🧛 Golden Vampire Pleco – (Leporacanthicus heterodon) – Golden-Spotted Rio Xingu Vampire Pleco

The Golden Vampire Pleco (Leporacanthicus heterodon) is a distinctive Brazilian pleco known for its beautiful golden-beige to brown body covered with contrasting dark black or chocolate-colored spots.

Its unusual coloration, elongated pointed head, armored body, and characteristic enlarged upper-jaw teeth make it very different from most commonly kept plecos.

The Golden Vampire Pleco belongs to the genus:

Leporacanthicus

a group popularly known as:

VAMPIRE PLECOS

because of the unusual enlarged teeth visible in the upper jaw.

Unlike algae-focused plecos, Leporacanthicus heterodon is primarily an invertebrate-oriented carnivore / strongly protein-leaning pleco that should receive foods such as shrimp, mussel, crustaceans, insect larvae, and high-quality sinking carnivore foods.

The species is native specifically to the:

RIO XINGU BASIN OF BRAZIL

including records extending into the:

RIO IRIRI

and is adapted to warm, flowing, highly oxygenated water with extensive rocky structure and crevices.

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🔎 Quick Facts – Golden Vampire Pleco

• 📛 Common Name: Golden Vampire Pleco
• 📛 Other Names: Golden Heterodon, Golden Vampire, Leopard Vampire Pleco
• 🔬 Scientific Name: Leporacanthicus heterodon
• 🔢 L-Number: NONE
• 🚨 Important L-Number Note: Often incorrectly sold as L172, L172a, or L172b
• ⚠️ L172: A different pleco designation — it is not Leporacanthicus heterodon
• 🧬 Taxonomic Status: Valid formally described species
• 📅 Formally Described: 1989
• 🐟 Family: Loricariidae
• 🧬 Subfamily: Hypostominae
• 🇧🇷 Country: Brazil
• 📍 State / Region: Pará and Xingu drainage region
• 🌊 Native Drainage: Rio Xingu Basin
• 🌊 Additional Records: Rio Iriri
• 💧 Water Type: Freshwater / Clearwater River System
• 📏 FishBase Maximum: Approximately 16 cm / 6.3 inches total length
• 📏 Adult Planning Size: Approximately 6–8 inches
• 🏠 Recommended Aquarium: Approximately 40 gallons or larger for one adult
• 👥 Groups: Approximately 55–75+ gallons depending on footprint and number of adults
• 📐 Recommended Aquarium Length: Approximately 4 feet preferred for groups
• 🌡️ Temperature: Approximately 79–86°F
• 💧 pH: Approximately 5.5–7.5
• 💦 Water: Soft to moderately mineralized
• 💨 Oxygenation: Very High
• 🌊 Water Movement: Moderate to Strong
• 🍽️ Diet: Carnivorous / Strongly Protein-Leaning
• 🦐 Crustaceans & Invertebrates: Important
• 🐌 Snails / Mollusk Foods: Appropriate
• 🌿 Plant Foods: Minor / Supplemental
• 🚫 Algae Cleaner: No
• 🪵 Wood Eater: No
• 😌 Temperament: Generally manageable toward midwater fish
• ⚠️ Pleco Temperament: Males may become territorial
• 🌙 Activity: Primarily nocturnal / crepuscular
• 🥚 Breeding: Confirmed Cave Spawner
• 👨‍👧 Parental Care: Male guards eggs and developing fry
• ⭐ Care Level: Intermediate
• 🌎 Conservation Status: Near Threatened
• 📏 Current Listing Size: Approximately 2.75–3.75 inches

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🚨 Important L-Number Correction

This is one of the most important pieces of information on this product page.

The:

GOLDEN VAMPIRE PLECO DOES NOT HAVE AN OFFICIAL L-NUMBER

You may see Leporacanthicus heterodon advertised as:

• L172
• L172a
• L172b

These designations are commonly repeated throughout the aquarium trade.

However:

THEY ARE NOT THE CORRECT L-NUMBER IDENTIFICATION FOR LEPORACANTHICUS HETERODON.

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❌ Golden Vampire Pleco Is Not L172

The aquarium designation:

L172

belongs to a:

DIFFERENT PLECO

It should not be used as the L-number for:

Leporacanthicus heterodon

Therefore, this product should be listed simply as:

Golden Vampire Pleco – (Leporacanthicus heterodon)

and:

NOT “L172 Golden Vampire Pleco.”

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⚠️ What About L172a & L172b?

You may also encounter:

• L172a
• L172b

attached to Golden Vampire Plecos.

These labels developed through historical aquarium-trade usage and continue to appear on:

• Retail websites
• Import lists
• Forums
• Older articles
• Fish databases

However:

THE GOLDEN VAMPIRE PLECO DOES NOT HAVE AN OFFICIAL L-NUMBER DESIGNATION.

For Jason's Plecos & Cichlids, we will identify the fish using its scientifically valid species name:

Leporacanthicus heterodon

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🧬 Why Doesn't It Need an L-Number?

L-numbers were primarily created to help distinguish loricariid catfish entering the aquarium trade before they had:

• Formal species descriptions
• Confirmed scientific names
• Clear taxonomic identification

The Golden Vampire Pleco already has a valid scientific species name:

Leporacanthicus heterodon

It was formally described in:

1989

Therefore, attaching an incorrect L-number creates more confusion rather than helping identification.

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✅ Correct Identification

Use:

Golden Vampire Pleco – (Leporacanthicus heterodon)

Do not use:

L172 Golden Vampire Pleco

Do not use:

L172a Golden Vampire Pleco

Do not use:

L172b Golden Vampire Pleco

as though these were official L-number designations for the species.

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🧬 Valid Scientific Species

The accepted scientific name is:

Leporacanthicus heterodon

The species was described by:

Isbrücker & Nijssen

in:

1989

Unlike many collectible plecos still identified primarily through L-numbers:

Leporacanthicus heterodon IS A FORMALLY DESCRIBED SPECIES.

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🦷 What Does heterodon Mean?

The species name:

heterodon

comes from words referring to:

DIFFERENT TEETH

This is particularly appropriate because members of Leporacanthicus have extremely unusual dentition compared with many other loricariid catfish.

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🧛 Why Is It Called a Vampire Pleco?

Members of the genus Leporacanthicus possess a small number of:

ENLARGED UPPER-JAW TEETH

that can appear:

• Fang-like
• Pointed
• Rabbit-like
• Vampire-like

when viewed from the correct angle.

These unusual teeth helped inspire the aquarium name:

VAMPIRE PLECO

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🦷 Specialized Teeth

The mouth of Leporacanthicus heterodon is designed very differently from that of a typical algae-scraping pleco.

Its feeding anatomy is suited to consuming:

• Snails
• Mollusks
• Crustaceans
• Aquatic invertebrates
• Insect larvae

rather than continuously scraping algae from aquarium glass.

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🚫 “Vampire” Does Not Mean It Drinks Blood

Despite the dramatic common name:

THIS FISH DOES NOT DRINK BLOOD

and it is not a miniature fish-hunting monster.

“Vampire” refers to its unusual:

FANG-LIKE TEETH

not blood-feeding behavior.

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🎨 Appearance

Golden Vampire Plecos can display a beautiful base coloration ranging from:

• Golden beige
• Yellow-brown
• Caramel
• Tan
• Brown
• Gray-brown

covered with:

• Black spots
• Dark chocolate spots
• Dark brown spots

---

⚫ Dark Spot Pattern

The dark spots can cover:

• Head
• Snout
• Body
• Dorsal fin
• Pectoral fins
• Pelvic fins
• Caudal fin

The result can resemble a:

• Leopard pattern
• Jaguar pattern
• Golden spotted pattern

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✨ Golden Coloration

The intensity of the golden background varies considerably.

Some specimens may appear:

BRIGHT GOLDEN-YELLOW

while others may appear:

• Beige
• Caramel
• Olive-brown
• Grayish brown

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♂️ Males May Show Stronger Contrast

Mature males may develop:

• Richer golden-brown coloration
• Stronger contrast
• More obvious odontodes

than some mature females.

However:

COLOR ALONE SHOULD NOT BE USED TO GUARANTEE SEX.

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⚠️ Color Disclaimer

Exact adult coloration cannot be guaranteed.

Appearance can vary with:

• Genetics
• Age
• Sex
• Collection locality
• Stress
• Shipping
• Lighting
• Aquarium background
• Diet
• Water quality
• Acclimation

A newly transported Golden Vampire may temporarily appear considerably:

• Darker
• Grayer
• Less golden

than an established specimen.

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🌎 Native Distribution

The Golden Vampire Pleco is native to:

BRAZIL

and specifically to the:

RIO XINGU BASIN

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🌊 Rio Xingu

The Rio Xingu is a major tributary of the:

AMAZON RIVER

and is known for:

• Clearwater conditions
• Rocky channels
• Rapids
• Boulders
• Crevices
• Warm water
• High dissolved oxygen

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🌊 Rio Iriri

Specialist records also document Leporacanthicus heterodon extending into the:

RIO IRIRI

which is a major tributary of the Xingu.

Therefore, a good origin description is:

RIO XINGU & RIO IRIRI – BRAZIL

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❌ Important Origin Correction

The older page lists the origin as:

ORINOCO AND AMAZON BASINS

That is too broad and includes the wrong river system.

The accurate origin is:

RIO XINGU BASIN – BRAZIL

This is an Amazon tributary system.

The Golden Vampire Pleco is:

NOT AN ORINOCO SPECIES.

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🪨 Natural Habitat

Wild Golden Vampire Plecos inhabit:

ROCKY, FLOWING RIVER HABITAT

with:

• Rocks
• Boulders
• Crevices
• Cavities
• Strong water movement
• Warm water
• High dissolved oxygen

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🌊 Adapted to Flowing Water

The aquarium should provide:

MODERATE TO STRONG WATER MOVEMENT

especially around:

• Rockwork
• Caves
• Filter returns

This helps reproduce the highly oxygenated river environment found in the Xingu.

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💨 Very High Oxygenation

One of the most important husbandry requirements is:

VERY HIGH DISSOLVED OXYGEN

Use:

• Strong surface agitation
• Air stones
• Powerheads
• Circulation pumps
• Strong canister-filter returns
• Sump returns

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🌡️ Warm Water Requires Oxygen

Golden Vampire Plecos naturally inhabit warm water.

A practical aquarium range is:

79–86°F / 26–30°C

Water temperatures over:

86°F / 30°C

can occur in portions of their natural habitat.

However:

WARM WATER HOLDS LESS OXYGEN

so strong aeration becomes increasingly important as temperature rises.

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💧 Water Parameters

A practical maintenance range is:

• 🌡️ Temperature: Approximately 79–86°F
• 💧 pH: Approximately 5.5–7.5
• 💦 Hardness: Soft to moderately mineralized
• 💨 Oxygenation: Very High
• 🌊 Water Movement: Moderate to Strong
• ☠️ Ammonia: 0 ppm
• ☠️ Nitrite: 0 ppm
• 🔄 Nitrate: Keep low

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⚠️ Clean Water Is Essential

This species should not be maintained in:

• Dirty aquariums
• Stagnant water
• Low oxygen
• High nitrate
• Heavy organic buildup

Strong filtration and regular water changes are important.

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🔄 Water Changes

Golden Vampire Plecos respond well to:

REGULAR LARGE PARTIAL WATER CHANGES

The exact schedule depends on:

• Aquarium size
• Stocking
• Feeding
• Filtration
• Nitrate production

The goal should always be:

CLEAN + WARM + HIGHLY OXYGENATED WATER

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🏠 Aquarium Size

The Golden Vampire Pleco is one of the smaller members of Leporacanthicus.

For one adult:

APPROXIMATELY 40 GALLONS OR LARGER

can provide suitable long-term housing with the correct footprint and filtration.

For several adults:

55–75+ GALLONS

is preferable.

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📐 Aquarium Length

For a group, an aquarium around:

4 FEET LONG

provides useful territory and room for:

• Multiple caves
• Rockwork
• Feeding areas
• Territorial separation

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📏 Adult Size

FishBase currently documents a maximum of:

16 CM / APPROXIMATELY 6.3 INCHES TOTAL LENGTH

for Leporacanthicus heterodon.

Specialist aquarium references commonly report adults around:

15–20 CM

or approximately:

6–8 INCHES

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📏 Responsible Adult Planning

For aquarium planning:

EXPECT APPROXIMATELY 6–8 INCHES

This provides a conservative housing recommendation without exaggerating the species into a giant pleco.

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⚠️ One of the Smaller Vampire Plecos

Compared with several other members of Leporacanthicus, the Golden Vampire is relatively compact.

It does not reach the massive adult dimensions of some:

• Cactus Plecos
• Royal Plecos
• Large Sailfin Plecos

However, it still requires excellent:

• Water quality
• Territory
• Filtration
• Oxygenation

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🪨 Aquarium Setup

A good Golden Vampire aquarium should contain:

• Rocks
• Slate
• Rock piles
• Narrow crevices
• Ceramic pleco caves
• Driftwood
• Sand or smooth gravel
• Shaded areas
• Strong filtration
• Strong circulation
• Very high oxygenation

---

🏠 Caves Are Essential

Provide secure caves for:

• Daytime shelter
• Territory
• Stress reduction
• Breeding

For more than one fish:

PROVIDE MORE CAVES THAN PLECOS

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↔️ Side-Entrance Caves

Experienced Leporacanthicus breeders have observed that these fish may particularly appreciate:

CAVES WITH SIDE OR OFFSET ENTRANCES

although traditional one-ended pleco caves may also be accepted.

Providing several styles allows each fish to choose its preferred shelter.

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🪵 Driftwood

Driftwood may be included for:

• Shelter
• Shade
• Territory
• Biofilm
• Natural structure

However:

THE GOLDEN VAMPIRE IS NOT A WOOD-EATING PLECO

and wood is not required specifically for digestion.

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🍽️ Diet – Carnivorous / Invertebrate-Oriented

One of the biggest corrections from the older listing is diet.

The Golden Vampire Pleco is best described as:

CARNIVOROUS / STRONGLY PROTEIN-LEANING

rather than a general algae-eating omnivore.

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🐌 Natural Foods

Wild Leporacanthicus heterodon feed heavily on:

• Snails
• Mollusks
• Crustaceans
• Other aquatic invertebrates

---

🦐 Recommended Aquarium Foods

Excellent foods include:

• Shrimp
• Prawns
• Mysis shrimp
• Krill
• Brine shrimp
• Bloodworms
• Mosquito larvae
• Insect larvae
• Quality carnivore pellets
• Insect-based sinking foods
• High-quality omnivore tablets

---

🦪 Mussels & Mollusks

Larger specimens can receive appropriately sized portions of:

• Mussel
• Cockle
• Clam
• Other safe shellfish flesh

These foods fit well with the species' natural invertebrate-oriented feeding ecology.

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🐌 Snails

Appropriately sourced aquarium snails may also be consumed.

The Golden Vampire's unusual teeth are well adapted to exploiting:

MOLLUSK AND INVERTEBRATE FOODS

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⚠️ Avoid Unsafe Wild Foods

Do not collect:

• Snails
• Crustaceans
• Worms

from contaminated outdoor waterways for aquarium feeding.

They may introduce:

• Parasites
• Pesticides
• Pollutants
• Pathogens

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🚫 Avoid Feeder Fish

There is no need to feed live feeder fish.

Feeder fish can introduce:

• Parasites
• Bacterial disease
• Poor nutritional balance

The Golden Vampire's natural diet is much more closely associated with:

BENTHIC INVERTEBRATES

than active fish predation.

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🌿 Plant Foods

Some individuals may accept:

• Spirulina-containing foods
• Vegetable-containing pellets
• Small amounts of zucchini
• Other appropriate plant material

However:

PLANT FOODS SHOULD NOT FORM THE FOUNDATION OF THE DIET

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🚫 Not an Algae Cleaner

The Golden Vampire Pleco is:

NOT AN ALGAE-CONTROL PLECO

Do not purchase this species expecting it to clean:

• Aquarium glass
• Rocks
• Decorations

It requires intentional feeding with appropriate protein-rich foods.

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🌙 Activity

The Golden Vampire Pleco is primarily:

CREPUSCULAR / NOCTURNAL

Activity generally increases:

• Around dusk
• During feeding
• After lights dim
• At night

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🫣 Naturally Shy

This species can be:

EXTREMELY SHY

especially when newly introduced.

A fish may spend long periods:

• Inside a cave
• Behind rocks
• Under driftwood

This does not necessarily indicate illness.

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🏠 More Hiding Places Can Mean a More Visible Fish

Ironically, providing:

MORE HIDING PLACES

often makes shy plecos more willing to emerge.

A fish that knows it can immediately retreat into a nearby cave generally feels more secure.

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🍽️ Make Sure It Is Eating

Because Golden Vampires can be shy, they may lose feeding opportunities to faster fish.

Offer food:

• Near caves
• At dusk
• After lights out
• In multiple locations

---

⚠️ Monitor Body Condition

Watch for:

• Sunken abdomen
• Loss of body mass
• Hollow appearance
• Persistent refusal to feed

A hidden fish can slowly lose weight without being noticed.

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😌 Temperament Toward Other Fish

Toward appropriately selected midwater species, Leporacanthicus heterodon is generally manageable.

Possible tankmates include fish that tolerate:

• Warm water
• Strong circulation
• High oxygenation

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⚠️ Territorial With Other Plecos

The main compatibility concern is other:

BOTTOM-DWELLING PLECOS

Adult males may defend:

• Caves
• Feeding areas
• Favorite rockwork
• Resting locations

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👥 Group Housing

Unlike some extremely aggressive large plecos, Golden Vampires can be maintained successfully in small groups when adequate space is available.

Provide:

• Numerous caves
• Multiple feeding locations
• Visual barriers
• Sufficient bottom territory

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⚔️ Male Territoriality

Mature males may:

• Chase one another
• Block caves
• Push competitors
• Display odontodes

Overcrowding should be avoided.

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♂️ Male vs. Female

Sex differences become more apparent in mature fish.

Mature Males

Typically become:

• More elongated
• More slender
• More strongly patterned in some individuals
• More heavily covered with odontodes

Males commonly have stronger odontodes along the:

• Gill-cover region
• Snout
• Pectoral fins
• Rear body

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Mature Females

Generally develop:

• Fuller body profile
• Broader abdomen
• Less pronounced pectoral odontodes

especially when carrying eggs.

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👀 View From Above

Comparing mature fish:

FROM ABOVE

is often one of the easiest methods.

Females tend to appear:

• Broader
• Rounder

while males tend to appear:

• Longer
• More streamlined

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⚠️ Juvenile Sexing

Juvenile Golden Vampires can be difficult to sex accurately.

Unless confidently identified:

SELL AS UNSEXED

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🥚 Captive Breeding – Confirmed

The Golden Vampire Pleco has been:

SUCCESSFULLY BRED IN CAPTIVITY

It is a:

CAVE-SPAWNING PLECO

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🏠 Breeding Caves

Provide multiple caves with:

• Different widths
• Different lengths
• Traditional end entrances
• Side or offset entrances

A mature male will usually select and defend his preferred cave.

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💕 Spawning Behavior

Typical breeding behavior includes:

1. The male selects a cave.
2. A receptive female approaches.
3. The female enters the cave.
4. Spawning occurs inside.
5. Eggs are deposited and fertilized.
6. The female eventually leaves.
7. The male remains with the clutch.

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👨‍👧 Male Parental Care

After spawning:

THE MALE GUARDS THE EGGS

He:

• Protects the clutch
• Fans the eggs
• Maintains water movement
• Guards the developing larvae

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🌡️ Breeding Conditions

Successful captive breeding has been associated with:

• Water around 86°F / 30°C
• Soft water
• Slightly acidic conditions
• Very high dissolved oxygen
• Protein-rich conditioning
• Clean water
• Appropriate caves

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🦐 Conditioning Breeders

Good conditioning foods include:

• Shrimp
• Mussel
• Krill
• Artemia
• Insect-based foods
• High-quality protein pellets

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🥚 Clutch Size

Clutch size can vary based on:

• Female size
• Age
• Conditioning
• Genetics

Because documented brood sizes vary:

DO NOT GUARANTEE AN EXACT EGG COUNT

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👶 Raising Fry

Once the yolk sac is absorbed, fry can receive:

• Baby brine shrimp
• Fine frozen foods
• Fine carnivore pellets
• Crushed quality tablets
• Appropriate protein-oriented fry foods

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⚠️ Clean Water for Fry

Protein-rich feeding can quickly increase:

• Organic waste
• Bacterial growth
• Ammonia risk

Feed small portions frequently while maintaining:

EXCELLENT WATER QUALITY

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🌎 Conservation Status

Leporacanthicus heterodon is currently assessed as:

NEAR THREATENED

on the IUCN Red List.

The assessment dates to:

2018

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🚨 Near Threatened

Near Threatened means the species does not currently meet the full criteria for:

• Vulnerable
• Endangered
• Critically Endangered

but is considered close enough to threatened categories that conservation attention is warranted.

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🌊 Xingu Habitat Concerns

The Rio Xingu contains a highly specialized freshwater fish community.

Potential conservation pressures include:

• River modification
• Habitat alteration
• Hydroelectric development
• Changes in water flow
• Changes in water quality

Responsible aquarium ownership is especially important for wild-origin Xingu species.

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⚠️ Near Threatened Does Not Automatically Mean Illegal

An IUCN:

NEAR THREATENED

classification is a conservation assessment.

It does not automatically mean the fish is:

• CITES listed
• Federally prohibited in the United States
• Illegal to own
• Illegal to sell domestically

Legal restrictions are separate from IUCN conservation categories.

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⭐ Why Keep a Golden Vampire Pleco?

The Golden Vampire Pleco combines:

• 🟡 Golden-beige coloration
• ⚫ Dramatic dark spotting
• 🧛 Distinctive vampire-like teeth
• 🐌 Specialized invertebrate feeding
• 🇧🇷 Rio Xingu origin
• 🌊 High-flow river adaptations
• 📏 Manageable approximately 6–8 inch adult size
• 🌙 Nocturnal personality
• 🥚 Confirmed captive breeding
• 👨‍👧 Male parental care
• 🧬 Valid formally described species identity
• 🚫 No confusing L-number needed

into one of the most distinctive members of the genus Leporacanthicus.

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⚠️ Important Considerations

Before purchasing a Golden Vampire Pleco:

• The correct scientific name is Leporacanthicus heterodon.
• The species was formally described in 1989.
• The Golden Vampire Pleco does not have an official L-number.
• Do not identify this fish as L172.
• L172 is a different pleco designation.
• L172a and L172b are also commonly but incorrectly attached to L. heterodon in the aquarium trade.
• Use the scientific name Leporacanthicus heterodon for accurate identification.
• The species originates from the Rio Xingu Basin of Brazil.
• Specialist records also include the Rio Iriri.
• Remove the old Orinoco origin.
• FishBase documents approximately 16 cm / 6.3 inches total length.
• Specialist records report fish approaching approximately 20 cm / 8 inches.
• Plan for approximately 6–8 inches as an adult.
• Provide approximately 40 gallons or larger for one adult.
• Use larger aquariums for groups.
• Provide multiple caves and rocky shelters.
• Maintain approximately 79–86°F.
• Maintain very high dissolved oxygen.
• Provide moderate to strong water movement.
• Keep ammonia and nitrite at zero.
• Keep nitrate low.
• Feed a strongly protein-oriented diet.
• Shrimp, mussel, crustaceans, insect foods, and quality carnivore pellets are appropriate.
• Plant foods should only be supplemental.
• Do not purchase this fish as an algae cleaner.
• It is not a specialized wood eater.
• Do not claim wood is required for digestion.
• Expect males to defend caves.
• Captive breeding is documented.
• Males guard the eggs and developing fry.
• The species is currently Near Threatened.
• Never release aquarium fish into natural waterways.

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🧬 Taxonomy

The accepted scientific name is:

Leporacanthicus heterodon Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1989

Classification:

• Order: Siluriformes
• Family: Loricariidae
• Subfamily: Hypostominae
• Tribe: Ancistrini / Leporacanthicus-group classification depending on reference
• Genus: Leporacanthicus
• Species: heterodon
• Official L-Number: None

Native distribution:

RIO XINGU BASIN – BRAZIL

with specialist records extending into the:

RIO IRIRI

For this product, use:

Golden Vampire Pleco – (Leporacanthicus heterodon)

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🚨 L172 Identification Disclaimer

The Golden Vampire Pleco is frequently advertised as:

• L172
• L172a
• L172b

This is incorrect.

L172 IS A DIFFERENT PLECO.

The aquarium designation L172 should therefore:

NOT

be used as the L-number for Leporacanthicus heterodon.

Most importantly:

LEPORACANTHICUS HETERODON DOES NOT HAVE AN OFFICIAL L-NUMBER.

Because the species already has a valid scientific name, use:

Golden Vampire Pleco – (Leporacanthicus heterodon)

rather than attaching an incorrect L-number.

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🌎 Conservation Disclaimer

Leporacanthicus heterodon is currently classified as:

NEAR THREATENED

on the IUCN Red List.

Conservation classifications and legal possession restrictions are separate matters.

Customers remain responsible for complying with all applicable:

• Federal laws
• State laws
• Local regulations
• Import requirements

Responsible sourcing and permanent appropriate care are especially important for wild-origin Xingu species.

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🚚 Live Fish Shipping

Live fish are professionally packed for safe transport.

Shipping availability depends on:

• Fish size
• Destination
• Weather conditions
• Carrier availability
• Applicable state and local regulations

Golden Vampire Plecos have:

• Strong pectoral spines
• Armored bodies
• Odontodes

so appropriate protective packaging is important during transport.

Please review our Shipping & Payment Information and Live Arrival Guarantee / DOA Policy before ordering.

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⚠️ Buyer Responsibility

Customers are responsible for confirming that Leporacanthicus heterodon may legally be purchased, possessed, transported, and received in their state or local jurisdiction before ordering.

Never release aquarium fish into natural waterways.