Royal Pleco 2-3"
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Please note that we do not ship live animals. You can order online and collect in store.
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🐟 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:
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Wood-eater species — requires constant access to driftwood for digestion and beak maintenance.
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Produces a lot of waste; oversized filtration recommended.
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Needs plenty of shaded areas and stable, clean water.
🔹 Diet
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Type: Herbivore / xylivore (wood-eating)
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Primary Foods: Driftwood (must always be present), algae wafers, spirulina wafers
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Supplemental Foods: Vegetables (zucchini, cucumber, sweet potato), some plant-based pellets
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Feeding Frequency: Daily
🔹 Behavior & Compatibility
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Peaceful toward most fish.
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Territorial against other large plecos or wood-eating species.
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Slow-moving and calm; not aggressive but stands its ground.
🧭 Tank Mate Guide
✅ Compatible Species
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Peaceful large fish (Severums, Geophagus, Angelfish)
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Larger tetras
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Rainbowfish
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Other non-competitive bottom dwellers
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Community fish too small to bother it
⚠️ Avoid
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Other Royal/Panaque plecos (territorial conflicts)
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Very aggressive cichlids
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Fish that may outcompete for food
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Tanks without heavy filtration
🐣 Breeding Info
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Difficulty: Extremely rare in home aquariums
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Method: Cave spawner
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Requirements: Very large tank, perfect water quality, high oxygen, large caves
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Notes: Mostly bred in specialized facilities, not hobby tanks.
🌿 Fun Facts
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Known for its striped armor plates and massive muscular body.
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One of the few aquarium fish that digests wood, thanks to gut bacteria.
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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.
