Origin
Native to the Amazon and Orinoco River basins, including Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, and Brazil—favoring fast-moving, oxygen-rich tributaries with submerged driftwood.

Visual & Functional Appeal
Striking dark stripes over a slate-gray or olive body, with thick fins and a bulky head. Its sheer size and slow, deliberate movements give it a regal, ancient presence. Often the visual anchor in South American-themed aquariums.

Purpose
Acts as a wood processor—ingesting driftwood and grazing on biofilm. Its constant rasping helps keep woodscapes clean while offering natural behavioral enrichment.

Importance
Ideal for large biotope or show tanks. Demonstrates unique xylophagous behavior. Fascinating for aquarists interested in behavioral ecology and Amazonian system mimicry.

Included Resources
Requires ample driftwood, high-output filtration, strong aeration, and a minimum tank size of 100 gallons. Stable tropical temps (75–84°F) and neutral to slightly acidic pH (6.5–7.5) preferred.

Best Use Cases
Amazonian show tanks, large community aquaria, or oddball tanks with other big peaceful fish. Adds functional biomass without predation or aggression.

Conservation Context
Wild populations may be locally stressed due to collection pressure and deforestation. Choose tank-raised specimens when available. Their wood-eating role supports understanding of Amazonian detritus cycles.

Ideal Aquatic Animals
• Silver dollars
• Severums and peaceful cichlids
• Large Corydoras species
• Geophagus (earth-eaters)
• Other peaceful plecos (with space separation)

Region (A)
• Latitude: -3.7305° S
• Longitude: -73.2516° W
(Iquitos region – Peruvian Amazon)

Region (B)
• Latitude: 6.4516° N
• Longitude: -66.5856° W
(Upper Orinoco basin – near Puerto Ayacucho, Venezuela)