Leporacanthicus joselimai(L264, Vampire Pleco, Sultan Plec0)

Leporacanthicus joselimai (L264) is also known as the Sultan Pleco or even Vampire Plec. The reason they are commonly referred to as 'vampire plecs' is due to their unique upper jaw dentition (exhibited by members of this genus) unsurprisingly consisting of two large teeth which remind fish keepers of fangs. The exact use for these is not completely clear, although they’re probably used to grip small prey for example snails.

Another feature commonly observed in all Leporacanthicus is a small bony growth on top of it's head, for which the function is unknown also.

This particular species is easy on the eye, more so when young due to them displaying striking white fin tips as juvenilles. Unfortunately these fade as the fish grows and often disappear completely. They have an approximate maximum size is around 15cm.

A spacious tank is required, preferably with a sandy substrate. It is a good idea to provide hiding places and shade with some large peices of driftwood and even some smooth rocks.

Dim lighting is preferred, and it’s quite important to ensure the water is highly oxygenated, preferably with a high level of movement. This can be achieved by powerheads or large airstones in order to produce the desired effect. An efficient filter is also required to deal with the large amounts of waste this fish will undoubtedly produce.

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Fish information (behaviour and breeding):

This Vampire Pleco is peaceful but also territorial with members of the same species, especially within males. It is a wise idea to make sure there a clean, mature, fast moving aquarium. sufficient aquarium space and potential territories if you want to keep these gorgeous fish a group.

When viewed from above, mature males have a significantly longer and wider head than females. They also have a bigger dorsal fin and more numerous odontotes than females.

Good ideas for tankmates are; characins, tranquil South American cichlids and peaceful catfish such as Corydoras. In a biotope setup with a lot of water movement choices are more limited, but possibilities include characins such as Anostomus, Hemiodus and cichlids which prefer faster moving waters such as Retroculus or Steatocranus.

An omnivorous species that eats some algae and vegetables but also needs more meaty foods such as live and frozen food, bloodworms, prawn, krill, shelled mussels, etc.

Males are characterised by their broader head which will have odonotodes on the side as well as on the body.

Occasionally breeds in aquaria, the male guarding the eggs within a cave or crevice. Once free swimming the fry eat some algae but also small animals such as newly hatched brineshrimp.

Family Group:	L Numbers
Distribution	Brazil, Rio Tapajós
Temperature	24-26 C
Size	Around 15 cm
Water Parameters	Adaptable, but needs well oxygenated and well filtered water to do well
Water PH	6.5-7.0
Sociability	Peaceful
Schooling Fish	No
Water Chemistry	less than pH 7 - acidic
Care Level	Easy

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Useful sources of information:

DATZ are the original source of L number information.
Other information on L numbers can be found from the book All L Numbers published by Aqualog.
On the web, a comprehensive source of information on L Numbers and catfish can be found at www.planetcatfish.com and also www.scotcat.com

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Shop stock

The latest shops to have this fish in stock are listed below. Click on a shop name for full shop details, or click the link below the shops to view ALL shops that stock this fish.

	Lee Valley Aquatics	Essex	EN9 2PA
	The WaterZoo	Peterborough	PE1 2PE
	Amwell Aquatics - Soham	Cambridgeshire	CB7 5UE
	Maidenhead Aquatics@ Worthing Findon	West Sussex	BN14 0RE
	Maidenhead Aquatics@ Cambridge	Cambridge	CB23 7PJ
	Wildwoods	Middlesex	EN2 9BP

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Other fish added to TFF recently:

Other fish added to TFF/TF2YD recently can be viewed below.

	Scientific Name	Common Name
	Pseudacanthicus pitanga L024	L24, Red Fin Cactus Pleco
	Paraneetroplus synspilus	Red Head Quetzel Cichlid
	Piaractus brachypomus	Red Belly Pacu
	Astronotus Ocellatus 'yellow'	Lemon Yellow Oscar
	Cichlasoma sp. HYBRID	Flowerhorn Cichlid 'Short Body Super Red Dragon'