L471 White Spotted Dwarf Pleco
Last import date: 10/21/26
The L471 White Spotted Dwarf Pleco (Hypancistrus sp. L471), also sold as the Mini Snowball Pleco, is one of the smallest true plecos in the hobby. A dark body covered in bright white spots gives it a snowflake look, and it tops out around 3 to 3.5 inches, so it fits nano and small planted tanks that bigger plecos never could. It is reported from fast-flowing, rocky rivers in Venezuela and is a peaceful, shy, mostly nocturnal fish.
About Our L471s. Our L471s arrive as roughly 1 inch juveniles and go through our full 3-week quarantine protocol in our Omaha, Nebraska fishroom before they are offered for sale. They are acclimated to stable water conditions before they ship.
L471s are omnivores that lean heavily carnivorous, so feed protein-rich foods such as sinking carnivore pellets, frozen bloodworms, and brine shrimp. They are not effective algae eaters and will not bother live plants. They do best in clean, well-oxygenated water with moderate to strong flow, around 74-82°F and a pH of 6.5-7.5, with plenty of caves to claim as their own.
Key Features:
- Dark body with bright white spots
- True nano size (3-3.5 inches maximum)
- Peaceful, shy, cave-dwelling pleco
- Safe with live plants
- Sought-after collector species
Tank Requirements:
- Minimum 10 gallons
- Multiple caves and hiding spots
- Clean, well-oxygenated water with moderate flow
- Stable temperatures (74-82°F)
- Low to moderate lighting
