Snowball Plecostomus (L-201) (Hypancistrus inspector)

The playful name of the Snowball Plecostomus Hypancistrus inspector fits its personality, as it is a peaceful freshwater fish with an easy care level. Also known as the Orinoco Angel Pleco, its body is dark gray in color and and has large white or yellow spots sprinkled about its body, head and fins. There are black striations or filaments displaying on its caudal and dorsal fins. This Pleco has large eyes. The male Pleco is more slender than its female counterpart and has a reddish tint to its armor, and more prominate odontodes on its fins.

Nocturnal and solitary, this bottom dweller does eat algae, but not at a level that home aquarists can count on to keep their aquarium clean. A soft substrate that sand or fine gravel offers will keep this freshwater fish from harming themselves, as it is a bottom dweller. Driftwood, smooth rocks, caves and tunnels that provide plenty of hiding areas will help this Pleco feel safe and reduce its stress. Freshwater plants would help provide additional areas to hide, and the Snowball Pleco will generally leave them alone.

An omnivore, the feeding requirements for this member of the Loricariidae family leans toward its protein-rich carnivorous side. The algae and detritus in the aquarium will not satisfy its diet, so it should be fed a combination of meaty and algae based food in flake, frozen or sinking pellet form.

The Snowball Pleco is a cave dweller, so when breeding, the female will deposit eggs within the cave, and after fertilization, the male will act as a sentry, protecting those eggs.

Approximate shipping size: Small: 1" to 3”; Medium: 3" to 4"

Care details

• Temperature: 72 - 86° F
• dKH: 6 - 10
• Color: Gray and White
• Family: Loricariidae
• Diet: Omnivore