Acary Avion

About

Found in the lower Tocantins River basin of South America, Acanthicus adonis is a loricariid catfish that deceives hobbyists with its charming juvenile appearance and then systematically outgrows nearly every tank it was bought for. Young fish are dark-bodied and covered with white or yellowish spots, making them genuinely appealing at the fish store. The problem is that the spots gradually fade as the animal matures, the temperament shifts from peaceful to genuinely aggressive and territorial, and the fish just keeps growing. Reaching sizes that demand public-aquarium-scale housing. Adults should be kept alone or only alongside large, robust, open-water fish like arowana or peacock bass, since they become increasingly hostile toward anything that shares the bottom with them. Like most loricariids, this species is nocturnal, spending daylight hours tucked away and becoming active after dark. One practical note worth mentioning: the entire genus is heavily armored and covered with sharp spines, so any handling or netting needs to be done carefully to avoid injury to you or the fish. An albino form exists and turns up occasionally, as does a variant showing wave-like patterning on the belly. For the vast majority of home setups, this species is simply the wrong choice regardless of how appealing juveniles look on the shelf.