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carachamita

Scientific name Otocinclus macrospilus
Descriptor Eigenmann & Allen
Year of description 1942
IUCN category (World) LC
Family Loricariidae
Genus Otocinclus
Otocinclus macrospilus Otocinclus macrospilus
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Presentation of the JBL 2025 Peru Expedition

Introduction

L'carachamita is a dwarf catfish tropical originating from South America.

It is one of the most common species of carachamita found in the aquarium hobby after carachamita vittatus. It is often mistakenly marketed, as many of its relatives, under the name of carachamita affinis orMacrotocinclus affinis.

Who is it?

Morphology

  • Average size
    3 cm
  • Maximum size
    4 cm
  • Shape
    Catfish
  • Average size
    3 cm
  • Maximum size
    4 cm
  • Shape
    Catfish

How to recognize the carachamita ?

The carachamita is a small Loricariidae that belongs with the Acestridium and the Hypoptopomma to the subfamily of the Hypoptopomatinae.

Like other Loricariidae, rows of plates cover its body, usually small in size. They have the peculiarity of being able to breathe air thanks to a diverticulum at the junction between the esophagus and the stomach.

It generally has 22 to 23 plates in a longitudinal series. It also has a dark band on the snout that stretches through the eye, to the end of the middle caudal rays and which fades slightly upstream of the spot preceding the caudal, circular in his case.

The entire dorsal area has tiger patterns. The caudal fin is remarkable for its 2 vertical bands.

 

 

Sexual dimorphism

As with their relatives, thees carachamita males are smaller than females (between 5 and 10 mm difference).

The males have a small contact organ formed by a whirl of odontodes on the ventral edge of the caudal peduncle, near the base of the caudal fin.

Behaviour & Life cycle

  • diet
    herbivorous
  • Sociability
    gregarious
  • territorial
    No
  • Way of living
    diurnal

The carachamita is a fish living in large groups that naturally resides in vegetation. It is a species with a calm temperament.

It is a very shy and peaceful species that tends to rest on many objects and enjoys environments that provide numerous hiding places.

Reproduction

  • Reproduction
    ovipare qui dépose ses Œufs dans la végétation

The carachamita like the rest of the carachamita, is an oviparous fish on exposed substrate.

The eggs are very adhesive and are most often laid on long leaves. The eggs are not guarded or protected by their parents.

Harmless species

This species does not pose a particular danger to humans if encountered in its natural environment.

Where to find it?

Conservation status of populations (IUCN)

World : LC

Geographic distribution & Conservation

The carachamita is endemic to the upper part of the Amazon basin, in Peru. Several sources also locate it in the basins of the Rio Nanay and Maranon, as well as in Colombia in the Amazon, Japura, and Caqueta basins, and in Ecuador in the Napo basin.

What is its habitat?

Natural environment characteristics

  • Temperature
    21 - 26 °C
  • pH (acidity)
    5.5 - 7.5
  • gh (hardness)
    1 - 9
  • Flow
    Medium and Slow

Biotope presentation

The carachamita is mainly found in the upper part of the Amazon basin, in rivers or ravines where the current is moderate or weak.

They live in very large groups in the vegetation mats found in these habitats, where they can feed and hide from predators.

Species of the same biotope

Main recommendations for fishkeeping

Deontology

In order to preserve wildlife, if you acquire this animal, it must not be released into the wild. See also, the Fishipedia charter.

Fishipedia supports the practice of responsible and environmentally friendly aquarium keeping. We encourage maintenance if it is motivated by a desire to understand the biological functioning of living things and if it is done with respect for animal life.

We believe that aquaristics is an opening to the discovery of aquatic environments, especially freshwater, and that this knowledge is necessary to better protect and respect these environments. Logically, we refute the compulsive purchase of animals that would not find a sufficient and / or adapted place in the host aquarium.

Our recommendations

  • Min volume
    60 liters
  • Population min
    6
  • Temperature
    21 - 26 °C
  • pH (acidity)
    5.5 - 7.5

Characteristics

  • Difficulty breeding
    moderate
  • Robustness
    tolerant
  • Behaviour
    peaceful
  • Availability
    occasional

General reminders

It is strongly advised to read the complete dedicated file and to get information on the feedbacks of maintenance of the envisaged animal, this to avoid any potential conflict whose end result is generally the death of the individual (or the other inhabitants). It is important not to overload your aquarium to limit pollution. This will make maintenance easier.

In nature, animals are subject to weather conditions and live in waters with variable characteristics. The recommendations offered by our team for aquarium maintenance are a guidance and cannot be assimilated to scientific datas.

General reminder on maintenance datas

Le démarrage d'un aquarium est une partie primordiale pour l'équilibre et le bien-être des poissons. Lorsque l'on met en eau un aquarium, l'eau passe naturellement par un cycle biologique : le cycle de l'azote. Celui-ci dure environ trois semaines. Tous les 2 jours, nous vous conseillons de tester votre eau jusqu'à ce que le taux de nitrite soit à zéro pendant plusieurs jours d'affilée.

Pour accélérer ce cycle, vous pouvez utiliser un activateur de bactéries comme JBL Denitrol. Cette solution riche en bactéries vivantes et enzymes permet une mise en place rapide du cycle de l'azote. Les poissons peuvent alors être introduits plus rapidement.

Il est important de tester l'eau de son aquarium régulièrement pour maintenir un environnement sain pour les poissons et les autres habitants. Les tests d'eau permettent de mesurer les niveaux de différents paramètres tels que le pH, la dureté totale, ainsi que les taux de nitrates, de nitrites et d'ammoniaque.

Pour réaliser ces tests, vous pouvez utiliser des produits d'analyse spécialisés tels que JBL ProScan qui permet de réaliser un diagnostic de l'eau directement via un smartphone. Il existe également des coffrets de tests plus classiques de bandelettes, comme JBL PROAQUATEST.

En cas d’usage de l’eau du robinet, vous pouvez utiliser un conditionneur d’eau de type Biotopol de JBL pour éliminer les substances nocives comme le chlore, le cuivre, le plomb et le zinc. Les conditionneurs d'eau garantissent une meilleure santé aux poissons et une meilleure croissance des plantes.

Chlorine and chloramine are dangerous for the health of animals. Used to disinfect water, these agents are present in significant quantities in tap water. We recommend using an anti-chlorine agent every time you change the water. In addition to chlorine, treatments and medicines sold for aquarium use sometimes contain dangerous heavy metals in high doses.

Specific needs for the carachamita

The carachamita is a species which lives naturally at a temperature between 21 °C and 26 °C. For proper maintenance, the temperature should never exceed the 29°C for long periods. Nitrate levels should remain below 50mg/L. To keep the water clean and unpolluted, plan on changing 20% to 30% of the water volume each month.

The breeding of this species is accessible on condition of being well informed about its needs in aquarium . Any cohabitants must be chosen with care to avoid the loss of animals.

This species is generally available in specialized shops or from aquarium clubs. Specimens that have been bred for a long time are easier to breed, but special water parameters must be respected.

Cohabitation & Environment

Being a gregarious fish, it is advisable to install at least 6 individuals in an aquarium of 60 liters minimum (for 45 cm of frontage). Group maintenance is a prerequisite to ensure their well-being. Lonely individuals tend to quickly become stressed and become especially susceptible to disease. Although sometimes certain groups can "merge", mixing several gregarious species living in the same zone of life is not recommended if the volume is not consequent.

The carachamita is a peaceful species that generally does not exhibit behavioral problems in a community aquarium.

It should be noticed that this species should not be kept with large crustaceans or fish, as it would become a prey of choice. Smaller species should preferably be inserted in the aquarium some time before the larger ones. Moreover, if you want to breed it, it is better to put them in a specific aquarium.

The species enjoys a particularly vegetation-rich environment. The addition of plants will provide many useful hiding places for resting. These areas are also conducive to possible breeding in the aquarium.

Tips for feeding

The carachamita is herbivorous.

This species can eat dry food (flakes, pellets), fresh food and frozen food. To avoid deficiencies, it is recommended to vary the types of food.

You should not overfeed your residents to avoid polluting the water. For most species, it is better to feed a few small portions each day rather than one large meal.

Food recommendations from our partner JBL - Products PRONOVO

Reproduction protocol

  • Maintenance difficulty
    moderate
  • Spawning cleaning
    No
  • egg-laying protection
    No
  • Fry protection
    No

Hybridization risks

In general, it is advised not to mix several species of the same genus or different varieties of the same species, to avoid the risks of hybridization.

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To read on the web

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Sources & Contributions

Participation & Validation

The Fishipedia team and specialist contributors are committed to providing high-quality content. However, although the information comes from scientific sources or testimonials from specialists, the cards may contain inaccuracies.

Damien Boulard

Damien Boulard

Benoit Chartrer

Benoit Chartrer

Translation

Translation done with the valuable contribution of our translators, who make this information available to a wider audience. We sincerely thank them for their commitment.

Bibliographic references

The Neotropical Cascudinhos: Systematics and biogeography of the Otocinclus catfishes (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) - Schaefer, S.A - Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia - 1997.

A new Otocinclus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae: Hypoptopomatinae) from the Rio Juruena Basin, central Brazil - Ribeiro, A. C. - ZOOTAXA - 2016.

A new species of Otocinclus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Rio Madeira drainage, Brazil - Mayer, F. - Roberto E. Reis - Copeia - 2010.

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Tags

#Loricariidae

#Otocinclus

#rivière

#Amérique du Sud

#Amazon

Species of the same family

Same genus

Species of the same biotope