AquaticRepublic.com - Ancistrus damasceni (Loricariidae) All Fishes

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Cachoeira da Campeira (Campeira Waterfall), Piauí, Brazil
Ventral view
Close-up of head
Close-up of mouth
Close-up of dorsal fin
Close-up of caudal fin

All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Ancistrus damasceni** (Steindachner, 1907)
Common Name
Type Locality	Rio Parnahyba near Victoria and Filomena, Brazil
Synonym(s)	Xenocara damasceni
Pronunciation	an SISS truss
Etymology	The name Ancistrus is derived from the Greek word agkistron, meaning hook, in reference to the interopercular odontodes that are hooked.
Species Information
Size	65mm or 2.6" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Mature males and sometimes females have soft tentacles (bushy fleshy growths) on the snout - this is unique to the genus Ancistrus.
Sexing	Males develop soft tentacles on the head and while sometimes females also do, it is never to the grand extent of those found on that of the conspecific male.
Habitat Information
Distribution	South America: Upper Parnaíba River basin in Brazil. Piauí Rivers, Parnaíba, Upper Parnaiba (click on these areas to find other species found there) Login to view the map.
IUCN Red List Category	Least Concern , range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2018.
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Ancistrus should be fed mainly on vegetarian foods. Prepared foods include algae wafers and spirulina based sinking food. Vegetables such as courgette/zucchini, and (English) cucumber are an excellent addition to the diet, along with the odd, small amount of more meaty foods. User data.
Compatibility	A good complement to most aquariums, they are not aggressive to other species. Males may fight over territory if kept in too small a tank.
Suggested Tankmates	Appropriate with most community fish that aren't overly big or aggressive.
Breeding	All Ancistrus species are cave-breeders, where the male looks after the eggs and young fry.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Anzeiger der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien, Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Klasse v. 44 (no. 17) (for 4 July 1907), pp 292.
Registered Keepers	There is no registered keeper.
Wishlists	Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list. There is no wish to keep this species.
Spotters	Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There are 2 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
Forum BBCode

	Look up A. damasceni on PlanetCatfish.com
	Look up A. damasceni on Fishbase
	Look up A. damasceni on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up A. damasceni on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.4.4.1971
Last Update	2025 Jan 01 12:06 (species record created: 2008 Apr 28 11:49)