| Species | Fish |
|---|---|
| Origin | South America (Amazon River Basin) |
| Size Category | Medium |
| Category | Fish |
| Original Purpose | Ornamental |
| Body Length | 10–15 cm |
|---|---|
| Lifespan | 5–15 years |
| Senior Age Threshold | 11 years |
| Exercise Needs | Beginner care level |
|---|---|
| Grooming | Herbivore |
| Annual Exam Focus | Compatible: Neon Tetras, Platys, Guppies, Snails, Corydoras, peaceful community fish |
| Routine Care | Incompatible: Large aggressive cichlids, substrate spawning cichlids, fish small enough to fit in their mouth |
| Condition | Onset Stage | Risk | Hereditary | Screening |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ich (White Spot Disease) | adult | high | No | N/A |
| Fin Rot | adult | medium | No | N/A |
| Dropsy | adult | high | No | N/A |
| Hole-in-the-Head Disease (HITH) | adult | medium | No | N/A |
| CHIC Required Tests | Easy, cave spawners |
|---|---|
| Recommended DNA Tests | Ancistrus cirrhosus |
| Water Temperature | 23-27°C |
|---|---|
| pH Range | pH 5.8-7.8 |
| Water Type & Tank | Freshwater, Min tank: 75L |
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Common Issues | Difficulty: Beginner. Temperament: Peaceful, nocturnal, males can be territorial |
| Locomotion | Nocturnal, bottom-dwelling, grazing on algae, hiding in caves or under driftwood during the day, occasional darting to surface for air |
|---|---|
| Social | Peaceful, nocturnal, males can be territorial |
| Stress/Displacement | Fast breathing, frequent gulping of air at surface, erratic swimming, lethargy, loss of appetite, hiding constantly, color loss |
| AI-Trainable Signals | Erratic swimming, rapid breathing, coming to surface for air, lying upside down, hiding excessively, lethargy, color fading, white patches on body |
|---|---|
| Context-Dependent Vocalizations | Fast breathing, frequent gulping of air at surface, erratic swimming, lethargy, loss of appetite, hiding constantly, color loss |
| Interspecies Communication | Water type: Freshwater, pH: 5.8-7.8 |