All assigned numbers:
Red fin cactus pleco, Flame pleco
Brazil: Pará, Rio Xingú (Marabá)
Just like many other pleco species relatively peaceful if it has enough room to stake out a territory, which will however be defended fiercely if intruded by other fish. Towards it's own kind or similar looking pleco's, this species can be quite aggressive, and if cramped for space also against other bottom dwellers.
Sexing and Breeding:
This beautifully patterned Loricarid belongs to the genus of carnivorous pleco's called Pseudacanthicus
or Cactus Pleco's. One glance at its mouth illustrates this well: instead of a true sucker mouth, it has a mouth than is more suitable for grasping and holding food items. Its teeth are few in number, but powerful and large: ideal for cracking open snails and small crustaceans as well as rasping meat.
All this means that its diet should primarily be made up of meaty foods, such as shrimp, krill, mussels, blood worms, mosquito larvae and fish meat (fillets). But once acclimatized, the Red Fin Cactus Pleco usually is an undemanding fish that will also accept pellet food (both with meaty and plant matter) and sometimes even fresh vegetables such as cucumber, zucchini, egg plant, potato, etc.
Temp 25-29c PH 5.5-7.5A tank with dimmed lights and a good amount of hiding places (plants, drift wood, rocks, artificial caves) is ideal for this beautifully patterned catfish. This large, robust and often quite aggressive species requires a large tank: at least 48x20" (120x50cm.) for a single specimen, and at least an 60x24" (150x60cm.) tank for a small group of these pleco's. This fish requires plenty of personal space, as they can be very territorial, especially towards its own kind and similar looking bottom dwellers, and with their sharp teeth they are capable of inflicting serious injuries.
The Red Fin Cactus pleco does best in soft, slightly acidic water (pH 5.5-6.5), heavy oxygenation and a lot of currents. A powerful filtration system is required, as this fish produces a lot of waste due to its high-protein diet.
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Last photo from mrwickedweasel thank you