L081 Baryancistrus sp. - Catfish for Sale UK

Catalogued under the L-number L081, this Baryancistrus sp. is a sought-after South American suckermouth catfish for the dedicated keeper. It belongs to the same demanding group as the better-known nugget plecos and shares their need for warm, oxygen-rich, scrupulously clean water, growing to a substantial size of up to around 15 cm over a lifespan that can reach a decade.

Make no mistake: this is a difficult-care fish, not a beginner's algae-eater. It comes from swift, well-oxygenated rivers, so it expects strong current and a mature, heavily filtered aquarium of at least 300 litres. Hold the temperature towards the warmer end at 26-30°C, keep the pH between 6.0 and 7.5, and aim for soft to moderate hardness of 1-12 dGH. A hardscape of smooth rockwork and driftwood gives it the surfaces it needs to graze and the cover it relies on to feel settled.

Feeding leans herbivorous and detritivorous, grazing algae and biofilm along the bottom, with modest meaty supplements rounding out its diet. Given the right environment it is a long-lived, peaceful and rewarding centrepiece that gets along quietly with its tank mates. Its preference for the warmer, faster water of its native rivers means strong oxygenation and very clean conditions are non-negotiable, so plan for generous filtration and turnover, and introduce it only once the system is fully mature and stable. As a slow-growing, long-lived catfish it suits the patient keeper, settling in over months rather than weeks to become a quiet, dependable presence working the substrate of a spacious tank.

Water and care

• Adult size: up to around 15 cm
• Lifespan: up to 10 years
• Care level: difficult
• Temperament: peaceful
• Temperature: 26-30°C
• pH: 6.0-7.5
• Hardness: 1-12 dGH
• Minimum tank: 300 litres
• Diet: primarily herbivorous / detritivorous with some meaty supplementation
• Swimming zone: bottom

Tank mates and ordering

It mixes peaceably with calm midwater community fish, small to medium tetras, rasboras, non-aggressive dwarf cichlids and other peaceful loricariids where the tank is large enough. Keep it clear of aggressive cichlids, large predators, fin-nippers, highly territorial bottom-dwellers and overly boisterous species that would outcompete it at feeding time. We send every L081 Baryancistrus with a licensed live-animal courier under our live arrival guarantee.