Leporacanthicus sp. L263
Leporacanthicus sp. L263, juvenile at 3''
Portrait of L263
These guys have formidable teeth!
Leporacanthicus sp. L263 are from the Rio Tapajos in Brazil. These carnivorous loricariids like it warm (about 80-85 °F; 27-30 °C), the males grow to about 6-7 inches while females stay 1-2 inches smaller. They are usually imported together with the more common Leporacanthicus joselimai (L264), which is gray instead of brown but also with dark spots. These catfish quickly adapt to aquarium conditions and are easy to keep. Frozen food such as mysis and krill are preferred but they eat dry pellets and tablets, too. They need a structured tank with rocks, wood, and caves to feel secure. Larger specimens sometimes snap off plants at the base with their large teeth. I do not recommend these for a community tank but they are great together with discus or angelfish since they stick to the ground and like the higher temperature these cichlids need. My pairs were probably the first that bred in captivity (see Seidel & Evers, Mergus Catfish Atlas Vol 2, German Edition, p.52-53).