Brazil

The marbled headstander, Abramites hypselonotus, is an anostomid from the Amazon, Orinoco and Paraguay-Paraná basins in South America. An ecological generalist, it occurs in turbid main river channels, minor tributaries and backwaters, and enters inundated zones during the annual floods. Best kept as a group in a large tank alongside cichlids, characins and catfishes, it may nip long or trailing fins and eat soft-leaved plants.

The polka dot lyre tail pleco, Acanthicus adonis, is a very large loricariid catfish from the rio Tocantins in Brazil. Thought to range across much of the Amazon basin, it is traded as spotted juveniles in quite large numbers despite its patent unsuitability for aquaria. It reaches 600 mm or more, loses its spotted patterning as it matures and becomes increasingly belligerent with age, so it can only be recommended to owners of the largest private aquaria or tropical ponds.

The lyre tail pleco, Acanthicus hystrix, is a very large loricariid catfish from the Amazon region of Brazil and Peru. A handful of records come from the Orinoco in Venezuela. Juveniles are traded in quite large numbers, but it can reach at least 1000 mm in nature and 500 to 600 mm in captivity, and becomes increasingly belligerent with age. Young fish are easily told from A. adonis by lacking its white to yellowish body spots.

The chocolate talking catfish, Acanthodoras cataphractus, is a doradid catfish from the northern Amazon basin and Atlantic drainages of the Guianas. It is most often exported as bycatch among Platydoras armatulus and is sold under the same trade names as A. spinosissimus, which has pale blotches on the back between the dorsal and caudal fins where this species has pale lines or no markings. Largely nocturnal and gregarious, it is best kept in a group of at least four.

The chocolate talking catfish, Acanthodoras spinosissimus, is a doradid catfish from the northern Amazon basin and the Essequibo in Guyana. Usually exported as bycatch among Platydoras armatulus, it is sold under the same trade names as A. cataphractus, and the most useful difference is the pale blotches on its back between the dorsal and caudal fins. Largely nocturnal and gregarious, it is best kept in a group of at least four.

The red barracuda tetra, Acestrorhynchus altus, is a predatory acestrorhynchid that may be restricted to the lower Amazon in Brazil. A member of the A. lacustris group, it has a round humeral spot and is virtually impossible to tell from its relatives in the trade unless collection data is known. An obligate piscivore of open water, it is best kept in a group of four or more of comparable size, since acestrorhynchids are cannibalistic.

The red-tailed freshwater barracuda, Acestrorhynchus falcatus, is a predatory acestrorhynchid from the northern Amazon and Orinoco basins. It also occurs in coastal rivers of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. Its large humeral spot, shaped like an inverted tear drop, separates it from other Acestrorhynchus. Reaching 250 to 275 mm, it needs plenty of open water, and a group must be of comparable size because acestrorhynchids are cannibalistic.

The big-eyed cachorro, Acestrorhynchus falcirostris, is a large predatory acestrorhynchid from northern Amazon drainages and the Orinoco. The two dark body stripes of the A. nasutus group appear only in its juveniles, and at 320 to 350 mm SL it grows far larger than the other members. A black fringe to the rear of the operculum gives it a 'collared' look. It needs open water, and a group must be of comparable size because acestrorhynchids are cannibalistic.

The striped barracuda tetra, Acestrorhynchus isalineae, is a small predatory acestrorhynchid from the rio Madeira basin in the Brazilian Amazon. Most records come from the type locality, a tributary of the rio dos Marmelos. Like others in the A. nasutus group it keeps two dark longitudinal stripes into adulthood and stays around 100 mm. Acestrorhynchids are cannibalistic given the opportunity, so a group must be of comparable size.

The pike tetra, Acestrorhynchus microlepis, is a predatory acestrorhynchid from northern Amazon drainages and the Orinoco. It also occurs in coastal rivers of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. A member of the A. microlepis group, it has a small blackish spot behind the gill cover and is separable from the very similar A. grandoculis only by counts. It tends to take smaller prey such as tetras, and acestrorhynchids are cannibalistic, so a group must be of comparable size.

The Pantanal barracuda tetra, Acestrorhynchus pantaneiro, is a predatory acestrorhynchid from the Paraná, Uruguay and de la Plata basins. It also occurs in the rio Mamoré in Bolivia. A member of the A. lacustris group with a round humeral spot, it is virtually impossible to tell from its relatives in the trade unless collection data is known. It lives in open water, and a group must be of comparable size because acestrorhynchids are cannibalistic.

The sheep pacu, Acnodon normani, is a serrasalmid from Brazil, possibly restricted to the Xingu and Tocantins watersheds of the Amazon basin. Also known in the trade as 'tiger pacu', it is often said to be a frugivore or herbivore, but aquarium observations suggest it also feeds on the scales of other fishes. That makes it unsuitable for the community aquarium, although it does not seem to target much smaller species.

The spotted talking catfish, Agamyxis pectinifrons, is a doradid catfish from the Amazon basin in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Peru. Very common in the trade, it is hardy and relatively long-lived, and recommended to beginners and experienced aquarists alike despite its adult size. It closely resembles A. albomaculatus, known only from the Río Orinoco drainage in Venezuela, and the two are probably sold under the same trade names.

The manduba, Ageneiosus inermis, is a large auchenipterid catfish found throughout much of South America east of the Andes. At around 470 mm SL it would need an aquarium in excess of 400 x 120 cm as an adult and is largely unsuitable for private aquaria. An obligate carnivore, it can take surprisingly large prey, and the larger Ageneiosus species are often used as food fishes in their native countries.

The bottlenose catfish, Ageneiosus marmoratus, is a predatory auchenipterid catfish from Guyana, Suriname and the upper Amazon in Peru and Ecuador. Also sold as 'Guyana slopehead', 'dolphin' or 'hammerhead' catfish, it loses much of its black-blotched juvenile patterning as it grows. Surprisingly peaceful with anything too large to swallow, it is active and sometimes skittish, and needs a tank of at least 150 x 60 cm.

The duck catfish, Ageneiosus ucayalensis, is an auchenipterid catfish described from Peru and recorded across the Amazon, Orinoco and Guianas. Body patterning apparently varies with locality, and fish from black water habitats, particularly on the Guiana Shield, tend to be darker. Growing to around 290 mm SL and capable of taking large prey, it is safe only with similarly sized catfishes or large pelagic characins, mostly a combination for public aquaria.

The four-eyed fish, Anableps anableps, is a viviparous fish of brackish mangrove coasts in north-eastern South America, from Venezuela to Brazil. Each eye is split horizontally, with two corneas and two pupils, so it can see above and below the water at the same time. It moves in and out with the tides, and in aquaria it needs brackish water, shallow depth and a large surface area, with a group of at least six in a tank no smaller than 150 x 45 cm.

Ancistrus claro, the gold marble bristlenose catfish (LDA 008), is a suckermouth catfish from the rios Claro and Coxipó in Mato Grosso, Brazil. It inhabits flowing streams over boulders and bedrock. Sometimes confused with unidentified fishes such as A. sp. 'L352', it has long maxillary barbels and small spots on the head, with vermiform lines on the body in males and spots all over in females. A peaceful cave-spawner, it has been bred in aquaria on numerous occasions.

Ancistrus dolichopterus, the starlight ancistrus (L183), is a bristlenose catfish most likely endemic to the middle and lower rio Negro, Brazil. It inhabits blackwater streams. The name has been used for the common bristlenose and other similar species, while this fish has been called A. hoplogenys, and much of the literature confuses them. It differs from all congeners in having 9 soft dorsal-fin rays, and is territorial with conspecifics and similarly-shaped species.

Ancistrus ranunculus, the medusa pleco (L034), is a wide-headed, flattened suckermouth catfish from the rio Xingu and rio Tocantins basins in Brazil. It lives among rocks in shallow, fast-flowing water, needs well-oxygenated water with plenty of movement and a protein-rich diet, and is often in poor condition after import. Juveniles carry light spots like the similarly shaped L255, but in A. ranunculus these fade as the fish matures.

L255, the spotted medusa plec, is a wide-headed, flattened Ancistrus known only from the middle rio Xingu basin in Pará state, Brazil. It lives among rocks in shallow, fast-flowing water, needs well-oxygenated water with plenty of movement and a protein-rich diet, and is often in poor condition after import. It resembles A. ranunculus, but keeps its light body markings throughout life, whereas those of A. ranunculus fade as the fish matures.

The striped headstander, Anostomus anostomus, is an anostomid from the Amazon and Orinoco river systems in Peru, Brazil, Venezuela and Guyana. It lives along rocky shores of fast-flowing rivers, grazing algae and small invertebrates from the rocks. Although it shoals in nature, it is very quarrelsome with conspecifics when only a few are kept, so it is best kept singly or in a group of 6 or more in a larger tank.

The gold-striped headstander, Anostomus ternetzi, is an anostomid from the Río Orinoco system and coastal Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. It lives in rocky areas at the edge of fast-flowing rivers and streams, grazing algae and small invertebrates. Like A. anostomus, it is quarrelsome with conspecifics when only a few are kept. Its distribution in Brazil is unclear, with patchy records from the Araguaia and Xingu basins.

The bloodfin tetra, Aphyocharax anisitsi, is a characid endemic to the Paraná River drainage in Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. A hardy species that adapts to a wide range of conditions, it can even be kept unheated in a well-insulated house, though it is less colourful in cooler water. Captive specimens over ten years old are not unheard of. It may nip long-finned or slow-moving tankmates, and the tank needs a tight cover as it will jump.

The dawn tetra, Aphyocharax nattereri, is a small characid from southern Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. In the hobby it is usually called A. paraguayensis, a name considered a synonym of A. nattereri since 2003. Confusion remains, because the type locality of A. nattereri lies on the main Amazon channel, far from most confirmed localities. It is most often imported as a contaminant among shipments of other species.

The green fire tetra, or Rathbun's bloodfin, Aphyocharax rathbuni, is a characid endemic to the Paraguay, Paraná and Uruguay river drainages. It is found in Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay, in streams and rivers shaded by floating or overhanging vegetation. Although suitable for a community aquarium, it has a reputation as a fin-nipper, and long-finned species such as many cichlids and anabantoids should be avoided as tankmates.

Apistogramma agassizii is a dwarf cichlid found through much of the Amazon/Solimões basin, from the Río Ucayali in Peru to the Capim River in Brazil. Colour and pattern vary considerably with locality, and numerous ornamental forms have been selectively bred for the trade. It inhabits slower-moving tributaries and creeks where leaf litter collects. Captive-raised fish suit the community aquarium, while wild fish are best kept alone or with small dither fishes.

The two-striped dwarf cichlid, Apistogramma bitaeniata, ranges across the Peruvian, Colombian and Brazilian Amazon, from the Marañón to the Tapajós. Also known as the banded dwarf cichlid, it occurs in several colour forms depending on locality, loosely grouped as 'red', 'blue', 'orange' and 'yellow' in the hobby. Many locality names are in use for these forms, and several are regularly applied incorrectly.

Borelli's dwarf cichlid, Apistogramma borellii, is from southern Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay. Also known as the umbrella or yellow dwarf cichlid, it occurs in creeks and tributaries of the rio Paraguay, lower rio Paraná and Uruguay systems. Captive-raised fish are the recommended choice for the community aquarium, while wild examples are best kept alone or with small dither fishes.

Apistogramma brevis is a dwarf cichlid from the Rio Uaupés basin in far northwestern Brazil and the Rio Tiquié in southern Colombia. It has also been recorded in the upper Rio Negro and Rio Orinoco, and inhabits slow-moving blackwater streams where the pH can drop as low as 4.0 or 5.0. Coded A168, it is the type species of the A. brevis group, and breeding is not too difficult if very soft, acidic water can be provided.

The cockatoo cichlid, Apistogramma cacatuoides, is a small cichlid from the upper Amazon basin, from the Ucayali in Peru to the Solimões in Brazil. It lives in slow tributaries, backwaters and creeks where leaf litter collects. Numerous line-bred forms such as 'double red' and 'orange flash' are traded, and captive-raised fish suit a community aquarium, while wild fish are best kept alone or with small dither fishes.

The Corumbá dwarf cichlid, Apistogramma commbrae, is widespread in the Paraguay River watershed of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay. One of the smallest members of the genus, it is told apart with the rest of the A. commbrae complex by a conspicuous double caudal peduncle spot. Its habitats cool seasonally to as low as 16 °C, and it should be kept cooler over winter.

Apistogramma elizabethae is a dwarf cichlid from the rio Uaupés and adjacent rio Içana, both tributaries of the upper rio Negro in Brazil. Coded A208, it is among the more sought-after Apistogramma in the hobby. Içana fish tend to have more blue on the head than those from the Uaupés, a reddish population is traded as A. elizabethae 'super red', and none of the forms should be mixed in aquaria.

Apistogramma eunotus is a dwarf cichlid from the Río Ucayali in Peru and the Solimões/Amazon in Colombia and Brazil, as far east as the Japurá. Coded A73 under the DATZ system, it has similar-looking, possibly conspecific populations referred to as A74 to A77 depending on locality. It inhabits slow-moving streams, creeks and tributaries, and captive-raised fish are the recommended choice for the community aquarium.

The blackline apisto, Apistogramma gibbiceps, is a dwarf cichlid from the Rio Branco and middle Rio Negro basins in Brazil. It is identified by a row of short dark marks low on the flank below the lateral band, which show most clearly on a settled fish. Meinken's type series held three species, and A. roraimae from the Rio Branco has been treated as a synonym since 2003.

Apistogramma sp. 'breitbinden' is an undescribed dwarf cichlid from the upper Rio Negro in Brazil, the Venezuelan Orinoco and the Inirida in Colombia. The German name means 'broad-banded' and refers to the uniformly broad suborbital stripe of males. Known in the hobby for several decades, it is often imported as bycatch among shipments of wild-collected A. iniridae, and some populations carry the DATZ codes A164, A165 and A167.

The three-striped apisto, Apistogramma trifasciata, is a dwarf cichlid from the Guaporé, Paraguay and middle Paraná basins. Found in Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, it lives in sluggish creeks, tributaries and smaller rivers where leaf litter collects. A narrow third stripe from the pectoral-fin insertion to the anal fin helps separate it from congeners. The DATZ code is A204, with possibly conspecific forms from Argentina and the rio Guaporé coded A205 and A206.

The black ghost knifefish, Apteronotus albifrons, is a weakly electric knifefish from the upper half of South America, from Colombia to Paraguay. Usually sold at around 4 inches, it grows to 50 cm and needs a long-term housing plan. Its eyesight is very poor, and it navigates, finds prey and communicates using a weak electric field. In the wild it lives in swiftly flowing streams and rivers over sand.

Aspidoras pauciradiatus is a small armoured catfish that appears restricted to the upper Araguaia basin in Goiás state, Brazil. Sometimes called the 'false corydoras' or 'sixray corydoras', it has 6 soft dorsal-fin rays against 7 in other Aspidoras, plus a distinctive colour pattern. Aspidoras are told from the very similar Corydoras mainly by having two cranial fontanels.

Aspidoras spilotus (C125) is a small armoured catfish restricted to coastal river drainages in Ceará state, northeastern Brazil. A peaceful, schooling species, it grows to around 45 mm SL.

Aspidoras taurus is a small armoured catfish known only from the upper Itiquira and Taquari rivers, in the rio Paraguay system of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Relatively common in the aquarium trade, it is sometimes mislabelled as A. menezesi, a valid but distinct species. Thick skin covering the infraorbitals, preopercle and reduced nuchal plate separates it from congeners.

The gulper catfish, Asterophysus batrachus, is a predatory auchenipterid catfish from the rio Negro in Brazil and the Orinoco in Venezuela. Also called the 'ogre catfish', it hunts in shallow blackwater tributaries, mostly at night. It can consume fishes almost twice its own size and is not recommended for the community aquarium.

The oscar, Astronotus ocellatus, is a large cichlid widely distributed in the Amazon region, recorded from Colombia and Venezuela south to Argentina. It grows to 350 mm SL and typically lives 10 to 20 years, both of which need taking into account before purchase. Most fish on sale come from commercial breeders in Eastern Europe or the Far East, in numerous ornamental strains, and genetic analyses suggest the genus contains additional, morphologically cryptic species.

The two spot astyanax, Astyanax bimaculatus, is a characid ranging from Panama through most of the Amazon and Orinoco basins. It lives in a wide variety of biotopes, from swiftly-flowing rivers and streams to ponds, ditches and reservoirs. The name is currently applied to what is considered a species complex of at least four taxa, and aquarium fish most often arrive as contaminants among shipments of other species.

Leopold's tetra, Astyanax leopoldi, is a characid native to the Approuague and Oyapock river basins in French Guiana and Brazil. It is most common in fast-flowing waters, where it swims in large shoals in marginal or calmer areas. Like most Astyanax, it is rarely offered for sale.

The midnight catfish, Auchenipterichthys coracoideus, is an auchenipterid catfish from the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon and the Essequibo drainage. Also known as the 'Zamora woodcat', it has often been misidentified as A. thoracatus, and the two differ principally in anal-fin ray count. By day it shelters among submerged roots, tree stumps or vegetation in turbid rivers and flooded areas, emerging to feed in open water at night.

Axelrodia stigmatias is a tiny characid from the western Amazon region in Brazil and Peru, sometimes traded as the 'white star' or 'pepper' tetra. It resembles A. riesei but has a more elongate body and is silvery yellow in life where that species is red. It is said to inhabit blackwater environments, and given its small size and somewhat specialised requirements it is best kept alone or with diminutive, non-aggressive characids and small catfishes.

Balroglanis macracanthus is a small driftwood catfish endemic to the upper rio Negro system in Brazil. Poorly known but occasionally available in the aquarium hobby, it shelters among submerged wood by day and forages at night. Like other auchenipterids it practises internal insemination, and females can carry eggs and sperm packets until conditions trigger fertilisation.

The glass tetra, Bario oligolepis, is a characin from northern South America, with populations in Venezuela, the Guianas, Peru and Brazil. One of a handful of species that closely resemble the red-eye tetra, it is seen much less often in the hobby and is also known as the glassy tetra. It inhabits slow-moving rivers, tributaries and floodplain lakes. Very peaceful, it does not compete well with boisterous or much larger tankmates.

The red-eye tetra, Bario sanctaefilomenae, is a characin from Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, living mostly in clear rivers that feed the Pantanal. All fish in the trade are captive-bred in huge numbers and are unfussy about water chemistry and diet. Somewhat boisterous, it suits a community of active tankmates such as similarly sized tetras, rainbowfish and barbs, and can intimidate sedate species such as anabantoids or dwarf cichlids.

The mango pleco, Baryancistrus chrysolomus, traded as L047, is a loricariid endemic to the rio Xingu basin in Pará state, Brazil. A broad, usually yellowish band along the edges of the dorsal and caudal fins throughout life separates it from B. xanthellus, whose bands shrink to tips in adults. It grows to around 220 mm SL, and males in particular become highly intolerant of conspecifics as they age.

Traded as the gold nugget pleco, Baryancistrus sp. cf. xanthellus (L081) is a suckermouth catfish from the rio Xingu watershed in Pará state, Brazil. Whether it is a colour form of B. xanthellus is unconfirmed, since L081 is not mentioned in that species' description. Its body spots are noticeably smaller, and a very finely spotted form from São Félix do Xingu has been called 'L081n' or 'L081 stardust'. Conflicting reports exist as to where in the Xingu it is collected.

The big white spot pleco, Baryancistrus sp. L142, is an undescribed suckermouth catfish from the rio Tapajós in Pará state, Brazil. It appears restricted to a short stretch of the river between Itaituba and Pimenta, in shallow, fast-flowing, warm water. The species is also traded as 'snowball pleco', a name first applied to Hypancistrus inspector and now used for several similar white- or yellow-spotted fishes. Males become highly intolerant of conspecifics as they age.

The gold nugget pleco, Baryancistrus xanthellus, is a suckermouth catfish endemic to the rio Xingu basin in Pará state, Brazil. It lives in whitewater rapids in the Volta Grande do rio Xingu, between Belo Monte falls and the mouth of the rio Iriri. Before its description it was traded as L018, L085, L177 and LDA060, and the similar L081 may represent a form of the same species. Males become highly intolerant of conspecifics as they age.

The cupid cichlid, Biotodoma cupido, is a geophagine cichlid from much of the Amazon basin, north to the Essequibo in Guyana and south to Bolivia. Also traded as the 'green-streaked eartheater', it varies in colour pattern and shape by locality, and most traded fish come from around Santarém in Pará state. Unless breeding it is surprisingly peaceful. Its relatively compact body and a dark flank blotch above the upper lateral line separate it from B. wavrini.

The Orinoco eartheater, Biotodoma wavrini, is a geophagine cichlid from the Orinoco and rio Negro basins of Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil. One natural habitat is the Río Cinaruco, a low-nutrient blackwater tributary of the Orinoco. It can be told from B. cupido by its noticeably elongate body and a dark flank blotch on or below the upper lateral line. Unless breeding it is surprisingly peaceful, and trade populations include 'Cuao', 'Orinoco', 'San Antonio' and 'Sipapo Ventuari'.

Biotoecus opercularis is a small geophagine cichlid from the middle Amazon basin in Brazil, including the lower Madeira, Tapajós and Negro. It favours shallow, slow-flowing water over sand with leaf litter and submerged wood, often stained with tannins. Several populations are traded, among them B. sp. 'rio Negro' from the rio Jauaperi and B. sp. 'Santarém' or 'Tapajós', though no scientific evidence shows them to be more than one species. It should not be mixed with other Biotoecus species or populations.

The striped pike 'characin', Boulengerella lateristriga, is a ctenoluciid from the rio Negro basin and parts of the upper Río Orinoco. It appears limited to black water rivers and tributaries, where the water is stained darkly with humic acids and the pH can be as low as 3.0 or 4.0. A thin dark stripe from the rear of the eye to the caudal peduncle and dark crossbars on the caudal-fin lobes separate it from the similar B. maculata. It grows to 258 mm SL.

Boulengerella maculata is a pelagic ctenoluciid found throughout much of the Amazon, Orinoco and Tocantins river systems. Colour pattern varies considerably, with some specimens much paler than others, and this may be correlated with water type. Random dark spots on the upper body, and a dark stripe only behind the eye when one is present, separate it from the similar B. lateristriga. It reaches 329 mm SL and needs an aquarium with base dimensions of 240 by 90 cm or more.

The discus tetra, Brachychalcinus orbicularis, is a deep-bodied characid generally considered endemic to coastal watersheds of Guyana and Suriname. Recent records suggest it, or a similar congener, may also occur in the Orinoco and Negro drainages. The genus is often referred to collectively as 'silver dollar tetras', and although B. orbicularis is normally said to be the species in the trade, identification is challenging.

The zebra shovelnose, Brachyplatystoma tigrinum, is a pimelodid catfish from the upper Amazon basin in Brazil, Colombia and Peru. Adults appear to be obligate inhabitants of main river channels with strong flow, often around cataracts and rapids, and most aquarium fish are juveniles collected around Iquitos in Peru. It is sometimes confused with B. juruense, especially when young, but has a more well-defined colour pattern, a slenderer body and longer barbels.

Brachyrhamdia meesi is a small heptapterid catfish described from near Belém, at the mouth of the Amazon in Brazil. Its precise distribution is unclear, with one record from the Río Madre de Dios basin in Peru. Rare in the hobby, it is normally imported as bycatch among other fishes, particularly Otocinclus, and juveniles may mimic Otocinclus or smaller Corydoras. A dark vertical bar through the eye separates it from the similar B. marthae.

The false adolfoi, Brachyrhamdia rambarrani, is a heptapterid catfish from the Rio Unini, a blackwater tributary of the lower rio Negro in Brazil. It occurs with, and mimics, Hoplisoma davidsandsi, sharing its basic colour pattern, while the common name comes from its resemblance to H. adolfoi. Rarely seen in the trade, it tends to turn up as a contaminant among shipments of other species.

Brochis condiscipulus, long known as Corydoras condiscipulus, is an armoured catfish native to the Oyapock (Oiapoque) river system in French Guiana and Amapá state, Brazil. It often occurs alongside the similar-looking Hoplisoma oiapoquense, from which it differs in its larger adult size, narrower body, shorter pectoral spine and longer snout.

The mosaic cory, Brochis haraldschultzi, long known as Corydoras haraldschultzi, is an armoured catfish endemic to the rio Guaporé (Río Iténez) in northeastern Bolivia and western Brazil. It resembles Hoplisoma sterbai but has a more extended snout and grows larger, to 85 mm SL. Its head carries dark vermiculations and spots on a light background, where H. sterbai has light markings on dark. The type locality was once modified to the rio Tocantins, well over 1000 km away, but the original Guaporé locality appears to be correct.

The imitator cory, Brochis imitator, long known as Corydoras imitator, is an armoured catfish endemic to the upper rio Negro basin in northern Brazil and southern Venezuela. It is one of several rio Negro congeners with an oblique dark bar along the dorsal surface of the body, a group that includes Hoplisoma adolfoi, H. burgessi and H. duplicareum. It inhabits pristine blackwater tributaries and flooded forest with tea-coloured water, very little hardness and a pH of 4.0-6.0.

Brochis incolicana (C001), long known as Corydoras incolicana, is an armoured catfish from the rio Içana in the upper rio Negro basin, northern Brazil. It presumably also occurs in eastern Colombia, where the Içana forms the border. The first fish to receive a 'C' number, in 1993, it was described the same year in a hobbyist magazine and is difficult to identify accurately. The colour pattern is said to be extremely variable, but the dark bar through the eye and the dark marking at the dorsal-fin base are apparently consistent.

The leopard cory, Brochis leopardus, long known as Corydoras leopardus, is a spotted armoured catfish from the western Amazon basin in Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Brazil. It looks very like Hoplisoma julii and H. trilineatum, but has a longer, more pointed snout and grows larger. Dias et al. (2024) moved it to the genus Brochis and put the two lookalikes in Hoplisoma, so the resemblance does not reflect a close relationship. The type specimens were aquarium imports.

Brochis pinheiroi, long known as Corydoras pinheiroi, is an armoured catfish from Rondônia, Brazil, with a pattern similar to that of Hoplisoma sterbai. It lacks the orange pectoral spines of that species and is rare in the hobby. Like other corys it is peaceful, should be kept in a group of at least six, and needs well-oxygenated water and a clean substrate.

The millennium cory, Brochis spectabilis, long known as Corydoras spectabilis, is an armoured catfish from the Guaporé River basin in Brazil. The name comes from its being the first catfish species described in 2000, although the description appeared in late 1999 in a journal dated January 2000. Gastrodermus guapore, C. ourastigma, Hoplisoma simile and H. caudimaculatum can be confused with it, but B. spectabilis has spotted patterning on the body and a caudal spot with a well-defined edge.

The emerald 'brochis', Brochis splendens, long known as Corydoras splendens, is an armoured catfish recorded throughout much of the Amazon basin in Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. It is sometimes called the 'common brochis', and juveniles are sometimes traded as 'hi-fin cory' for their enlarged dorsal fin. Its 10 to 12 dorsal-fin rays separate it from B. britskii and B. multiradiata, the other two species long kept in Brochis, and certain populations are thought likely to represent distinct species.

The banjo catfish, Bunocephalus coracoideus, is an aspredinid catfish from Bolivia, Peru and Brazil. The most common member of its genus in dealers' tanks, it inhabits forest streams, lakes and ponds with a lot of leaf litter and is camouflaged to resemble a dead leaf. Largely inactive and secretive, it becomes active only after dark, and like other aspredinids it occasionally sheds its skin.

The blackwing hatchetfish, Carnegiella marthae, is a small freshwater hatchetfish from the upper Orinoco in Venezuela and the rio Negro in Brazil. It appears to be a stenotypic inhabitant of blackwater, found in igapó and igarapé habitats with overhanging vegetation and leaf litter. Very peaceful but small and timid, it is best kept in a group of 10 or more with similarly sized, peaceful fishes.

The marbled hatchetfish, Carnegiella strigata, is a hatchetfish from the Amazon and Orinoco basins and coastal rivers of Guyana and Suriname. Popular in the hobby, it is collected for the trade mostly in the rio Negro basin in Brazil. Its larger size and dark, marbled pattern set it apart from congeners, though the pattern varies and the wide range may be open to question. It appears to live only in blackwater.

The wimpel piranha, Catoprion mento, is a scale-eating fish from Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil and Bolivia. Though not a true piranha, it resembles them and is quite closely related to Pygocentrus species. The common name comes from the German 'Wimpel' (banner), after the extensions to the leading dorsal-fin rays in mature fish. Adults are best housed alone, and it is sensitive to poor water quality and to swings in chemistry.

The reticulated driftwood catfish, Centromochlus reticulatus, is a small auchenipterid first known from the upper Rupununi River basin in Guyana. Its secretive, mostly nocturnal habits mean it may have been overlooked elsewhere, and it has been recorded from the rio Preto da Eva near Manaus, Brazil. Sometimes traded as 'purple oil catfish', it is highly gregarious and ideally kept in groups of at least eight.

The blue whale catfish, Cetopsis coecutiens, is a cetopsid catfish from the Amazon, Tocantins and Orinoco river basins. In the wild it swims in voracious feeding groups, homing in on weakened fish by smell and burrowing into prey. It will bite chunks out of tankmates much bigger than itself, so it is best kept alone, and at up to 26.5 cm it needs a large tank with strong water flow and dim lighting.

The tucanfish, Chalceus erythrurus, is a large characin from parts of the Amazon basin in Peru and Brazil. It lives in the surface waters of floodplain rivers and lakes. The red or yellow caudal fin separates it from the pink-tailed C. macrolepidotus. Fast and a renowned jumper, it needs a lot of swimming space and a well-fitting cover, and it does best singly or in a group of more than six.

The small-scale glass tetra, Charax condei, is a characin known only from the Rio Negro basin, Brazil, where it inhabits blackwater streams. Rarely seen, it occasionally shows up in the trade as a contaminant among shipments of more popular species, and older literature sometimes calls it Asiphonichthys condei. A micropredator, it threatens much smaller tankmates and should be kept in a group of at least six.

The spotted headstander, Chilodus punctatus, is a headstander from much of the Amazon, the western Orinoco and coastal rivers of Guyana and Suriname. Also called the 'checkered headstander', it lives in slow-moving rivers, oxbows and floodplain lakes, and its colour pattern appears to vary with locality. Shy and peaceful, it is sensitive to dissolved organic wastes and should never be introduced to a biologically-immature aquarium.

The Amazon puffer, Colomesus asellus, is a freshwater puffer found throughout much of the Amazon basin, with records north to Guyana and Venezuela. Also traded as the South American puffer or 'SAP', it is told from congeners by a transverse row of dermal flaps across the chin. It lives mostly in well-oxygenated river habitats, is intolerant of organic waste, and forms loose aggregations, so a group of 6 or more is best, away from the general community.

The banded puffer, Colomesus psittacus, is a large puffer of coastal waters from Colombia and Venezuela through the Guianas to northeastern Brazil. It also occurs in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean islands, and inhabits mangrove swamps, estuaries and the lower reaches of rivers. Growing to 290 mm SL, it is the largest of its genus and has six dark bands across the back. Likely to prove aggressive in all but the largest systems, it is not a popular aquarium fish.

The black pacu, Colossoma macropomum, is a very large serrasalmid from the Orinoco and Amazon basins in Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil. Known as the tambaqui in its native countries, it is the second largest scaled fish in the Amazon basin and easily capable of reaching 60 cm in captivity. It is regularly sold as a small juvenile, and releases of outgrown fish have led many wildlife authorities in the US to ban its sale. Wild stocks suffer from gross overfishing in many of its native waters.

The red-spotted tetra, Copeina guttata, is a lebiasinid from the middle and upper Amazon basin in Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. Reaching 76 mm, it needs a tank of at least 120 x 30 cm. The eggs are apparently deposited in a shallow depression dug in the substrate and guarded by the male. Like many fishes from pristine environments it is intolerant of organic pollutants and requires spotless water.

The splash tetra, Copella arnoldi, is a lebiasinid from the lower Amazon basin in Brazil and coastal drainages of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. It spawns out of the water: a pair leap together onto overhanging vegetation and cling there while the eggs are laid. Zarske (2011) treats the Guianas populations as C. carsevennensis, restricting C. arnoldi sensu stricto to the lower Amazon, though Mol (2012) considers the two synonymous.

Copella callolepis is a small lebiasinid from the central Amazon region of Brazil, where all recent records come from. It is quite common in the aquarium trade but normally misidentified as C. nattereri or the very similar C. meinkeni. It lacks the dark lateral stripe of C. nattereri, and differs from C. meinkeni in a black triangular marking in the lower caudal-fin lobe and blue-black to dark brownish-red spots.

Copella carsevennensis is a small lebiasinid from coastal river systems in Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and Amapá state, Brazil. It appears in the trade from time to time among wild-caught fishes from the Guianas. Zarske (2011) separated it from C. arnoldi, partly because it lays its eggs among submerged vegetation and not out of the water, though Mol (2012) considers the two synonymous.

The spotted splashing tetra, Copella meinkeni, is a small lebiasinid from the central Amazon region, with most records from the rio Negro and Orinoco. It has been widely referred to as C. nattereri in aquarium literature, but lacks that species' dark lateral stripe and has 5-6 rows of bright red spots on the body. The similar C. callolepis is also traded. It inhabits forest streams with tea-coloured water and lays its eggs among vegetation.

Copella nattereri is a small lebiasinid widespread in the middle and upper Amazon drainage in Peru and Brazil. It is sometimes traded as C. sp. 'red line', 'spotted tetra' or C. nigrofasciata, and its name was long applied to C. callolepis and C. meinkeni. Of the three it alone has a dark lateral stripe, and it has no more than three rows of red spots on the flanks. It inhabits forest streams and flooded forest.

Fowler's cory, Corydoras fowleri, is a long-snouted armoured catfish from the Amazon basin in Peru. Also known as the 'huanta cory' and 'milegros cory', it is often confused with C. coriatae and C. semiaquilus, and aquarium fish are regularly misidentified. Most long-snouted cories grow larger and are more aggressive than other Corydoras, and this one is suitable only for larger community aquaria.

The Peru black cory, Corydoras semiaquilis, is a long-nosed armoured catfish from the western Amazon basin in Peru and Brazil. A few colour forms are available in the trade, sometimes under invalid names such as C. 'huanta' or C. 'milagros'. Males can be somewhat aggressive towards one another, although with sufficient space no real damage should occur, and a group of at least six is best.

Crenicara latruncularium is a South American cichlid from the Rio Guaporé in western Brazil and the Rio Mamoré in Bolivia. Fairly peaceful unless a pair is breeding, it can be kept with tetras, rasboras, small catfish and other small peaceful fish. Spawning takes place in a cave, and the female guards it and will drive away any fish that come near, including the male.

The sailfin characin, Crenuchus spilurus, is a crenuchid from much of the Amazon and Orinoco drainages and coastal rivers of the Guianas. The only described member of its genus, it varies considerably in colour pattern and morphology across that range. It lives in tea-stained forest streams, and its timid, predominantly benthic nature means it does not always make an ideal community fish. Males guard eggs laid on the roof of a small cave, often formed from leaf litter.

Cynodon gibbus is a cynodontid from much of the Amazon basin, the middle and lower Orinoco, and the Rupununi River in Guyana. A pelagic fish of main river channels and larger tributaries, it grows to around 280 mm SL. It is rare in the trade but arguably more suitable for the home aquarium than some of its better-known relatives, given its size and relatively docile behaviour. Being easily dominated, it is best kept alone or with similarly sized, non-aggressive fishes.

The spadetailed checkerboard cichlid, Dicrossus maculatus, is a cichlid from the Rio Tapajós, Rio Maués and nearby areas of the Brazilian Amazon. Not commonly available in the trade, it is sometimes mistaken for D. filamentosus. A challenge to breed, it needs extremely acidic, very soft water for the eggs to hatch, and a brooding female herds her fry around the tank with signals from her ventral fins.

The bucktooth tetra, Exodon paradoxus, is a scale-ripping characin widespread in the Brazilian Amazon. The only member of its genus, it has teeth that allow it to tear scales from other fishes. It will relentlessly attack silver-coloured or shiny tankmates, even larger predators, so it is best kept as a large shoal in a species setup. Scaleless and non-reflective fish are generally left alone.

The silver hatchetfish (Gasteropelecus levis) is a freshwater hatchetfish found only in the lower Amazon basin in the state of Pará, Brazil. It spends almost all of its time at or just below the surface, and can leap from the water and glide for several metres to catch flying insects or escape predators. It lives in open water of larger igarapés, streams and floodplain lakes.

The common hatchetfish (Gasteropelecus sternicla) is a freshwater hatchetfish from South America, described from Suriname. Its distribution is questionable, with records from the middle Amazon, Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana and the Río Paraguay basin. It spends almost all of its time at or just below the surface. The most frequently seen of the silver hatchetfishes, it is peaceful but nervous and shy.

Gastrodermus gracilis, long known as Corydoras gracilis, is a small armoured catfish from the central Amazon basin in Brazil, known from the rio Juriti in Pará to the rio Juma in Amazonas. Sometimes called 'shy cory' in the hobby, it has a lightish body with a dark arched stripe along the upper flank, a pattern shared with Brochis arcuata, C. narcissus and Hoplisoma urucu. Only in G. gracilis does the stripe end at the base of the upper caudal-fin rays. It apparently favours minor tributaries with dense riparian vegetation and acidic, tannin-stained water.

The Guaporé cory, Gastrodermus guapore, long known as Corydoras guapore, is an armoured catfish endemic to the rio Guaporé (Río Iténez) in northeastern Bolivia and western Brazil. Unlike most congeners it forms aggregations in midwater and spends much of its time away from the substrate, with a large eye, a more terminal mouth and a strongly forked caudal fin to match. It partly feeds on pelagic zooplankton, so live Daphnia and Artemia belong in its diet. Similar species such as Hoplisoma simile lack these adaptations.

The tail-spot pygmy cory, Gastrodermus hastatus, long known as Corydoras hastatus, is a tiny armoured catfish with a wide range across the Amazon and Río Paraguay basins. It is known from Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and northeastern Argentina. Unlike most congeners it swims in midwater, forming mixed schools with similarly patterned small characids such as Serrapinnus kriegi. It is frequently confused with G. pygmaeus, but has a dark, roughly diamond-shaped spot on the caudal peduncle where G. pygmaeus has a dark lateral stripe.

Geophagus abalios is a cichlid from black and clear water tributaries of the río Orinoco in Venezuela, across the Llanos and south to the Casiquiare. One of the more commonly-traded members of the genus, it is rarely sold under the correct name and usually misidentified as G. altifrons or G. surinamensis. Juveniles are available cheaply because it is one of the few Geophagus bred commercially. Vertically split anterior flank bars separate it from the very similar G. brokopondo.

Geophagus altifrons is a large cichlid from the middle-to-lower Amazon basin in Brazil, including the Xingu, Tapajós, Madeira, Negro and Purus. Despite being the type species it is among the most frequently-misidentified members of the genus, partly because populations from the Orinoco, the Guianas and the Tocantins are now species in their own right. In adults the dark midlateral marking is reduced to 1-2 scales or absent, a feature unique to the species, but juveniles are very difficult to identify.

Geophagus argyrostictus is a cichlid known only from the rio Xingu system in Brazil, including its major tributary the rio Iriri. It belongs to the five species outside the G. surinamensis group, all with a complete infraorbital stripe, and fish over 70 to 80 mm SL develop silvery reflective scales on the anterior flanks. Markedly more aggressive than most congeners, it is a substrate-spawner and does best in a group of 5-8.

The pearl cichlid, Geophagus brasiliensis, comes from Atlantic-draining river systems of eastern and southern Brazil and Uruguay. It belongs to the 'G.' brasiliensis group, which still needs definitive classification. Colour and body shape vary with locality, and some coastal lagoon populations have evolved a degree of salt tolerance. Fish sold as Gymnogeophagus australis in Europe are more often this species, and non-native populations exist in several countries.

The Oiapoque eartheater, Geophagus camopiensis, is a cichlid from the Oyapock basin on the Brazil and French Guiana border and the Approuague. Poorly known in the hobby, it is occasionally available through specialist breeders and retailers. A low E1 scale count and usually seven anal-fin rays are shared only with G. parnaibae, which may indicate a close relationship. A larger lateral marking and light caudal-fin spots separate the two.

Geophagus iporangensis is a cichlid known only from the rio Ribeira de Iguapé basin, on the border of São Paulo and Paraná states in southern Brazil. A member of the 'G.' brasiliensis group, it reaches 90 to 100 mm, a more manageable size than some related species. Juveniles are readily confused with others in the group, but adults are smaller with comparatively few reflective blue scales. It is not common in the aquarium hobby.

Geophagus megasema is a cichlid from the upper rio Madeira basin, recorded from the Mamoré and Guaporé drainages in Bolivia and Brazil. Very rare in the aquarium hobby, it has been collected, bred and distributed by some private collectors. It has no dark preopercular or infraorbital markings, no bars on the flanks and a relatively large, roundish midlateral marking.

Geophagus neambi is a cichlid from the mid-to-upper rio Tocantins in Brazil, to which it may be endemic. It was in the hobby several years before it was described, traded as G. sp. aff. altifrons 'Tocantins', G. sp. 'Tocantins' or G. sp. 'rio Areoes', and aquarium fish are apparently collected in the rio Das Mortes basin. The 8-9 flank bars are normally visible only when the fish are stressed or spawning.

Geophagus parnaibae is a comparatively small cichlid endemic to the rio Parnaíba drainage in Piauí and Maranhão, northeastern Brazil. Only described in 2006, it has been in the hobby since at least 1988, traded as G. sp. 'Parnaíba'. The undescribed G. sp. 'Pindaré' is sometimes labelled with the Parnaíba name but is totally distinct. Maroon and whitish horizontal bands in the caudal fin help identify it.

Geophagus proximus is a large cichlid from the Amazon system in Peru and Brazil, from the río Ucayali along the Solimões-Amazon to the rio Trombetas. Rare in the hobby, its name is often attached to shipments of other Geophagus species. It has a dark preopercular marking, no bars on the flanks and a large, roughly oblong midlateral marking. It is found mostly in the lower reaches of rivers and in floodplain lakes, favouring clear and black water.

Geophagus sp. 'orange head' is an undescribed cichlid confined to the lower rio Tapajós in Brazil, including its tributary the rio Arapiuns. Now one of the more readily available members of the genus, it has suffered from commercial breeders who do not cull deformed fry. Two forms exist, one misleadingly traded as G. sp. 'Araguaia orange head', and the orange on the head is most extensive in dominant adult males.

Geophagus sp. 'Pindaré' is an undescribed cichlid known only from the rio Pindaré in Maranhão state, north-eastern Brazil. It appears to belong to the G. surinamensis group and is quite easily identified by its deep head and body and proportionately large eye. The trade name G. sp. 'Pindare' (Parnaíba) is confusing, because G. sp. 'Parnaíba' is now described as G. parnaibae. Parts of the Pindaré have been heavily degraded by siltation.

Geophagus winemilleri is a cichlid from southern Venezuela and probably northern Brazil, recorded from the upper Río Negro, Río Siapa and Casiquiare. It is rare in the hobby, though other species are sometimes sold under its name. A dark preopercular marking and four ventrally-inclined bars on each flank help identify it, and it may be restricted to acidic blackwater.

Burgess' cory, Hoplisoma burgessi, long known as Corydoras burgessi, is an armoured catfish apparently endemic to the upper rio Negro basin in Brazil. One of several similarly patterned congeners, including H. adolfoi, H. davidsandsi and H. duplicareum, it has a black marking restricted to the area beneath the dorsal fin and extending into it, with a yellowish patch on top of the head. Rio Negro habitats are mostly blackwater tributaries and flooded forest.

Sand's cory, Hoplisoma davidsandsi, long known as Corydoras davidsandsi, is an armoured catfish apparently endemic to the rio Unini system in the lower rio Negro basin, Brazil. One of a group of rio Negro species with an oblique dark bar along the back, it shares with H. melini a bar that splits in two above the caudal peduncle. It has a pale orange area between the facial stripe and dorsal bar and no further dark markings on the flanks.

The palespotted cory, Hoplisoma gossei, long known as Corydoras gossei, is an armoured catfish from the rio Mamoré watershed in Rondônia state, northwestern Brazil. It is also likely to occur in northern Bolivia, since the Mamoré forms the border between the two countries at the type locality. Also known as 'smokey cory' and 'Gosse's cory', it shares its colour pattern with Brochis seussi from the same river, which has a noticeably prolonged snout. A form referred to as 'CW069' appears intermediate between the two.

The julii cory, Hoplisoma julii, long known as Corydoras julii, is an armoured catfish from coastal river systems south of the Amazon delta in northeastern Brazil. Also known as 'leopard cory' or 'three-lined cory', it is often confused with H. trilineatum from the upper Amazon, and many fish traded as C. julii are that species. H. julii has numerous small, distinct spots on the head, where H. trilineatum has vermiform markings, though some H. trilineatum are spotted too.

Hoplisoma kanei, long known as Corydoras kanei, is an armoured catfish that appears to be native to the rio Negro basin in Brazil, possibly only the rio Branco drainage. Before description it was assigned the 'C' numbers C026 and C046. It is most easily confused with H. atropersonatum and sometimes traded as that species, but has dark markings in the anal and caudal fins, more numerous and smaller dark spots on the body, and a darker base colouration.

The false bandit cory, Hoplisoma melini, long known as Corydoras melini, is an armoured catfish from tributaries of the rios Negro, Caquetá and Orinoco in Brazil and Colombia. Its oblique dark bar along the back splits into two above the caudal peduncle, a feature shared only with H. davidsandsi, from which the dark markings on its flanks separate it. The rio Tiquié population is known in the hobby as 'C084', and a similar, slightly larger form from Peru as 'C085'.

Hoplisoma polystictum, long known as Corydoras polystictus, is a small armoured catfish from the upper Rio Paraguay in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. It inhabits small tributaries, creeks, areas of flooded forest and sand banks. It may be confused with H. simile but is easily distinguished by its unpatterned caudal peduncle, since H. simile has a blueish smudge-like marking there. Very peaceful, it is best kept in a group of at least six.

Schwartz's cory, Hoplisoma schwartzi, long known as Corydoras schwartzi, is an armoured catfish endemic to the Rio Purus drainage in Brazil. It inhabits small tributaries, creeks, areas of flooded forest and sand banks. Very peaceful, it is best kept in a group of at least six, and although it can be spawned like many other Corydoras, spawning is apparently tricky to induce in this species.

The smudge spot cory, Hoplisoma simile, long known as Corydoras similis, is an armoured catfish from the Rio Madeira basin in Brazil. Several species can be confused with it at first glance, including Gastrodermus guapore, H. caudimaculatum, C. ourastigma and Brochis spectabilis, but they are easily told apart on close examination. H. caudimaculatum has a much darker, better-defined blotch at the caudal peduncle, and the long-snouted C. ourastigma has a grey or black blotch where H. simile has a blueish one.

The three-lined cory, Hoplisoma trilineatum, long known as Corydoras trilineatus, is an armoured catfish from the Amazon basin in Colombia, Peru and Brazil and coastal rivers of Suriname. Most of the fish sold as C. julii are in fact this species, and the two are very hard to tell apart without knowing where the fish were collected. Peaceful and hardy, it ranks among the very best choices for the newcomer to catfish and is one of the easiest Corydoras to spawn.

The Xingu cory, Hoplisoma xinguense, long known as Corydoras xinguensis, is a small spotted armoured catfish from creeks in the upper Rio Xingu basin in Mato Grosso, Brazil. It is also sold as the dust cory, and fish traded under the C-numbers C055 and C105 to C108 have all been identified as this species. Dias et al. (2024) moved it to Hoplisoma as Hoplisoma xinguense. One of the smaller corys, it is best kept in a group of ten or more.

The vampire tetra, Hydrolycus scomberoides, is a predatory dogtooth characin from the central and upper Amazon in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. Also sold as 'scomb' and 'sabre tooth tetra', it is regularly confused with the much larger payara, H. armatus. At up to 300 mm it still needs a huge tank and specialist care, and newly-imported specimens often refuse anything but live food.

The snowball pleco (L102), Hypancistrus inspector, is a suckermouth catfish from the upper rio Negro in Brazil and the Casiquiare in Venezuela. Brown to black with large whitish to yellow spots, it is most similar to H. contradens. It is normally collected from rocky rapids, is a cave-spawner with male brood care, and should not be kept with other Hypancistrus in order to prevent hybridisation.

L260, the queen arabesque pleco, is an undescribed Hypancistrus known only from the lower rio Tapajós in Pará state, northern Brazil. Among the most popular loricariids in the hobby, it is available on a regular basis. The larger L411 from the rio Jarí looks similar, but in L260 the white vermiculations are significantly finer. The area where it is collected would be largely destroyed should a planned hydroelectric project go ahead.

L333 is an undescribed Hypancistrus known only from the lower rio Xingu near Porto de Moz in Pará state, northern Brazil. Its pale spots and blotches range from whitish to rusty orange, and it is regularly confused with L066 and L400. Whitish variants are sometimes sold under the incorrect code L236 to fetch a higher price, and selectively-bred and possibly hybrid forms have also become available.