Green phantom pleco (L200)

The green phantom pleco (L200) is a suckermouth catfish of the family Loricariidae, native to fast-flowing, oxygen-rich stretches of the upper Orinoco basin in Venezuela. It has a rounded body of olive to lime-green covered in fine pale spots, one of the more colorful of the ancistrine plecos. Males can be territorial toward one another over caves, so ample space and multiple shelters are needed if more than one is kept, but it is generally peaceful toward unrelated tankmates. This species demands warm, clean, highly oxygenated water with strong flow and driftwood. Contrary to the herbivorous reputation of many plecos, it leans toward an omnivorous diet richer in protein, taking sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and some vegetables such as courgette. Cave spawning has been achieved by dedicated aquarists, with the male guarding the eggs.