L010a Red Lizard Whiptail (Rineloricaria sp.)

Common Name

Red Lizard Whiptail
Rineloricaria sp. L010a

A slender, vividly colored whiptail catfish that stays elegant and manageable for planted and river-style aquariums. Widely known in the trade as L010a Red Lizard (some exporters list it as L11a). Captive-bred lines are common and show strong red to brick-orange tones along the flanks and tail filament.

Origin and Habitat

Wild forms are reported from the Tocantins and Araguaia drainages of central Brazil, with related red-toned populations in nearby lowland tributaries. These are sand and fine-gravel rivers with scattered leaf litter, driftwood, and marginal vegetation. Flow is moderate with clear to tea-colored water. Fish rest on the bottom, wedge under branches, and graze along smooth surfaces where biofilm accumulates.

Temperature and Water Conditions

Aim for 24 to 28 °C (75 to 82 °F), with steady flow and high dissolved oxygen.

• Wild reports place them in soft to moderate hardness, pH commonly 6.2–7.5.
• Stable conditions are far more important than chasing exact parameters.
• Keep ammonia and nitrite at zero, nitrate low, and temperature steady.
• Provide a lid — whiptails can spook and climb filter pipes.

Appearance and Size

A narrow elongated body with a flat belly, long caudal filament, and gentle wedge-shaped head. The best lines show red to terra-cotta on the flanks over a pale base, with deeper color toward the tail and extended fin rays. Males develop more pronounced cheek and pectoral odontodes in breeding condition and carry a slightly broader head. Females are a touch fuller in the mid-body. Maximum adult size is usually 12–15 cm TL (about 4.7–6.0 in) including the tail filament.

Diet in the Wild

An opportunistic grazer on biofilm and detritus that also picks at small benthic invertebrates. Gut studies from similar Rineloricaria show diatoms, filamentous algae, fine plant debris, micro-crustaceans, and insect larvae gathered from smooth stones, wood, and leaf surfaces.

Feeding in Captivity

Provide a mixed bottom diet that supports both grazing and protein needs.

• Rotate quality sinking wafers with spirulina tabs, blanched vegetables (zucchini, spinach), and small amounts of frozen foods like daphnia and bloodworms.
• Offer modest portions once or twice daily; leave a vegetable slice in the evening for overnight browsing.
• A mature tank with wood, leaves, and stable biofilm helps color and condition.

Behavior and Tank Setup

Peaceful, bottom-oriented, and active at dusk.

• Keep singly, as a pair, or as a small group if the footprint allows.
• Provide a long tank with fine sand or very smooth gravel, rounded stones, driftwood, and leaf litter.
• Narrow tubes and crevices are essential for retreats.
• Use filtration that gives gentle to moderate linear flow and high dissolved oxygen.

Suitable companions include small peaceful characins, pencilfish, Corydoras, dwarf cichlids that ignore bottom grazers, and calm livebearers. Avoid aggressive substrate competitors and species that nip extended tail filaments.

Breeding

Typical tube spawner.

• Condition adults on abundant vegetable tabs plus regular small live/frozen foods.
• Provide multiple narrow caves (ceramic pleco tubes or PVC, 20–25 mm internal diameter, 10–15 cm long).
• Female deposits an adhesive egg cluster inside the tube; male fertilizes, fans, and guards.
• At ~26 °C (79 °F) eggs hatch in 5–7 days.
• Fry absorb yolk for several days, then begin to graze.
• Leave male with the clutch until free-swimming or move the entire tube to a separate rearing box with gentle aeration.

Breeder’s Tips

• Triggers: extra vegetable tabs, small cool water changes (3–5 %), and slightly raised flow
• Cave placement: several tight tubes with only one open end, placed under wood or between smooth stones
• Protecting eggs/fry: move whole tube to nursery just before hatch; keep male with clutch to reduce fungus
• First foods: high-quality powdered wafers and finely crushed spirulina flakes; add baby brine shrimp sparingly after yolk sac is absorbed
• Water change rhythm: 5–10 % every other day, matching temperature and keeping substrate very clean

Quick Facts

• Scientific name: Rineloricaria sp. L010a
• Common name: Red Lizard Whiptail
• Origin: Tocantins and Araguaia systems, central Brazil
• Adult size: 12–15 cm TL (4.7–6.0 in)
• Temperature: 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
• pH: ~6.2–7.5 in nature, keep stable
• Hardness: soft to moderate, clean and well oxygenated
• Temperament: peaceful bottom grazer
• Diet: biofilm grazer and micro-predator; accepts vegetable tabs and small frozen foods
• Breeding: tube spawner with male guarding; narrow caves increase success

Tropical Fish Co. Notes

This fish brings quiet elegance to the foreground of a planted or river-style tank. The red tone reads beautifully against pale sand and dark wood, and the long tail filament gives it a graceful glide. Give it smooth sand, stable biofilm, and a line of snug tubes along a driftwood root. Pair with calm midwater fish so it can browse in peace. If you want a breeding project that rewards consistency, this is a great choice for a dedicated species setup.