Care
An attractive plec from the highly oxygenated, fast-flowing waters of the Xingu river basin in Brazil, where they’re reported to live in warm, shallow stretches of rapids.
The aquarium should be mature, with a soft sand substrate and various pieces of smooth rockwork and bogwood arranged to create lots of shady caves and crevices. There should be brisk water movement and a high level of oxygenation. These bottom-dwellers require warmer than average water temperatures, and will not do well below 25°C. These fish can be territorial, so provide plenty of hiding places. Companions should ideally occupy the middle and upper levels, be reasonably peaceful, and be able to thrive in warm, soft water with decent current. Robust aquarium plants are rarely eaten, but larger fish may uproot them in their ongoing search for food items. Ensure that regular partial water changes are carried out as these catfish produce a fair amount of waste and will not tolerate an elevated nitrate level.
As well as L141, this species is also classified as L215. Identification can be complicated by the fact that juveniles lose their bright fin trims with age.
Feeding
Offer a variety of different foodstuffs containing a good proportion of vegetable matter. Cucumber, courgette, lettuce, squash etc should all be enthusiastically consumed, and these can be supplemented with sinking wafers/tablets, and the odd treat of meaty frozen foods such as bloodworm and chopped prawns. These fish have a very long digestive tract which is utilised in the breaking down of foods high in vegetable content, so do not offer an excessive amount of meaty foods as this will lead to health problems.
Breeding
Has been bred in the home aquarium, but it is very challenging, and reports are few and far between. Requisite for success with these cave-spawners is well-conditioned, sexually mature fish of both sexes kept in warm (30 °C), soft, acidic water with a high level of oxygenation, and a choice of several relatively snug caves
