Fishician®Diet
Herbivore/Xylophage – driftwood (must have!), algae wafers, blanched vegetables, spirulina; eats and digests wood
Aquarium species profile
Royal Pleco
Panaque nigrolineatus · South America (Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil — Orinoco and Amazon)
Minimum tank125 gal
Adult size17"
Care levelModerate
TemperamentSemi-Aggressive
Temperature73–82°F
pH range6.5–7.5
Compatible tank mates
Large cichlids, large catfish, large tetras; one per tank (territorial with own kind)
Tank mates to avoid
Other Panaque species (extremely territorial), delicate plants
Care notes
One of the few fish that actually eat and digest wood. Driftwood is essential — not optional. Impressive tiger-striped pattern. Territorial with conspecifics. Produces enormous amounts of waste. Good filtration required. Grows slowly but gets large.
Check the whole aquarium. Tank size alone does not establish compatibility. Confirm adult size, water overlap, social grouping, territory, diet, and the individual animals before stocking.