Dekeyseria brachyura

Butterfly Plec, L168

Classification

Loricariidae. Subfamily: Ancistrinae

Distribution

Rio Negro, Brazil.

Habitat

Flowing streams and tributaries. The water here is often tea-coloured, being heavily stained with tannins from decaying organic matter.

Maximum Standard Length

5.6″ (14cm).

Aquarium SizeTop ↑

48″ x 12″ x 12″ (120cm x 30cm x 30cm) – 108 litres.

Maintenance

This species needs well-oxygenated water, preferably with a high degree of movement. Provide lots of cover in the form of driftwood roots and branches, and if you wish, smooth rocks and plants. If kept in a more general setup, it won’t thrive in cool or poorly-oxygenated water.

Water Conditions

Temperature: 77-82°F (25-28°C).

pH: 5.6-7.0

Hardness: 2-12°

Diet

Primarily vegetarian, so the bulk of the diet should be composed of vegetable matter in both fresh (cucumber slices, blanched spinach etc.) and dried (algae wafers, spirulina tablets etc.) forms. It will accept small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm or daphnia and these can also be offered regularly.

Behaviour and CompatibilityTop ↑

A decent choice for the community tank. In a biotope setup good tankmates include many characins, reophilic cichlids such as Retroculus or the African Steatocranus and other Loricariids requiring similar conditions. It can also be kept in a more general community, if you wish, provided the water is well-aerated.

Sexual Dimorphism

Mature males develop longer odontotes along the nose and pectoral spines than females.

Reproduction

Not often achieved in the hobby, but by no means impossible. Use soft, acidic water and arrange the tank so there are as many caves and hiding places as possible. The eggs are laid within a cave selected by the male. He tends them until they hatch, fanning them with his fins and defending against intruders.

They hatch in 7-10 days, and the fry use up their small yolk sacs very quickly. After this, they will quite happily graze on the same foods as the parents, but these must be provided constantly for the initial period. Small, daily water changes are also required, as the fry are very sensitive to water quality.

If you’re having trouble spawning these fish, try conducting a large (50-70%) water change with cool water, simulating the infux of colder water the rainy season brings in nature. Repeat every few days and this can often induce spawning.

NotesTop ↑

Formerly known as Peckoltia pulcher, this species is also known as the pretty peckoltia, flounder plec (in reference to its flattened shape) or chameleon plec. This latter name is quite appropriate, as the fish will change colour depending on the colour of the substrate and other surfaces. It also has a distinctive night time colouration.

It closely resembles the Rio Orinoco species L052 and these may turn out to be the same species, as the waters that they inhabit become connected during the wet season. As things stand, some small morphological differences are used to separate the two, particularly the more clearly defined striped patterning in D. brachyura. The currently valid species D. pulcher will in all likelihood become a synonym of D. brachyura in the future. To add to the confusion, some sources list it as a member of the invalid genus Zonancistrus.

When buying Loricariids always check that the fish has a rounded belly and that its eyes aren’t sunken, as these are classic signs of emaciation in newly imported specimens. One final point to note is that extreme care should be taken when netting these as the odontotes on the snout and pectoral spines can easily become entangled in the mesh of aquarium nets.