Adult
Eggs on the day before hatching.
Gravid female
Habitat
Ventral view
Close-up of head
Pair, male above
Feeding on lettuce
Feeding on spirulina tablets
Feeding on carrot and melon
Ventral view (gravid female)
Female, day after laying eggs
Courting
Courting
Courting
Fifteen hour old eggs
Nineteen hour old eggs
Five day old eggs, about to hatch
Six day old eggs, hatching
One hour old fry
One day old fry
Two day old fry
Ten day old fry
Twelve day old fry
Nineteen day old
Twenty four day old
Twenty eight day old
Forty day old juvenile
Juvenile
 All Fishes Data Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pseudacanthicus leopardus (Fowler, 1914) |
| Common Names | LDA073, Leopard Cactus Pleco "l600", Leopard Kaktussugemalle (Denmark) |
| Type Locality | Rupununi River, Guyana, 2°-3°N, 50°20'W. |
| Type Locality Notes | In the original description of this species, Fowler (1914) wrote that the fish were from “...the Rupununi River, in the highlands of British Guiana. ...approximately secured in North Latitude 2° to 3°, and West Longitude 50° 20'.” Although the latitude data is imprecise, the longitude data must also be inaccurate, because the Rio Rupununi is located at approximately 59°W Longitude, not 50°W Longitude as Fowler reported. So as not to unilaterally revise Fowler’s original record, the type locality data is being preserved, and displayed as “2.5°N, 50°20'W”, averaging the two latitude values reported by Fowler and not correcting the longitude value. |
| Synonym(s) | Stoneiella leopardus |
| Pronunciation | SUE dah KAN thi cuss |
| Etymology | Pseud- Greek: False, Acanthicus - Greek: Spiny, Thorny. Literally "False Acanthicus" referring to this genus being similar to, yet different from, Acanthicus. Lorica, Loricare = cuirass of corslet of leather (a suit of armour made of leather). |
| Species Information | |
| Size | 320mm or 12.6" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp. |
| Identification | The German common name for this genus is ''Cactus Pleco''. A good name! Pseudacanthicus is a member of the Acanthicus clade. Species of the Acanthicus clade are distinguished from other Loricariidae species by the presence of (1) longitudinal rows of keels (pointed odontodes) along the body sides; (2) eight or more dorsal-fin rays (vs. six or seven in most other loricariids except Pterygoplichthys, Chaetostoma, Pogonopoma and Pseudancistrus pectegenitor); (3) seven to eight infraorbitals (vs. usually five or six); (4) five anal-fin branched rays (vs. usually four); and (5) presence of hypertrophied odontodes along the snout margin (vs. hypertrophied odontodes absent in other loricariids except Isbrueckerichthys and Pareiorhaphis, in Neoplecostominae; Panaque and Pseudancistrus and Neblinichthys, in Ancistrini; and most dimorphic males of Loricariinae). Within the Acanthicus group, Pseudacanthicus is distinguished by the presence of two small plates in the posterior area of the compound pterotic (vs. one median plate or plate absent), and by the presence of narrow premaxillae with a small number of elongate and curved teeth (except from Leporacanthicus). The German common name for this genus is ''Cactus Pleco''. A good name! Pseudacanthicus is a member of the Acanthicus clade. Species of the Acanthicus clade are distinguished from other Loricariidae species by the presence of (1) longitudinal rows of keels (pointed odontodes) along the body sides; (2) eight or more dorsal-fin rays (vs. six or seven in most other loricariids except Pterygoplichthys, Chaetostoma, Pogonopoma and Pseudancistrus pectegenitor); (3) seven to eight infraorbitals (vs. usually five or six); (4) five anal-fin branched rays (vs. usually four); and (5) presence of hypertrophied odontodes along the snout margin (vs. hypertrophied odontodes absent in other loricariids except Isbrueckerichthys and Pareiorhaphis, in Neoplecostominae; Panaque and Pseudancistrus and Neblinichthys, in Ancistrini; and most dimorphic males of Loricariinae). Within the Acanthicus group, Pseudacanthicus is distinguished by the presence of two small plates in the posterior area of the compound pterotic (vs. one median plate or plate absent), and by the presence of narrow premaxillae with a small number of elongate and curved teeth (except from Leporacanthicus). |
| Habitat Information | |
| Distribution | South America Guyana Waters, Coastal Rivers of Guyanas, Essequibo, Rupununi (click on these areas to find other species found there) Amazon, Middle Amazon (Solimoes), Negro, Lower Negro, Branco (Roraima) (click on these areas to find other species found there) Login to view the map. |
| IUCN Red List Category | Least Concern , a distribution map is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2020. |
| Temperature | 25.0-29.0°C or 77-84.2°F (Show species within this range) |
| Husbandry Information | |
| Feeding | Carnivore although not a predator, prawns and chopped mussel appear favorites and promote favorable growth. High quality pellet foods are well received and greatly reduces the volume of waste produced. Some vegetable should also be provided and thus balances diet. User data. |
| Furniture | Adequate coverage for this Genus is required. Multiple structures consisting of wood, caves, and overhangs are ideal. High intensity lighting does not bother them and many species will 'sun themselves' on the top of the furnishings if they are comfortable with their environment. Long sight lines can promote aggression. Placing structure at different distances from the front glass is an effective solution. |
| Suggested Tankmates | The temptation with large tough Loricariids is to keep them with other large tough fish such as Oscars or other brutish characters. This actually works quite well with most omnivorous or mainly vegetarian plecos. Pseudacanthicus despite their defensive protection can be bullied by faster moving fish of similar size. They are carnivores and only eat vegetables when their preferred food is unavailable. The amount of waste produced depends on their diet but is considerably less than a Panaque or Pterygoplichthys of similar size. |
| Breeding Reports | There is no breeding report. |
| Further Information | |
| Reference | Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia v. 66, pp 271, Fig. 17. |
| Registered Keepers | There are 2 registered keepers, view all "my fish" data. |
| 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 11 records of this fish being seen, view them all. |
| More Resources | |
| Forum BBCode | |
 | Look up P. leopardus on PlanetCatfish.com |
 | Look up P. leopardus on Fishbase |
 | Look up P. leopardus on Encyclopedia of Life |
 | Look up P. leopardus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| LFS label creator ARN ref:1.4.40.810 | |
| Last Update | Sat Dec 25, 2010 10:17 am (Species record created: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am) |