Is L046 the same fish as the Zebra Pleco?

Yes. L046 is the trade code for Hypancistrus zebra; L098 refers to the same taxon.

Do Zebra Plecos eat algae?

No. They are carnivores and need meaty sinking foods.

FreshwaterTropicalAdvanced

Zebra Pleco

Hypancistrus zebra

A small, strikingly striped cave-dwelling catfish from the Rio Xingu, highly sought after and strictly a specialist fish.

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Ideal Conditions

Temperature: 26 – 30 °C
pH range: 6 – 7.2
Hardness: 2 – 8 dGH
Adult size: 7 – 9 cm
Min. tank size: 80 litres+
Lifespan: 10 – 15 years
Diet: Carnivore — sinking meaty foods, not an algae eater
Water flow: High
Preferred setup: Warm, fast-flowing tank with many narrow caves and bare rock

About the Zebra Pleco

The Zebra Pleco is known in the trade by its L-number, L046. It is a warm-water, high-flow, cave-spawning carnivore — not the algae-eating pleco many buyers expect. Wild export from Brazil is restricted, so responsible stock is captive-bred.

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Is it right for your tank?

Check Zebra Pleco against a habitat you already keep. We compare water type, temperature, pH, adult size, group needs and everything living there.

Where Zebra Pleco comes from

Native range

Rio Xingu, Amazon basin

Countries / regions

Brazil

Habitat

Fast-flowing, warm, oxygen-rich rocky rapids of the Rio Xingu.

Illustrative native range only, not an occurrence dataset.

Similar species

Bristlenose Pleco
Ancistrus cirrhosus
King Tiger Pleco
Hypancistrus sp. L066

We’re adding more full species guides as the catalogue grows.

Compatible tank mates

Reviewed guidance based on this species' recorded traits.

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Cardinal Tetra
Paracheirodon axelrodi
Mid-water shoal that tolerates the same warm, soft, fast water and never competes for caves.
Great
Bristlenose Pleco
Ancistrus cirrhosus
Compatible temperament, but a larger pleco will take the best caves and out-compete a Zebra at feeding time.
Compatible with caution
Electric Yellow Lab
Labidochromis caeruleus
Wrong water chemistry and far too boisterous for a slow, cave-bound catfish.
Not recommended

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