Care
Perhaps the most instantly recognisable catfish of our time, the dazzling Zebra Plec is known from the deeper waters of the Rio Xingu basin. Here it lives amongst rocky crevices in fast, highly oxygenated waters that flow over the rubble-strewn sandy substrates.
The aquarium should be mature, with various pieces of smooth rockwork arranged to create lots of small nooks and crannies. 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 peaceful bottom-dwellers require warmer than average water temperatures and will not do well below 26°C. Ample hiding places/visual barriers amongst the decor will enable you to keep a group of these fish together and will obviously further your chances of breeding them. Zebra Plecs are fairly territorial with similar species, so provide plenty of caves to avoid conflicts. Tankmates must be small and peaceful, and able to thrive in warm, fast-flowing water. As Zebras do not compete well for food, avoid keeping with fish that are boisterous at feeding times. These fish are largely carnivorous and will not make any impact on algae. Ensure that regular partial water changes are carried out as these catfish will not tolerate an elevated nitrate level.
The cost of Zebra Plecs rose significantly after the Brazilian government banned the export of this species in 2004 to safeguard wild stocks, although they're now threatened by a hydroelectric scheme that would involve building a dam that would destroy their habitat. In order to get around the export ban, wild caught specimens are occasionally offered by unscrupulous suppliers via Peru, and these are to be avoided. Thanks to captive breeding programmes, we're able to offer tank bred youngsters.
Feeding
Offer a variety of meaty foodstuffs such as bloodworm, white mosquito larvae, Mysis shrimp, chopped prawns, and various sinking pellets designed for carnivores.
Breeding
This species has been bred in the home aquarium and makes for a very worthwhile breeding project. The temperature of the water should be raised to 28-30 °C and it must be extremely well-filtered and highly oxygenated. Provide a selection of small caves which have an entrance only marginally bigger than the fish. These can either be formed from arranging the rockwork in such a way that small secluded crevices are created, or pre-constructed from small pieces of slate siliconed together. It is crucial that these caves are situated in an area with decent water movement. When in spawning condition, males will choose a preferred cave and defend it from any other males present, whilst at the same time, will try to entice a ripe female inside. Spawning does not always take place straight away; indeed it can be some days before the female is ready to deposit her eggs, but the fish will remain inside the cave together during this time, the male usually blocks the entrance. Once the eggs have been laid and fertilised, the male fish often has to force the female out of the cave before he begins his parental guarding duties. The female plays no further part in brood care, but the male will be seen fanning the eggs with his pectoral fins and blocking the cave entrance from any intruders. Eggs typically number between 7 and 15 and take around a week to hatch. The fry will feed from their sizeable yolk sacs for the first few days, and after this has been consumed, they will require very regular feedings of baby brineshrimp (brineshrimp nauplii), microworms, and various small or crushed dried sinking foods. It is important that food is available to the fry at all times as they can all too easily starve but keep a very close eye on water quality when feeding constantly, and perform lots of very regular but very small partial changes to keep nitrogenous waste levels as low as possible. The adult Zebra Plecs pose no threat to the fry, but other fish sharing the same tank might do. This is why many aquarists like to keep these catfish in a species-only set up, to further their chances of raising the maximum number of young. Under good conditions and with quality feedings, it will take between 2 and 3 months for the fish to reach 2.5cm SL.
