Description
Hemiancistrus sabaji is a very elongated pleco of up to 19.8 cm, with small spots on the head that become very large on the peduncle and the tail. It lives in medium to large rivers of Guyana and Venezuela, among boulders, in runs and riffles. Young fish hide in the holes of lateritic rocks, and most specimens were caught at night.
It is a current fish: it asks for a tank with stones, caves and moving water.
Behavior
It can be expected to be calm with other species and to hide by day. It asks for stones, caves and a noticeable current, and filtration that can cope.
It lives well with medium-sized river fish of the middle and upper levels, such as large tetras.
Avoid housing it with other territorial plecos and with fish that prefer still water.
Habitat
Hemiancistrus sabaji lives in Guyana and Venezuela, in medium to large rivers, among boulders and usually in runs and riffles. Young fish may hide in the holes of lateritic rocks in pools. The largest specimen was caught in the main stem of the Essequibo, moving from deeper water into the shallows where boulders were exposed.
Details
🌊 Water parameters
🐠 Minimum tank size
Breeding
Its breeding is not documented.
Diet
A probable omnivore that scrapes stones and wood.
- Staple: sinking pleco tablets and vegetables, such as courgette.
- Supplement: frozen mosquito larvae and shrimp.
What about your tank?
Enter your tank's values to see only the compatible species that fit them. Litres apply to fish.
Compatible fish
General guidance based on water parameters, behaviour and known exceptions; always review the individual animals' and aquarium's specific needs.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 26–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 25–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–25 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 27–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 25–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 26–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 26–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 25–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
Compatible invertebrates
General guidance based on water parameters, behaviour and known exceptions; always review the individual animals' and aquarium's specific needs.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–25 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5 and 24–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5 and 26–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.8 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6–6.8 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5 and 27–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5 and 27–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
Sources
- FishBaseFroese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2026. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication.
There is no source for this species' water: none of the accepted sources records its pH, temperature or hardness, and the profile's ranges are estimated from its congeners or species of the same genus.
Name: GBIF accepts Hemiancistrus sabaji (Peckoltia sabaji is a synonym); FishBase has it as Peckoltia sabaji, and the source link points to that name. FishBase adds that in the aquarium hobby it is placed in Ancistomus.
Water: the ranges (pH 6-7.5, 2-12 dGH and 24-28 °C) are estimated from those of Hypancistrus contradens and Aphanotorulus ammophilus, river loricariids in the catalogue: Hemiancistrus has no congeners in it. Size: 19.8 cm SL. Distribution: Guyana and Venezuela. Habitat: from FishBase (medium to large rivers among boulders, in runs and riffles). Behaviour, diet and breeding: FishBase does not record them; the text is general knowledge of river plecos, not of the species.
Litres per fish, tank sizes and lifespan: the profile's own judgement. The sources consulted do not give them.
Plan your next aquarium
Is this fish right for you? Plan a suitable aquarium before setting it up.