Care
The Snowball Plec LDA033 is known only from a stretch of rapids on the Rio Tapajós (a major tributary of the Amazon) between Pimental and Itaituba. 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, perhaps provided by a river-tank manifold or powerheads (in addition to the current generated by the filtration). These large bottom-dwellers require warmer than average water temperatures, and will not do well below 26 °C. Unless the aquarium is of vast proportions and provides a plethora of visual barriers, it is best to keep only one per tank, as these fish can be fiercely territorial with conspecifics and other bottom dwellers that occupy the same niche; indeed, it is not unknown for mature specimens to harass and kill other Snowball Plecs and similar species when kept in slightly cramped quarters, so choose tankmates cautiously and observe carefully. Companions should ideally occupy the middle and upper levels, be reasonably peaceful, and be able to thrive in warm, soft water with decent current - some of the medium sized characins or rheophilic cichlids are an excellent choice. Although these fish prefer a diet high in vegetable matter, they will not make any real impact on nuisance algae and must be offered a varied diet (see below). When they are actively grazing, they are actually searching for their natural food source - aufwuchs - which is a type of algae biofilm that contains small invertebrate life. 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. May also be seen on sale as the Big White Spot Pleco.
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
This species has not been bred in the home aquarium.
