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Encyclopedia / Catfish & Plecos / Scarlet pleco
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Variations

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Scarlet pleco

Pseudacanthicus pirarara · Hemiancistrus sp. L025, L025, L 025, L-025, Scarlet

Peaceful but needs plenty of space and caves; territorial with other plecos.

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40.5 cmAdult size ✓
26–30 °CTemperature ✓
6–7pH ✓
UnknownSmallest tank ?
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (26–30 °C vs 21–25 °C). No setting suits both.
Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (26–30 °C vs 16–24 °C). No setting suits both.
Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (26–30 °C vs 16–25 °C). No setting suits both.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 26 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 26–27 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

192 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ?Unknown
Group size ✓Can live alone
Temperament ✓Semi-aggressive
Swims at ✓Bottom
Care level ?Hard
Diet Carnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 5–9 cm
Growth Slow

Behavior

Peaceful but needs plenty of space and caves; territorial with other plecos.

  • cave
  • current

Food

Mostly meaty food: sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm, mysis and prawn. It does not graze algae, so don't rely on vegetables.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

MaleBroader head with bristles or odontodes; slimmer body
FemaleRounder, fuller body, narrower head
TipCompare head width and odontodes from above once adult
How hard to tellModerate

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Cave spawner ·

Has been bred in captivity, presumably as a cave spawner like other Pseudacanthicus.

Pairing

Grow out 6-8 juveniles and let a pair form; keep the group in a well-oxygenated, stable tank.

Setup

100-200 L tank with strong flow, many caves sized to the fish (PVC or ceramic tubes), and very clean, warm water.

What starts it

Cool water changes, increased flow and a seasonal drop in temperature, plus rich protein feeding.

Eggs

The male guards a small clutch (5-30 large amber eggs) in the cave for around 5-10 days until they hatch; the fry carry a big yolk sac.

Raising the fry

Fry stay in the cave until the yolk is gone, then feed on sinking algae wafers, blanched veg and crushed flake. Keep nitrate low.

Common mistakes
  • Too few caves
  • Warm, stagnant water
  • Moving the male while he guards eggs
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionSouth America – Rio Xingu basin, Brazil
Rivers and lakesRio Xingu and Rio Iriri
HabitatDeep, rocky channels of a clearwater river
Native rangeAbout 350 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the scarlet pleco

A big (around 40 cm) cactus pleco from the rocky rapids of the Rio Xingu in Brazil, dark grey-brown with rows of black spots and bright red-orange fin edges. Long known as L025 and named Pseudacanthicus pirarara in 2016: fishermen call it 'assacu-pirarara', after a spiny tree and the red-tailed catfish. Unlike most plecs it is a carnivore.

The scarlet pleco is a large Pseudacanthicus from the Rio Xingu, known for decades only by its code L025. It was formally described in 2017 as Pseudacanthicus pirarara. Its spiny dark body and bright red fins make it one of the most sought-after large plecos.

  • The 'L-number' code system was started in 1988 by the German aquarium magazine DATZ to label undescribed plecos.
  • It is a large species that can grow beyond 30 cm.
  • Pseudacanthicus plecos are covered in rough, spiny scutes.

Sources

11 facts checked with sources