Clown pleco

Panaqolus maccus

Also known as L104

FreshwaterFish

Clown pleco (Panaqolus maccus) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–82°F; 23–28°C
pH: 6.6–7.6
Adult size: 3.5 in; 9 cm
Minimum tank: 20 gal; 75 L

Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Very common
Family: Loricariidae
Origin: Apure and Caroni river basins, Venezuela and Colombia

Overview

Keep one per tank, since they are solitary and turn territorial toward their own kind over caves and wood. They are mostly peaceful toward other species and stay along the bottom, hiding by day and coming out at night. Water should sit between 23 and 28 C with a pH from 6.6 to 7.6 in a tank of 75 liters or more. They are obligate wood-eaters, so driftwood has to be present at all times as food, not just decor, and you supplement with algae wafers and fresh veg like zucchini or cucumber. Pair them with calm midwater and surface fish that will not compete for the floor.

In the wild

Clown plecos come from the Apure and Caroni river basins in Venezuela and Colombia, where they live among submerged branches and fallen wood along the riverbed. To match that, build the tank around real driftwood and use a sand or smooth substrate so they do not scrape their belly. Give them at least 75 liters with plenty of caves and shaded spots to retreat into. Keep the water warm, from 23 to 28 C, with a pH from 6.6 to 7.6.

Good to know

This is a small suckermouth catfish in the family Loricariidae, reaching about 9 cm as an adult. It is a cave spawner, with the male guarding eggs laid inside a narrow tube, and breeding is doable but takes some setup. Most clown plecos in the trade are wild caught, though tank-bred fish show up. A healthy adult can live ten years or more.

Did you know

The driftwood in the tank is not just something to gnaw on, it is a real part of their diet. Clown plecos rasp at wood and digest the matter inside it, so a tank without driftwood leaves them slowly starving no matter how much else you feed. Watch for fine sawdust-like waste, which is a sign they are working the wood as they should.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Clown pleco is a mostly peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator