The existence of this form was pointed out to me by Janne Ekström several years ago. During the years when lots of so called L399, L400 and even L173 were exported/imported from Brazil, several unusual morphs hid beneath these monikers. One of them was first called H.sp. “Mimic” (due to its similarity to H.yudja), and was given the number L470 by Daniel Konn-Vetterlein and myself in 2013. This is another variety of H.seideli, found syntopically with H.yudja downstream of Altamira in Volta Grande, and because it’s so difficult to recognize it passed under the radar of even the most aware enthusiasts for years. I call it H.seideli here but this may actually be a natural crossbreed of H.seideli and H.yudja!
Facts:
Name: Hypancistrus cf. seideli
Trade names: L470, Hypancistrus sp. “Mimic”
Origin: Rio Xingu, Brazil.
Maximum size: 12 cm / 5”
“The Xingu Chaos”, which is a tempting label to all the wormlined/spotted Xingu forms of Hypancistrus, holds quite a few surprises. One of them is L470. I noticed while looking through various pictures, mostly online, that some individuals of Hypancistrus from Rio Xingu seemed to have small eyes like L174, but yet they were different to L174 in other ways. Even one of the original pictures of L400 by André Werner shows such an individual. I discussed the matter with Janne Ekström, who could tell me that we are dealing with a form of Hypancistrus found living syntopically with L174 in deeper pools between Altamira and Belo Monte in the Volta Grande. L470 is either another morph of H.seideli or a crossbreed between H.seideli and H.yudja, and can be recognized by its small eyes like H.yudja and a longer, flatter head than other forms of H.seideli. Compared to H.yudja, L470 grows larger and has a pattern that often consists more of short lines than just spots.
They need an aquarium set up consisting of lots of hiding places in the form of rocks, wood and of course specially made caves that suit their measurements. In these the males will eventually guard their offspring. They prefer water that is fairly warm (27-30 C), soft and slightly acidic. Most of all it should be well oxygenated and clean, so a good filtration system and frequent water changes are essential. Among themselves they are fairly peaceful, although males may quarrel for caves and females can sometimes be badly injured or even killed during the breeding-trapping in the male’s cave. Males develop longer odontodes on their pectoral fins and on their cheeks, and have broader heads. Hypancistrus are mostly carnivorous, so a selection of crustaceans, insect larvae and fish meat should be offered along with high quality dried foods that also contain some vegetable matter.
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