The Green Phantom Pleco, L200, is another unusual Pleco from Colombia. With its lemon yellow, sometimes greenish, body covered in lighter spots, they are like no other Pleco – except the remarkably similar Baryancistrus demantoides (L200 “hi-fin”)! It’s not among the smallest l-numbers, so they should not be kept in too small tanks. Also, they will definitely chew on your Echinodorus plants. Then again, they are great algae eaters too, so they’ve got more than just colours to show for!
Facts:
Name: Hemiancistrus subviridis (Werneke, Sabaj, Lujan & Armbruster, 2005)
Trade names: Green Phantom Pleco, L200
Origin: Rio Atabapo, Rio Ventuari, Rio Orinoco, Venezuela
Maximum TL: 25 cm / 10”
A regular export from Colombia, this species is usually readily available during the collecting season. Not among the cheapest l-numbers, but desired due to its uniqueness. Hemiancistrus is a genus being used as a temporary placement for some species of Loricariidae which will possibly be assigned to new genuses in the future. H.subviridis is one of these, together with its sister-species L128 and L476.
H.subviridis are herbivores that should be given additional protein-based foods as supplement, and they need warm, clean, well filtered and oxygen rich waters to thrive. Adult specimens will often gradually turn browner and darker in their colours. Males have longer, broader heads and more prominent odontodal growth. Breeding happens rarely, the male guards the eggs in a suitable cave.
More info:
http://www.l-welse.com/reviewpost/showproduct.php/product/214/cat/46
http://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=223
https://www.scotcat.com/factsheets/hemiancistrus_subviridis.htm