These very highly spcialized Aufwuchs-feeders include, for example, the popular Baryancistrus species, Chaetostoma, and numerous Ancistrus, as well as the L-number catfishes of the genera Pseudancistrus, Guianancistrus, Lasiancistrus, Hopliancistrus, Zonancistrus, and a number of others. In the wild the central Amazonian species as well as those from the upper Orinoco drainage inhabit very warm shallow-water zones with a strong current and feed all through the night. In the aquarium, however, they frequently receive food only once a day and are also generally kept at too cool a temperature. Species like the very popular "Golden Nuggets(Baryancistrus sp. 'L018', 'L081', 'L177') for example, usually respond to this by a complete standstill in their growth. Even after years of captive maintenance they frequently remain unnaturally small. In the worst case scenario they may also become emaciated and sooner or later die.
For this reason it is important to feed these out-and-out vegetarians several times per day (at least twice) with a diet consisting predominantly of vegetable food. Suitable foods include many types of vegetable, for example, lettuce, spinach, cucumber, zucchini, sweet peppers, carrot, potato, and many more. Even if this food has to be weighed down with pebbles, a piece of non-rusting metal, or similar, it offers the major advantage that it is available to the fishes throughout the day and they can feed on it continuously in accordance with their natural habits.
