Spotted Peckoltia

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Scientific Name

Peckoltia brevis

Min. Tank Size

40 gallons

Personality

Peaceful

Temperature

77-86°F

pH

6.0-7.5/0-10°dGH

Size

5"

Diet

Omnivore

Breeding

Egglayer

Compatibility

Well suited to the community tank; can be kept with Characins, Cyprinids, peaceful Cichlids, Corydoras and other Catfish.

Spotted Peckoltia

Also called the Big Spot Peckoltia, the Spotted Peckoltia is sometimes referred to using the L-numbers L205 and LDA078. These fish are generally collected from the Rio Para in Brazil but have been seen in other bodies of water throughout the Brazilian Amazon. The bodies of these fish are covered with dark and light brown patches that appear as small spots on the head and change to patches or bands toward the tail. The fins of this species are typically ornamented with stripes alternating in coloration between light and dark brown. Male Spotted Peckoltia develop odontodes on the leading pectoral fin rays and toward the back of the body – females are wider in girth but their bodies remain relatively unadorned.

Tank Set-Up

These fish are most likely to thrive in a stream setup decorated with gravel or sandy substrate and ornamented with large rocks and pieces of driftwood. Spotted Peckoltia prefer highly oxygenated water with some degree of flow. Though these fish may enjoy a planted tank, most species of plants tend not to do well under these conditions. Spotted Peckoltia are well suited to the general community tank but do best with other South American species such as Characins and smaller Cichlids.

Feeding

Spotted Peckoltia are vegetarian by nature, feeding largely on vegetable matter. In captivity, these fish should be given plenty of fresh vegetables such as blanched spinach, shelled peas and cucumber slices. While these Catfish may not eat much live algae, their diet can be supplemented with Spirulina flakes or wafers in addition to small live and frozen foods like bloodworms and Daphnia.

Breeding

There have been few reports of successfully breeding this species in the aquarium hobby but Spotted Peckoltia are believed to be cave spawners. High water quality is necessary in the breeding tank and the breeding pair should be conditioned using a variety of nutrient-rich vegetables. Once spawning occurs, the male of the species will guard the eggs until they hatch up to 10 days later.