A name previously misused for the common aquarium strain Ancistrus, much because of wrong labelling in older popular literature. The real A.dolichopterus is one of the most beautiful of all Ancistrus, with its pitch black body covered with small white spots and a broad white seam in the dorsal- and caudalfin. The white seam fades with age, but it’s still an impressive fish – not least when we consider the fact that it can grow to over 25 cm! Too bad this rarely happens in captivity.
Facts:
Name: Ancistrus dolichopterus (Kner, 1854)
Trade names: Starlight Bristlenose, Whiteseam Ancistrus, L183
Origin: Rio Negro, Rio Nhamunda, Brazil
Maximum TL: 25 cm / 10”
A regular export from Brazil, but still not very common in the trade. This is probably because wild imports are slightly sensitive, and often in poor condition. It’s a blackwater species, so breeding is only successful in soft, acidic water. This limits the production of the species among aquarists. Still, it’s a very productive fish under the right circumstances. It needs clean, well oxygenated water, and lots of hiding places among roots and rocks. It’s not very interested in eating vegetables and green food, possibly because algae and vegetation are not very abundant in the dark waters of its natural habitat. However, a varied diet is essential. It can be distinguished from other members of the genus by looking at its dorsal fin, which has one hard and 9 soft rays. Check out Ingo Seidels great article on white-seamed Ancistrus: https://www.planetcatfish.com/shanesworld/shanesworld.php?article_id=380
More info:
http://www.l-welse.com/reviewpost/showproduct.php/product/197/cat/all
https://www.scotcat.com/loricariidae/ancistrus_dolichopterus.htm
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/ancistrus-dolichopterus/
http://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=221