Order Siluriformes
Family Loricariidae
Subfamily Ancistrinae
Continued…
Genus Hemiancistrus
— Hemiancistrus annectens [Regan 1904]. Amazon River. 18 cm. Body light brown, covered with large, dark round spots. Spots on the head are smaller than on the body. Fins somewhat reddish-brown, especially towards the edges. Peaceful. Somewhat territorial. Vegetation and driftwood are required to provide ballast and cellulose necessary for digestion.
Plant matter should be included in the diet. It searches for various crevices and cavities where it finds shelter, a spawning site, and its territory, which the male jeervously guards. The fish eat all aquarium foods and definitely plant matter. Feed before turning off the lights. dGH 6.5-7.5; T 24-28°C.
— Hemiancistrus guahiborum [Armbruster, Lujan & Taphorn, 2005]. (Eng. Spotted Orange Seam Pleco). (L 106, L 122). Venezuela. 14 cm. Orange with dark spots along the body. A brown stripe runs along the edge of the dorsal and caudal fins. Can be kept in a community aquarium. Boulder piles, driftwood. Crevices between rocks serve as shelters for the fish and should match the size of the fish in depth. If you intend to keep several fish, provide each with its own shelter. Peaceful. Omnivorous. pH 6.0-7.5; dH 3-12°; T 22-26°C.
— Hemiancistrus sabaji [Armbruster, 2003]. Synonym: Ancistrus, Peckoltia sabaji. (Eng. Para Pleco). (L 075, L 124, L 301, LDA 02). Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil, Amazon, Orinoco, Rio Negro river basins. Up to 17 cm in the aquarium. Low, narrow, and elongated body. More elongated body than usual for the genus Peckoltia. Caudal fin forked with the lower lobe larger than the upper.
Body coloration ranges from bright yellow to beige, and fins from light orange to yellow. Spots on the body range from dark brown to black – small dots on the head increasing in size toward the tail, large on the caudal fin. Different individuals have different spot patterns. Sometimes the dorsal fin may have a black margin. They have different color shades depending on age and mood. Males are larger, with a wider head.
The aquarium should be spacious, with numerous rounded stones and driftwood to create shelters; sandy substrate. Seclusive, but does not spend all its time in the same place, constantly stays on the bottom, and will not be seen on the glass or in the upper layer. Peaceful, not overly territorial species with members of its own genus or other catfishes. Best kept in a group of 4-5 individuals. Hard-leaved plants. Water should be soft and slightly acidic, oxygen-rich. A water flow using a powerhead is desirable. Omnivorous species, mainly requires plant matter. pH 6.0-7.0; dH up to 15°; T 22-26°C.
Identification: Genus Hemiancistrus — Hemiancistrus guahiborum, sabaji.
— Hemiancistrus subviridis [Werneke & Sabaj, & Lujan, & Armbruster, 2005]. (Eng. Green Phantom Pleco, Lemon Spotted Green Pleco). (L 200). Venezuela. 16 cm. Coloration ranges from blue-green to olive and mustard with a high dorsal fin. Dirty white or yellow spots are scattered on the front part of the body. Dorsal, pectoral, and ventral fins have dark yellow to lemon-colored spots. Belly is light. Similar in coloration to Baryancistrus demantoides.
Fairly peaceful. Will look great in medium and large aquariums with large fish, such as African tetras and South American silver dollars. Shelter made of rock piles is needed, rather than burrows. Plants should not be planted as they may eat them. Also acts as an efficient algae-eater. Not demanding regarding water conditions. Prefers warm, well-oxygenated water.
Likes a strong current. Direct the water flow from the filter toward the crevices where the catfish will live. Variety of foods needed, plant matter such as spirulina tablets, cucumbers and zucchini, shrimp and mussels, insect larvae, and soft wood is also required. Can be very difficult to acclimate after purchase from natural habitats. pH 6.0-7.8; T 22-25°C.
Identification: Hemiancistrus subviridis — Hemiancistrus subviridis.
Hypancistrus contradens, debilittera, furunculus, inspector, lunaorum zebra.
Chaetostoma milesi, Chaetostoma thomsoni. 
