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Butterfly Pleco
Dekeyseria brachyura
Also known as L168, Flounder Pleco
Animalia›Chordata›Siluriformes›Loricariidae
📍 South America
A beautifully patterned pleco with bold black and tan stripes across its flattened body and broad fins. Stays relatively small and is an excellent algae grazer. Prefers driftwood-heavy setups with good water flow and oxygenation.
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Quick Facts
- diet
- Herbivore/omnivore – algae wafers, blanched vegetables, driftwood (grazes biofilm)
- lifespan
- 5–8 years
- max size
- 12 cm (5 in)
- tank size
- 20 gallons minimum
- temperament
- Peaceful
Water it likes
- ph
- 6.0–7.5
- ammonia
- 0 ppm
- nitrate
- <20 ppm
- hardness
- 2–15 dGH
- temperature
- 75–82°F (24–28°C)
Legality
No state or federal restrictions on record for this species.
Not legal advice, and possibly incomplete or out of date. Rules vary by state and locality and change over time — always confirm the current regulations with your state wildlife or agriculture agency before buying, keeping, or shipping this species.