Royal pleco
Panaque nigrolineatus · Loricariidae
Also known as L190
Advanced
A striking wood-eating giant with orange eyes — beautiful, but it needs a very large tank.
In short: A royal pleco needs at least 570 L (151 US gal), water at 24–29 °C (75–84 °F) and pH 6.5–7.8. It is semi-aggressive, usually kept singly, and rated advanced to keep.
- Minimum tank
- 570 L (151 US gal)
- Temperature
- 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- pH
- 6.5–7.8
- Adult size
- 40 cm (15.7 in)
- Group size
- 1+
Care requirements
- Minimum tank volume
- 570 L (151 US gal)
- Temperature
- 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- pH
- 6.5–7.8
- Hardness
- 4–20 dGH
- Lifespan
- 10–20 years
- Diet
- Wood-rasper/herbivore — driftwood, courgette, sweet potato, wafers.
- Care level
- Advanced
Origin & habitat
- Native region
- Orinoco basin, Colombia and Venezuela
- Water type
- Freshwater
- Biotope
- Deep wood-filled river channels
- Natural conditions
- Large volume, heavy filtration, lots of driftwood.
Behaviour & stocking
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Minimum group
- 1 fish
- Swims
- Bottom
- Good tank mates
- Large characinsGeophagusSilver dollar
- Avoid
- Small tanksOther large plecos
Breeding & difficulty
- Breeding difficulty
- Advanced
- Sexing
- Males are slimmer with more odontodes.
- Notes
- Essentially not bred in home tanks.
- Common ailments
- Malnutrition without woodBloatNitrate stress
Will it fit your tank?
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