True Black Star Pleco L173 Care Guide
Hypancistrus sp. L173 is a sought-after Rio Xingu loricariid resembling a larger zebra pleco with wavy lines, a carnivore needing warm, soft, oxygen-rich water.
Overview
Hypancistrus sp. L173 is a loricariid pleco from the Rio Xingu in Brazil that closely resembles the zebra pleco (Hypancistrus zebra) but is larger and bulkier, with wavy worm-line markings. PlanetCatfish and ScotCat list it as a distinct, highly sought-after and somewhat controversial form from the Altamira-Belo Monte stretch of the river. It requires driftwood, caves and warm, soft, well-oxygenated water.
Taxonomy
- Family: Loricariidae
- Genus: Hypancistrus
- Trade name: Hypancistrus sp. L173 (True Black Star)
- Status: undescribed Rio Xingu form, distinct from Hypancistrus zebra
Habitat
L173 is one of the wavy-line Hypancistrus from the Rio Xingu, occurring in the rapids between Altamira and Belo Monte, where Hypancistrus shelter between rock crevices in deep pools. The water there is soft, slightly acidic, warm and oxygen-rich (ScotCat, PlanetCatfish).
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 200 L
- Temperature: 28-31 °C (82-88 °F)
- pH: 5.5-7.0
- GH: 1-10 °dGH
- Lifespan: 8-12 years
- Aquascape: driftwood and snug caves, strong flow and high oxygenation
Diet
As with all Hypancistrus, L173 is a carnivore. It rasps sinking foods from the bottom and favours meaty frozen items such as bloodworms and brine shrimp alongside carnivore pellets (ScotCat). Feeding once daily suits an adult; heavy vegetable diets are unsuitable.
Compatibility
L173 is a peaceful, nocturnal bottom-dweller suited to soft-water communities with tetras and Corydoras. Each fish claims a cave and uses it to rest and to escape threats, so several individual caves should be provided to avoid prolonged stress. Avoid aggressive or territorial plecos that compete for the same shelters.
Breeding
L173 is a cave spawner like other Hypancistrus. The female lays a small clutch in the back of a cave, after which the male guards and tends the eggs; congeners such as the zebra pleco lay roughly 7-15 eggs per spawn (ScotCat). Breeding is rated advanced.