Easy to intermediate
Chocolate Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi)
18–26°C · pH 6.5–8 · 30L
£13.99
A rare L519 Rio Itenez Bristlenose Pleco, Ancistrus sp. L519, with honeycomb-style patterning for mature soft-water aquariums with caves and driftwood.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Product-photo provenance and any image-specific limitations are stated on the listing.
Ancistrus sp. L519 Rio Itenez
A rare L519 Rio Itenez Bristlenose Pleco, Ancistrus sp. L519, with honeycomb-style patterning for mature soft-water aquariums with caves and driftwood.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Product-photo provenance and any image-specific limitations are stated on the listing.
Peaceful algae-grazing catfish ideal for UK community tanks. Stays small (12-15 cm), loves driftwood, easy to breed. Sent by licensed live-animal courier with Live Arrival Guarantee.
Maintain these water conditions for optimal health and vibrant colors
L519 Rio Itenez Bristlenose Pleco is a compact, rare Ancistrus L-number pleco from the Rio Itenez / Guapore drainage. It is usually traded as Ancistrus sp. L519, Rio Itenez Bristlenose Pleco or Honeycomb Bristlenose Pleco, and the important point for care is that this is not a generic common bristlenose in fancy wording. It is a smaller, patterned soft-water Ancistrus that deserves clean water, caves, wood and a calm bottom layout.
The appeal is easy to see: a broad bristlenose body, rasping sucker mouth, dark reticulated markings and a naturally useful grazing behaviour. Keep it for the pattern and personality first, then let the algae-grazing be a bonus. It still needs proper sinking foods and vegetable matter; no bristlenose should be expected to live on leftovers alone.
| Scientific anchor | Ancistrus sp. L519 Rio Itenez |
|---|---|
| Common names | L519 Rio Itenez Bristlenose Pleco, Honeycomb Bristlenose Pleco, Rio Itenez Catfish |
| Family | Loricariidae |
| Adult size | Usually around 9-11 cm |
| Care level | Moderate - easy once the aquarium is mature and stable |
| Minimum aquarium | 80 litres for one adult; larger if keeping several plecos |
| Temperature | 23-28°C, with 26-28°C useful for breeding attempts |
| pH | 5.5-7.5; best kept soft to neutral rather than hard alkaline |
| Diet | Algae wafers, vegetable-rich sinking foods, biofilm, courgette, and occasional protein foods |
| Temperament | Peaceful with fish, territorial with other cave-claiming plecos |
| Tank region | Bottom surfaces, wood, caves and shaded hardscape |
L519 is an L-number trade identification, not a fully described species name. That is why the most honest label is Ancistrus sp. L519 Rio Itenez. The fish is prized for its honeycomb or reticulated body pattern and for staying smaller than many plecos. Compared with the everyday brown bristlenose, it is usually bought by aquarists who already enjoy Loricariids and want something more locality-specific and visually distinct.
Because this form is associated with the Rio Itenez system, I would not treat it as a throw-anywhere algae eater for hard, high-pH community tanks. It can adapt, but its best colour, behaviour and breeding prospects come from clean, oxygen-rich water on the soft to neutral side, with plenty of surfaces to graze.
Build the tank around cover. Use driftwood, smooth stones, shaded plants and at least one tight cave or tube per adult pleco. A male will claim a cave and defend it, so a tank with one perfect cave and several males is asking for trouble. If you keep more than one, spread the caves apart so territories do not sit on top of each other.
Keep ammonia and nitrite at zero and avoid letting nitrate climb. L519 is not a fish for unstable new aquariums. A mature filter, regular water changes and gentle-to-moderate flow are more important than chasing one exact number. Aim for soft to neutral water, good oxygen and a clean substrate where waste cannot build up under wood.
It does not need bright light. In a planted aquarium it will spend a lot of time on wood, broad leaves and shaded hardscape. Floating plants or shaded planting can help it behave more confidently during the day, especially in a busy community tank.
| Staple foods | Quality algae wafers, spirulina wafers and vegetable-rich sinking tablets |
|---|---|
| Fresh veg | Courgette, cucumber, blanched spinach or similar soft greens, removed before they foul the water |
| Protein | Occasional sinking carnivore pellet, frozen food crumbs or insect-based foods; keep this secondary |
| Natural grazing | Biofilm, soft algae and aufwuchs on wood and hardscape |
| Avoid | Relying only on algae in the tank, or overfeeding protein-rich foods that pollute the bottom |
A good feeding rhythm is a vegetable-based sinking food most evenings, fresh veg once or twice a week, and a small protein food occasionally. Feed after lights dim if faster fish steal the tablets. A rounded belly is fine; a pinched belly means the pleco is not getting enough direct food.
This is a peaceful catfish for calm community aquariums. It works well with tetras, rasboras, pencilfish, peaceful dwarf cichlids, corydoras and other non-aggressive fish that leave the bottom caves alone. The main conflict risk is not with mid-water fish; it is with other plecos and cave-breeding catfish competing for the same shelter.
| Good tank mates | Small tetras, rasboras, hatchetfish, pencilfish, peaceful cichlids and calm community fish |
|---|---|
| Use caution | Corydoras in very cramped tanks, other bristlenose males, and any fish that crowds cave entrances |
| Avoid | Large aggressive cichlids, fin-nipping bottom fish, hard alkaline specialist setups and dirty overstocked tanks |
If you want to compare related options, see our Bristlenose Pleco collection, the full Bristlenose Pleco care guide, and the deeper Bristlenose Pleco UK guide.
L519 behaves like a cave-breeding Ancistrus. A mature male chooses and guards the cave, while the female visits to spawn. Soft, clean water, warm stable conditions and a diet rich in vegetable matter are the foundation. If breeding is the aim, keep the water softer and below strongly alkaline conditions; harder water can reduce egg success in sensitive L-number forms.
Do not rush young fish. Sexing is unreliable at smaller sizes because bristles develop with maturity and females can still show some tentacle growth. Give them time, keep the diet varied, and focus on stability rather than constant changes.
Your L519 Rio Itenez Bristlenose Pleco is packed for livestock transport and covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee. On arrival, keep the lights low, float the bag to equalise temperature, then acclimate gradually into a mature aquarium. Do not add it to a freshly set up tank or a tank where ammonia or nitrite is detectable.
After release, expect the fish to hide. That is normal for a pleco. Let it settle, offer a sinking wafer after lights dim, and check that it has at least one secure shaded place where it can rest without being disturbed.
No. L519 is an L-number used in the aquarium trade. The safest naming is Ancistrus sp. L519 Rio Itenez.
Most references place it as a small bristlenose-type pleco, usually around 9-11 cm as an adult. That makes it realistic for carefully maintained home aquariums, unlike large common plecos.
It grazes soft algae and biofilm, but it still needs direct feeding. Treat it as a living animal with a proper diet, not as aquarium maintenance equipment.
Yes, if the aquarium is large enough and each fish has its own cave and feeding space. Males can be territorial around caves, especially in small tanks.
It is suitable for a careful aquarist with a mature tank. The care is not difficult, but this is a rarer soft-water Ancistrus, so stability and clean conditions matter more than with the hardiest farmed common bristlenose forms.
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