Description
Planiloricaria cryptodon is a bottom catfish of up to 21.5 cm, from the upper Amazon and the Ucayali, Purus and Mamoré basins. The genus name means «flat cuirass», and it is expected, like other loricariines, to spend the day lying on the bottom.
It is not a wood pleco but a sand fish. It needs a fine, clean sand bottom, and it does not do well with companions that take its food.
Behavior
Peaceful and quiet, it spends the day lying on the sand. It does not compete well for food, so it is best fed at night or separately. It asks for fine sand, a log or two and little current.
It lives well with small, calm fish of the middle and upper levels.
Avoid housing it with other bottom fish that dispute its food and with large or lively fish.
Habitat
Planiloricaria cryptodon lives in the upper Amazon, in the Ucayali, Purus and Mamoré basins. Its specific environment has not been described.
Details
🌊 Water parameters
🐠 Minimum tank size
Breeding
There are no data on its breeding in the aquarium.
Diet
A bottom omnivore that searches the sand for small invertebrates and debris.
- Staple: small sinking tablets and frozen mosquito larvae.
- Supplement: frozen brine shrimp and small worms.
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 6–7.2 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 26–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 25–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–25 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 27–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 25–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–28 °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 6–7.2 and 26–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–26 °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 6–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 25–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
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 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–25 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.8 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.8 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.2 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 22–24 °C.
Sources
- FishBaseFroese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2026. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication.
Etymology: from FishBase, Planiloricaria comes from the Latin planus («flat») and lorica («cuirass»).
The care values (pH, temperature and hardness) come from a single source: none of the other accepted sources records them for this species.
Water: FishBase gives pH 6-7.2, 2-10 dH and 22-28 °C. Size: 21.5 cm SL. Distribution: the upper Amazon, with the Ucayali, Purus and Mamoré basins. Diet, behaviour and breeding: FishBase does not record them; the text is general knowledge of the sand-dwelling loricariines, not of the species.
Litres per fish, tank sizes and lifespan: the profile's own judgement. The sources consulted do not give them.
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