Royal Pleco (L-190)

The Panaque nigrolineatus was first described by Peters in 1877. Commonly called the Royal Pleco, it is also listed as L-190 among the Loricariidea. The striking red eyes and dark body with gray/white horizontal stripes make for an eye-catching display. The Royal may have a white stripe around the caudal fin area and a mostly transparent tail fin. The dorsal fin is dark with white tips and is often displayed rather than folded against the body. The pectoral fins are prominent with thickened first rays with small bristles; care should be taken to avoid injury when catching this fish. One feature of interest among the Panaque species is the toothy structure, with larger teeth used to rasp woody material. For this reason it is best to include some driftwood in the display aquarium. Also, avoid acrylic tanks as this fish can physically scratch the material! The Royal Pleco will hang in place among the wood or rocks, moving only to feed. Its diet should be supplemented with algae wafers, shelled peas and blanched zucchini spears. Growing to a possible 12 inches or more, this can be a large fish that will produce a large amount of wastes. The Royal will get along with almost all other freshwater fish, its scaling acting like armor from potential attackers. It may become aggressive with other plecostomus species, especially if there are not enough places to “hang-out”, as plecos like to do.

Approximate arrival size for Royal Plecostomus: Small:2-3"; Medium: 3-4.5"; Large: 5-6.5".