They inhabit the entire planet, except for the poles. They live in rivers, lakes, lagoons and the sea. Many have spikes on their pectoral and dorsal fins, be careful. They make up a group of 30 families and more than 2,000 species. There are predatory and others more timid and herbivorous species. The most present in aquariums are the Corydoras and the Plecostomus. They are excellent caregivers of the equilibrium of the aquarium, as they eat leftovers of food from the bottom before they rot. They also eat algae that grow on glasses and plants.
Ancstrus spp. 
There are a few species of ancistrus, most suitable for living in community aquariums. The aquarium should include rocks and trunks. It is very important that the logs are made of natural wood, as this is part of your natural diet. Vegetation must be abundant, as some plants will serve as food and others as shelter. These fish are usually in their hiding places for many hours of the day and go out looking for food remains during the night.
Ancistrus can be reproduced in aquariums, please note that it is better to have pairs. Males are very territorial and tend to dispute territories somewhat aggressively. The female lays eggs that the male takes care of with a lot of zeal. Feed the fry with vegetable food. Some people make their own food from peas. Keep the water well filtered and oxygenated. Do not abuse lighting.
Kryptopterus bicirrhis
It needs plenty of space to swim, even though it is not a big fish. He lives in schools, if he's alone, he doesn't fit into the aquarium. It is a fish that is prone to bacterial infections, it can be avoided by keeping the water very well filtered. A striking detail is that it rests in an oblique position, with the head higher than the tail, at an angle of approximately 30º. Although it is known to be oviparous, it does not reproduce in aquariums.
Corydoras barbatus
They're very peaceful fish that spend their time digging the bottom. They hide from time to time between rocks or trunks. They are generally highly sought after to clean the waste of unconsumed food that is deposited on the bottom. They reproduce by laying eggs between the rocks. Place the eggs in a separate aquarium so that they hatch without the parents, this will take 4-5 days. Feed the fry with freshly hatched artemia.
Corydoras paleatus
They are extremely quiet fish ideal for digging the bottom of a community aquarium. They hide among rocks or trunks. They are generally highly sought after to clean the waste of unconsumed food that is deposited on the bottom. They reproduce by laying eggs between the rocks. Place the eggs in a separate aquarium so that they hatch without the parents, this will take 4-5 days. Feed the fry with freshly hatched artemia.
Otocinclus afinnis
It remains attached for a long time to the leaves of the plants, especially those with broad leaves such as Anubias or Amazonian Wide Leaf Sword. It's territorial, but it doesn't usually attack his fellow aquariums. If you watch him swim near the surface, it means that oxygen levels in your aquarium are insufficient for this species. Make sure your aquarium mates are peaceful. Otocinclo is oviparous and reproduces in an aquarium, although the fry are very difficult to breed successfully. You will notice that in captivity their coloring is dimmed.
Hypostomus plecostomus
We could say that he is wanted more for his skills at work than for his appearance. Its suction mouth clears glass from seaweed attached by excess light. It also cleans the substrate and rocks. But not everything is good. They grow excessively, if the aquarium is very large it reaches up to 30 cm. It is very clumsy and plucks the plants with the lashes of their long and careless tail. It generates abundant amount of excrement, so it is recommended to have a very efficient filtering. It is oviparous, but does not reproduce in aquariums.
© Adrián Blanco 2005 — Prohibited the total or partial reproduction of text and/or images without explicit written consent of the author. —
