''Peckoltia vittata''
is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
catfish
Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive, ...
belonging to the subfamily
Hypostominae
The Hypostominae are a subfamily of catfishes of the family Loricariidae. Most members are restricted to tropical and subtropical South America, but there are also several species (in genera ''Ancistrus'', '' Chaetostoma'', ''Lasiancistrus'', '' ...
of the family
Loricariidae
The Loricariidae is the largest family of catfish (order Siluriformes), with 92 genera and just over 680 species. Loricariids originate from freshwater habitats of Costa Rica, Panama, and tropical and subtropical South America. These fish are not ...
.
Description
''P. vittata'' reaches a maximum total length of 15 cm (5.9 inches).
The distinctive striped patterning sported by the species has led to it being referred to as the candy-striped pleco or the tiger pleco in the aquarium trade, although it may also be referred to by its
L-number
The L-number system is a semi-scientific classification system of catfish based on photographs of shipments of tropical catfish of the family Loricariidae published by the German aquarium magazine DATZ (Die Aquarien- und Terrarienzeitschrift (The ...
, which is L-015.
Males can be distinguished from females by the presence of small teeth-like projections or
odontodes
Odontodes, or dermal teeth, are hard structures found on the external surfaces of animals or near internal openings. They consist of a soft pulp surrounded by dentine and covered by a mineralized substance such as enamel, a structure similar to th ...
along the back half of its body.
Distribution
''P. vittata'' is native to South America, where it occurs in the
Amazon basin
The Amazon basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries. The Amazon drainage basin covers an area of about , or about 35.5 percent of the South American continent. It is located in the countries of Bolivi ...
. It can be found in the
Amazon River
The Amazon River (, ; es, Río Amazonas, pt, Rio Amazonas) in South America is the largest river by discharge volume of water in the world, and the disputed longest river system in the world in comparison to the Nile.
The headwaters of t ...
itself, in addition to the
Tapajós
The Tapajós ( pt, Rio Tapajós ) is a river in Brazil. It runs through the Amazon Rainforest and is a major tributary of the Amazon River. When combined with the Juruena River, the Tapajós is approximately long. It is one of the largest clearw ...
, the
Madeira River
The Madeira River ( pt, Rio Madeira, link=no ) is a major waterway in South America. It is estimated to be in length, while the Madeira-Mamoré is estimated near or in length depending on the measuring party and their methods. The Madeira is ...
, the
Xingu River
The Xingu River ( ; pt, Rio Xingu, ; Mẽbêngôkre: ''Byti'', ) is a river in north Brazil. It is a southeast tributary of the Amazon River and one of the largest clearwater rivers in the Amazon basin, accounting for about 5% of its water.
...
, the
Uatumã River
The Uatumã River (sometimes spelled Uatamã) is a river flowing through the state of Amazonas in Brazil. It is a northern tributary of the Amazon River, and known for its extensive peacock bass population. It is a blackwater river.
The river f ...
, the
Trombetas River
The Trombetas is a large river on the northern side of the Amazon River.
Course
The Trombetas is long, and is navigable by 500 ton vessels for a stretch of . The Trombetas river gives birth to very many rivers, including the Anamu river.
It is ...
, the
Capim River
The Capim River ( pt, Rio Capim) is a river in the state of Pará, Brazil. It is a tributary of the Guamá River.
The Gurupí, Capim and Guamá rivers flow into the mouth of the Amazon and are affected by the daily tides, which force water from t ...
, and the
Maranhão River
The Maranhão River is a river of Goiás state in central Brazil.
See also
*List of rivers of Goiás
List of rivers in Goiás (Brazilian State).
The list is arranged by drainage basin, with respective tributaries indented under each larger st ...
. The species has also been reported from the
Guaviare River
The Guaviare is a tributary of the Orinoco in Colombia. It flows together with the upper Orinoco (until here also called Río Parágua), which it clearly surpasses in length (altogether about 1760 km) and water flow. Thus, the Guaviare is hydrolo ...
of
Colombia
Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...
, although this is an unconfirmed occurrence.
Ecology
''P. vittata'' is most frequently observed in rocky areas. It is known to be a nocturnal species that feeds on algae.
In the aquarium
''P. vittata'' is a popular aquarium fish and requires a tropical
softwater tank with a temperature of 22 to 26 °C (71.6 to 78.8 °F) and a
pH of around 6. It is often confused with the species ''
Panaqolus maccus
''Panaqolus maccus'', commonly called the clown panaque, clown plecostomus, clown pleco, or ringlet pleco, is a dwarf loricariid. By numbering systems such as the L-number system, this fish may also be known as L104, L162, or LDA22.
Distribution ...
''.
Keeping the species in groups of at least 5, in an aquarium of at least 80 cm (31.5 inches) is recommended.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1766953
Loricariidae
Fish described in 1881