''Acanthicus adonis'', the adonis pleco or polka dot lyre-tail pleco, is a large species of
armored catfish Armoured catfish may refer to:
*Family Loricariidae: The armoured suckermouth catfish, also known as suckermouth catfish, armoured catfish or simply 'plecs' or 'plecos'
*Family Callichthyidae: armoured catfish, includes the genera
**''Corydoras'', ...
.
[PlanetCatfish: ]
Acanthicus adonis.
' Retrieved 17 May 2013 It was originally described from the lower
Tocantins River
The Tocantins River ( pt, Rio Tocantins, link=no , , Parkatêjê dialect, Parkatêjê: ''Pyti'' ɨˈti is a river in Brazil, the central fluvial artery of the country. In the Tupi language, its name means "toucan's beak" (''Tukã'' for "toucan ...
in Brazil, but individuals resembling the species have also been recorded from
Amazonian Peru.
[Chamon, C.C. (2016): Redescription of Acanthicus hystrix'' Agassiz, 1829 (Siluriformes: Loricariidae), with comments on the systematics and distribution of the genus. Zootaxa, 4088 (3): 395–408.] The species is occasionally seen in the aquarium trade, but its massive adult size and
territorially aggressive behavior means that a very large tank is required.
[ These fish are opportunistic ]omnivore
An omnivore () is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and animal matter, omnivores digest carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, and metabolize the nutr ...
s.[
]
Appearance
''Acanthicus adonis'' is among the largest armored catfish species and reaches a length of .[
It is dark brown to black with numerous white spots as a juvenile. As the fish matures, the spots become less numerous and smaller, often disappearing entirely in large adults.][ Its close relative '' A. hystrix'' always lack white spots, regardless of age.][
]
References
Ancistrini
Catfish of South America
Freshwater fish of Brazil
Fish of the Amazon basin
Fish described in 1988
{{Loricariidae-stub