At a glance the quick version
Maximum standard length.
Looks how to spot one
Bony-plated suckermouth catfish
An elongated, armoured pleco whose hobby name refers to its greenish colouring. It has no membrane joining the dorsal and adipose fins and a shorter dorsal spine than its look-alike Baryancistrus demantoides.123
Personality what they are like
A calm pleco that likes to wedge itself into rock crevices, sharing space well with community fish.14
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Lives in fast-flowing water among granite rocks and enjoys strong current and high oxygen in the tank. It can also gulp air at the surface.124
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Needs clean, well-oxygenated, flowing water with plenty of rocky crevices. No species-specific water values were found in primary sources; Seriously Fish lists 22-25 C, pH 6.0-7.0 and 2-12 dGH for its very close relative L128 from the same river system.14
Home where they are happiest
Found mostly in cracks and gaps between granite rocks in moving water. Stack smooth rocks and slate to make crevices and use strong filtration or a powerhead.13
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Omnivorous in aquariums, accepting sinking dried foods, vegetables and frozen foods such as bloodworm (as listed for its close relative L128).4
Company who they like around
Generally peaceful toward other fish; give each pleco its own crevice.4
The story where it all began
Hobbyists kept this fish under the code L200 for years before scientists formally named it in 2005. A second species, Baryancistrus demantoides, was sold under the same code because the two look so alike.213
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
Two different species have been sold as L200; B. demantoides is sometimes called 'L200 high-fin'.3
- 2
Its species name subviridis hints at its greenish colour.2
- 3
It has fewer than 30 teeth on each half of the jaw, which helps tell it apart from relatives.1
- 4
The blue phantom pleco (L128) from the same river system looks so similar it may be a colour form of the same fish.4
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Least Concern (assessed 29 July 2020)1
- DATZ L-number
- L200, a code it shares with Baryancistrus demantoides2
- Taxonomy
- Family Loricariidae; formally described in 20051
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Green Phantom Pleco. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- FeedingSmall amounts once or twice a dayevery day
- Temperature checkevery day
- Water changeAbout 25% of the waterevery week
- Water testevery week
- Glass cleanevery week
- Filter rinseRinse in old tank water, never tap waterevery month
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FishBase: Hemiancistrus subviridis summary fishbase.seused for distribution, length, habitat, IUCN, diagnostic features, air-breathing
- Wikipedia: Hemiancistrus subviridis en.wikipedia.orgused for common name, L-number, taxonomy, habitat
- Seriously Fish: Baryancistrus demantoides seriouslyfish.comused for L200 confusion, telling species apart, habitat
- Seriously Fish: Hemiancistrus sp. (L128) seriouslyfish.comused for relationship to H. subviridis, care parameters of close relative
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.