Ancistrus cf. ranunculus “spotted”

Order: Siluriformes
Suborder: Loricarioidei
Family: Loricariidae
Subfamily: Hypostominae
Genus: Ancistrus
Species: not described yet

The Ancistrus cf. ranunculus “spotted” is almost identical to the Ancistrus ranunculus "L34". The only difference are the really small spots all over the body and the more brownish ground tone. Ancistrus ranunclus "L34" doesn't show this. This is the reason why we labeled them as Ancistrus cf. ranunclus "spotted".
Cf. stands for "confer", which means "compare". So far, it is not known if this is just a color morph, a local form, a subspecies, a different species or even a hybrid between "L34" and "L255".

It is also a special and somewhat strange looking catfish. It has black-brownish basic color with white spots. It is a medium sized, flat bodied catfish. The head has a triangular shape and, in most cases, is wider than the length of the body, similar to that of Parancistrus aurantiacus.

This species differs from other Ancistrus spp. in the shape of the tentacles on its nose and its very large mouth opening. In the Rio Xingu, three types can be distinguished by color. Young animals have bright spots and can often be confused with Ancistrus sp. “L255”, from the middle Rio Xingu.

The term “ranunculus” comes from Latin and means something like “tadpole”.
In the hobby it is also called "Medusa-Pleco".

In the wild Ancistrus cf. ranunculus “spotted” lives in the Rio Xingu and in the Rio Tocantins in shallow waters. There are medium to faster currents.

Due to the flat build, they can get into narrow crevices and caves in which larger armored catfish cannot enter. This is particularly important when looking for food. In the dry season, they can be found in waters no deeper than three meters. There they often sit together in bigger groups.

Usually the water is very rich in oxygen. You should therefore pay attention to this when keeping them in the aquarium. They prefer warm water between 26 and 32 degrees Celsius. In the Rio Xingu, Ancistrus cf. ranunculus shares the caves and crevices with Hypancistrus zebra “L46” and Oligancistrus sp. “L20”. Whether the Ancistrus ranunculus "L34" of the Rio Xingu and the Rio Tocantins are the same species or not, remains to be clarified, but for the time being it is considered to be the same species.

Ancistrus cf. ranunculus “spotted” are omnivorous. Research shows that there are about 30 species of algae in their diet, but also, based on the teeth, it can be said that, unlike most other Ancistrus species, they also eat carnal food (carnivorous), like crustaceans, insects and other invertebrates. The algae are mainly grazed from the stones. Freshwater sponges are also a big part of their diet.

At least 100-150 cm in length.

A high oxygen content and plenty of hiding places with narrow crevices are important for this species, as are regular water changes. This makes Ancistrus cf. ranunculus "spotted" just like the Ancistrus ranunculus "L34" a challenging fish, that is not recommended for beginners. They are quite shy and rarely show up during the day. A. ranunculus prefers low lighting. They are very peaceful, so that they can be kept well in an aquarium with other species, as long as they do not stress the Ancistrus cf. ranunculus "spotted" too much. When this catfish is stressed, it will show white spots all over its body.

The sexes are easy to recognize in (almost) adult animals by the tentacles on the nose. While females also show tentacles, males tentacles are a lot longer and more numerous. In addition, males also have longer odontodes on the gill covers and pectoral fins.

An extensive account of sex determination can be found on the Ancistrus ranunclus "L34" page, which is similar to the Ancistrus cf. ranunculus "spotted".

The breeding of A. cf. ranunculus "spotted" in aquariums has, as far as we know, not happened yet.

We guess that breeding them will be the same as the Ancistrus ranunculus "L34" and that a special breeding aquarium is needed. It should have enough stones and plates to hide, currents and a good filter. From the experience of a breeder, the “L34” breed in special shallow pleco caves. The female lays the eggs in it where the male then fertilizes them. The male takes care for the rearing of the clutch.