Taxonomy & naming
Peckoltia compta was formally described in 2010 by Renildo Ribeiro de Oliveira, Jansen Zuanon, Lucia Rapp Py-Daniel, and Marcelo Salles Rocha in Zootaxa volume 2534, pages 48–56, under the title 'Peckoltia compta, a new species of catfish from the Brazilian Amazon, rio Tapajós basin (Siluriformes: Loricariidae).' The type specimens were collected at two locations: the Rio Tapajós near the village of Pimental (downstream of the Jamanxim confluence) and the Rio Jamanxim at Ilha da Terra Preta, both in Pará State, Brazil.
The authority is non-parenthetical: the species was described directly in Peckoltia and has remained there. Catalog of Fishes (Eschmeyer, CAS) lists Peckoltia compta De Oliveira, Zuanon, Rapp Py-Daniel & Rocha, 2010 as a valid species.
The genus Peckoltia was erected by Miranda Ribeiro in 1912 and belongs to the tribe Ancistrini within subfamily Hypostominae of the family Loricariidae. Peckoltia has historically been a somewhat heterogeneous genus — a 'wastebasket' for Ancistrini that did not fit cleanly elsewhere — but recent phylogenetic work by Armbruster (2004) and subsequent analyses have refined its circumscription. The species has a well-known L-number — L134 — that preceded its formal description by nearly two decades: the fish first appeared in the German hobby press as L134 in the early 1990s, long before the 2010 scientific description resolved its name.
The specific epithet compta is Latin for 'ornamented' or 'adorned,' a direct reference to the species' striking and elaborate colour pattern.
Morphology
Peckoltia compta is a small-to-medium pleco. The original description was based on a small type series (largest type specimen 2.5 in SL), and FishBase still lists only 2.5 in SL — but this understates the species: PlanetCatfish's Cat-eLog records a maximum of about 4.5 in SL, and keeper sources commonly report adults of 4.5–6 in total length. It is best regarded as a roughly 4.5 in SL fish rather than the sub-3 in figure implied by the type series.
The body form is typical of Peckoltia: moderately flattened ventrally, fully armoured in bony scutes, with a mid-sized suction-disc mouth bearing spatulate bicuspid teeth in modest numbers. The dorsal fin is tall with a single spine and typically seven soft rays.
The colour pattern is the defining character and the reason for the 'leopard frog' common name. The base body colour ranges from pale yellowish-white to cream. On this light ground, there is a complex overlay of dark brown to black pigmentation forming a network of thick bars, blotches, and irregular markings — the pattern resembles the back of a tropical frog or a leopard's rosettes rather than a simple stripe. Crucially, a pale or clear stripe runs inside each dark bar from the snout tip to the anterior margin of the eye — this internal pale stripe within the dark bars is a key diagnostic character separating P. compta from similar Peckoltia species. In juveniles the bars are broad and relatively solid; as fish mature the bars fragment into smaller spots and reticulations, giving adults a more variegated, 'leopard-frog' appearance. The fin rays carry small dark spots.
Sexual dimorphism is subtle but present. Males develop odontodes (tiny denticles) along the posterior body flanks and tail region — visible as a rough texture on approximately 75% of the tail. The cloacal region in males is V-shaped; in females U-shaped. Females are plumper through the body, especially when gravid.
Habitat
Peckoltia compta is endemic to the Rio Tapajós drainage in Pará State, Brazil. It has been collected from two river systems: the main channel of the lower Rio Tapajós near Pimental, and the Rio Jamanxim — one of the Tapajós' major tributaries. Fish from the two locations show minor colour-pattern differences (Rio Jamanxim populations tend to be more spotted, Rio Tapajós populations more barred), suggesting some degree of genetic structuring within the restricted range.
The Rio Tapajós is a clear-water river — unlike the blackwater Rio Negro or the sediment-laden whitewaters — flowing over ancient Precambrian bedrock and granitic substrates. The water is characteristically clear to blue-green in colour, warm (77–86 °F), moderately soft (pH 6.0–7.0), and well oxygenated, with strong current in the main channel and more moderate flow in rocky tributary reaches. P. compta inhabits the rocky-bottom sections of these rivers: areas of tumbled granite boulders, submerged rock slabs, and woody debris where crevices and caves provide shelter and breeding sites.
The species occupies the same fast-water, rocky-cave niche as many hypostomines — sheltering in crevices by day and emerging to forage at night. The well-oxygenated Tapajós environment means the fish requires good water movement in captivity; stagnant or low-oxygen conditions are poorly tolerated.
Feeding
Peckoltia compta is genuinely omnivorous, unlike the predominantly algae-scraping large hypostomines or the carnivore-leaning Hypancistrus. Its teeth are intermediate in character: spatulate and bicuspid, adequate for rasping biofilm from rock surfaces but also for manipulating larger food items. Gut content analyses from related Peckoltia species show a mix of algae, diatoms, microinvertebrates, insect larvae, and organic detritus.
In the aquarium, P. compta accepts a wide range of foods: quality sinking wafers (both algae/spirulina-based and carnivore varieties), frozen foods (bloodworm, brine shrimp, mysis, daphnia), chopped earthworm, and blanched vegetables (zucchini, cucumber, spinach). Aquainfo.nl and other hobbyist sources recommend offering a varied diet that includes both vegetable and protein components in roughly equal measure. Wood is grazed opportunistically for surface biofilm — P. compta is not a xylivore in the Panaque sense, but it benefits from access to driftwood in the aquarium as a grazing and hiding resource.
Feeding at night or under dim conditions is optimal, as the fish is primarily crepuscular/nocturnal. Sinking foods should reach the bottom before being intercepted by midwater tankmates.
Mating
Peckoltia compta is a cave-spawning species in which the male holds a territory centred on a single cave or tight rock crevice. Males compete actively for cave sites — this competition is the primary source of intraspecific aggression in captivity — and a dominant male will defend his cave vigorously against rival males while attracting females to spawn.
Courting is similar to other cave-spawning Ancistrini: the male occupies the cave entrance and the female enters when receptive. The pair spawns inside the cave, with the female depositing adhesive eggs at the rear of the cavity. The female then leaves and takes no further role; the male takes over care of the clutch.
In well-maintained aquaria, spawning can be triggered by small temperature decreases (36–37 °F over several days) combined with increased water-change frequency and high-protein feeding — conditions mimicking the onset of the rainy season when the Rio Tapajós rises and temperatures temporarily cool. Sexual maturity is typically reached at 18–24 months in well-fed captive individuals.
Breeding
Peckoltia compta was first bred in captivity in Europe in the early 2000s, and PlanetCatfish records multiple breeding reports. The male incubates the clutch inside the cave, fanning it with his pectoral fins to maintain oxygenation in the closed-cave environment. Clutch sizes range from 10 to 50 eggs per spawning, with 0.5 in egg diameter — relatively large for a species of this size. At 79–82 °F, incubation takes approximately 6–7 days.
The hatched larvae remain in or near the cave, guarded by the male, while their yolk sacs are absorbed over the subsequent week or so. Once free-swimming, the fry look like miniature adults and immediately begin grazing surfaces. First foods include microworm, baby brine shrimp nauplii, powdered algae, and finely crushed high-quality wafers. Fry growth is moderate; young fish reach 1 in in two to three months.
Breeder systems for this species are typically 20–65 US gal tanks, well oxygenated, furnished with multiple ceramic or natural slate caves of appropriate dimensions (interior diameter just enough for an adult to sit comfortably). Water conditions at the breeding stage: pH ~6.5–6.8, temperature ~77–82 °F, conductivity ~110–150 μS/cm. Captive-bred specimens are available from specialist pleco breeders in Germany, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic.
In the aquarium
Peckoltia compta is an intermediate-level pleco that rewards careful setup. At a moderate adult size of about 4.5 in SL, a well-equipped 100-litre tank suits a pair or trio, and an aquarium of roughly 30–40 US gal is preferable for a breeding group with multiple males. It is more compact than the large hypostomines but is not a true dwarf pleco.
The priority is oxygenation and current. The Rio Tapajós is clear, well-oxygenated, and moderately fast; the aquarium must reflect this. A powerful canister filter providing strong surface agitation, or a powerhead supplementing a sponge filter, maintains the dissolved-oxygen levels the species needs. Stagnant water causes deterioration over weeks.
Hardscape is essential: rockwork and driftwood with crevices and caves are non-negotiable for a fish that spends most of its daylight hours under cover. Provide more caves than the number of males to reduce territorial aggression. Sand or fine gravel substrate is appropriate.
Water chemistry should be soft to moderately soft (pH 6.0–7.2, <10°dH) and warm (77–84 °F). The species tolerates a wider range than strict blackwater specialists, but very hard or alkaline water should be avoided.
Peckoltia compta is peaceful toward dissimilar tankmates — small tetras, corydoradines, and peaceful dwarf cichlids — but males can be aggressive toward other cave-holding plecos, including conspecifics, when space is limited. This species' high visual appeal (the pattern draws strong hobbyist interest) combined with manageable size makes it one of the most desirable L-number plecos for display aquaria.
Conservation
Peckoltia compta is assessed as Endangered (EN, criterion A3c) by the IUCN Red List, evaluated on 7 November 2018. The primary driver of its Endangered status is the threat posed by the Belo Monte and São Luiz do Tapajós hydroelectric projects to the Rio Tapajós drainage — the species' entire known wild range.
The Tapajós is one of the Amazon's most biodiverse clear-water tributaries, with exceptionally high fish endemism in its rocky, fast-water reaches. Large dam proposals for the Tapajós and Jamanxim rivers — including the São Luiz do Tapajós dam — threaten to inundate or flow-regulate the rocky-bottom habitats where P. compta and dozens of other endemic loricariids occur. Even the Belo Monte dam on the adjacent Xingu has demonstrated how rapidly fish communities structured around fast, rocky-habitat can collapse when discharge is altered.
Additional pressure comes from collection for the ornamental trade. The species is exported from Brazil in significant numbers; collection without effective quota or monitoring from a geographically restricted range compounds the dam-related threat. The IUCN assessment projects a population decline of more than 50% over three generations under current threat trajectories.
Captive breeding of P. compta is established in the hobby at modest scale but does not currently reduce demand for wild-caught fish. The species is not covered by CITES. Brazil's broader Tapajós conservation challenges — balancing dam development, indigenous land rights, and biodiversity protection — will determine the species' long-term fate.