swimming fry accept small meaty foods.

Common Challenges

Seriously Fish advises against housing it with other Hypancistrus species to prevent hybridisation, so keep only this species in the breeding tank. The rocky-rapids origin means clean, well-oxygenated water with strong flow must be maintained.