
Royal Pleco 2-3"
🐟 Royal Pleco Care Sheet
🔹 Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Panaque nigrolineatus |
| Common Name | Royal Pleco, Royal Panaque |
| L-Number | Usually L190 (other variants exist) |
| Origin | Amazon Basin (Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru) |
| Adult Size | 33–43 cm (13–17 in) |
| Lifespan | 10–15+ years |
| Temperament | Generally peaceful; territorial with other large plecos |
| Tank Level | Bottom |
🔹 Tank Setup
| Parameter | Ideal Range |
|---|---|
| Tank Size | 300–450 liters (75–120+ gallons) minimum |
| Temperature | 25–30 °C (77–86 °F) |
| pH | 6.2–7.5 |
| Hardness | Soft to medium (2–15 dGH) |
| Substrate | Sand or smooth gravel |
| Decor | Driftwood is essential; rocks, caves |
| Lighting | Low |
| Filtration | Very strong filtration; high oxygen; heavy waste producer |
Care Notes:
-
Wood-eater species — requires constant access to driftwood for digestion and beak maintenance.
-
Produces a lot of waste; oversized filtration recommended.
-
Needs plenty of shaded areas and stable, clean water.
🔹 Diet
-
Type: Herbivore / xylivore (wood-eating)
-
Primary Foods: Driftwood (must always be present), algae wafers, spirulina wafers
-
Supplemental Foods: Vegetables (zucchini, cucumber, sweet potato), some plant-based pellets
-
Feeding Frequency: Daily
🔹 Behavior & Compatibility
-
Peaceful toward most fish.
-
Territorial against other large plecos or wood-eating species.
-
Slow-moving and calm; not aggressive but stands its ground.
🧭 Tank Mate Guide
✅ Compatible Species
-
Peaceful large fish (Severums, Geophagus, Angelfish)
-
Larger tetras
-
Rainbowfish
-
Other non-competitive bottom dwellers
-
Community fish too small to bother it
⚠️ Avoid
-
Other Royal/Panaque plecos (territorial conflicts)
-
Very aggressive cichlids
-
Fish that may outcompete for food
-
Tanks without heavy filtration
🐣 Breeding Info
-
Difficulty: Extremely rare in home aquariums
-
Method: Cave spawner
-
Requirements: Very large tank, perfect water quality, high oxygen, large caves
-
Notes: Mostly bred in specialized facilities, not hobby tanks.
🌿 Fun Facts
-
Known for its striped armor plates and massive muscular body.
-
One of the few aquarium fish that digests wood, thanks to gut bacteria.
-
Can live well over a decade with proper care.
Please note We don't ship live animals. You can order online and choose click and collect and we will hold it for you.
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Royal Pleco 2-3"
🐟 Royal Pleco Care Sheet
🔹 Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Panaque nigrolineatus |
| Common Name | Royal Pleco, Royal Panaque |
| L-Number | Usually L190 (other variants exist) |
| Origin | Amazon Basin (Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru) |
| Adult Size | 33–43 cm (13–17 in) |
| Lifespan | 10–15+ years |
| Temperament | Generally peaceful; territorial with other large plecos |
| Tank Level | Bottom |
🔹 Tank Setup
| Parameter | Ideal Range |
|---|---|
| Tank Size | 300–450 liters (75–120+ gallons) minimum |
| Temperature | 25–30 °C (77–86 °F) |
| pH | 6.2–7.5 |
| Hardness | Soft to medium (2–15 dGH) |
| Substrate | Sand or smooth gravel |
| Decor | Driftwood is essential; rocks, caves |
| Lighting | Low |
| Filtration | Very strong filtration; high oxygen; heavy waste producer |
Care Notes:
-
Wood-eater species — requires constant access to driftwood for digestion and beak maintenance.
-
Produces a lot of waste; oversized filtration recommended.
-
Needs plenty of shaded areas and stable, clean water.
🔹 Diet
-
Type: Herbivore / xylivore (wood-eating)
-
Primary Foods: Driftwood (must always be present), algae wafers, spirulina wafers
-
Supplemental Foods: Vegetables (zucchini, cucumber, sweet potato), some plant-based pellets
-
Feeding Frequency: Daily
🔹 Behavior & Compatibility
-
Peaceful toward most fish.
-
Territorial against other large plecos or wood-eating species.
-
Slow-moving and calm; not aggressive but stands its ground.
🧭 Tank Mate Guide
✅ Compatible Species
-
Peaceful large fish (Severums, Geophagus, Angelfish)
-
Larger tetras
-
Rainbowfish
-
Other non-competitive bottom dwellers
-
Community fish too small to bother it
⚠️ Avoid
-
Other Royal/Panaque plecos (territorial conflicts)
-
Very aggressive cichlids
-
Fish that may outcompete for food
-
Tanks without heavy filtration
🐣 Breeding Info
-
Difficulty: Extremely rare in home aquariums
-
Method: Cave spawner
-
Requirements: Very large tank, perfect water quality, high oxygen, large caves
-
Notes: Mostly bred in specialized facilities, not hobby tanks.
🌿 Fun Facts
-
Known for its striped armor plates and massive muscular body.
-
One of the few aquarium fish that digests wood, thanks to gut bacteria.
-
Can live well over a decade with proper care.
Please note We don't ship live animals. You can order online and choose click and collect and we will hold it for you.
Product Information
Product Information
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
Description
🐟 Royal Pleco Care Sheet
🔹 Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Panaque nigrolineatus |
| Common Name | Royal Pleco, Royal Panaque |
| L-Number | Usually L190 (other variants exist) |
| Origin | Amazon Basin (Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru) |
| Adult Size | 33–43 cm (13–17 in) |
| Lifespan | 10–15+ years |
| Temperament | Generally peaceful; territorial with other large plecos |
| Tank Level | Bottom |
🔹 Tank Setup
| Parameter | Ideal Range |
|---|---|
| Tank Size | 300–450 liters (75–120+ gallons) minimum |
| Temperature | 25–30 °C (77–86 °F) |
| pH | 6.2–7.5 |
| Hardness | Soft to medium (2–15 dGH) |
| Substrate | Sand or smooth gravel |
| Decor | Driftwood is essential; rocks, caves |
| Lighting | Low |
| Filtration | Very strong filtration; high oxygen; heavy waste producer |
Care Notes:
-
Wood-eater species — requires constant access to driftwood for digestion and beak maintenance.
-
Produces a lot of waste; oversized filtration recommended.
-
Needs plenty of shaded areas and stable, clean water.
🔹 Diet
-
Type: Herbivore / xylivore (wood-eating)
-
Primary Foods: Driftwood (must always be present), algae wafers, spirulina wafers
-
Supplemental Foods: Vegetables (zucchini, cucumber, sweet potato), some plant-based pellets
-
Feeding Frequency: Daily
🔹 Behavior & Compatibility
-
Peaceful toward most fish.
-
Territorial against other large plecos or wood-eating species.
-
Slow-moving and calm; not aggressive but stands its ground.
🧭 Tank Mate Guide
✅ Compatible Species
-
Peaceful large fish (Severums, Geophagus, Angelfish)
-
Larger tetras
-
Rainbowfish
-
Other non-competitive bottom dwellers
-
Community fish too small to bother it
⚠️ Avoid
-
Other Royal/Panaque plecos (territorial conflicts)
-
Very aggressive cichlids
-
Fish that may outcompete for food
-
Tanks without heavy filtration
🐣 Breeding Info
-
Difficulty: Extremely rare in home aquariums
-
Method: Cave spawner
-
Requirements: Very large tank, perfect water quality, high oxygen, large caves
-
Notes: Mostly bred in specialized facilities, not hobby tanks.
🌿 Fun Facts
-
Known for its striped armor plates and massive muscular body.
-
One of the few aquarium fish that digests wood, thanks to gut bacteria.
-
Can live well over a decade with proper care.
Please note We don't ship live animals. You can order online and choose click and collect and we will hold it for you.













