TankBud

Gold nugget pleco

Baryancistrus xanthellus

Also known as L018, L081, L085, Golden nugget pleco

FreshwaterFish

Gold nugget pleco (Baryancistrus xanthellus)
Anne Blindheim · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
81–90°F
27–32°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
9.8 in
25 cm
Minimum tank
55 gal
210 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Own kind
One male per tank
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Loricariidae
Origin
Brazil

Overview

The gold nugget pleco is a bold, mostly peaceful pleco for a big tank with strong flow. It is a fish for experienced keepers.

Did you know

The gold nugget pleco's trade code depends on the size of its spots. Small dots sell as L081, medium spots as L018 and large spots as L177.

Caring for the gold nugget pleco

Give the gold nugget pleco a tank of at least 55 gal (210 L). Build a scape of smooth rounded stones and driftwood, with caves and plenty of grazing surfaces.

Keep the water at 81 to 90°F (27 to 32°C) with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Run a strong current and powerful filtration. Warm water holds less oxygen, so extra surface movement or an airstone helps. Keep nitrates low with frequent water changes.

It rasps aufwuchs, the film of algae and tiny organisms, from wood and stone by day and night. It needs more than greens, so feed algae wafers and vegetables alongside sinking pellets and occasional frozen bloodworms.

Keep one per tank, since adults defend a favored patch of wood or rock and can bicker with other plecos. It mixes fine with active mid-water fish that enjoy the same warm, fast water. Home breeding is not on record.

Good to know

Baryancistrus xanthellus belongs to Loricariidae, the suckermouth armored catfishes. Its body is sheathed in bony plates, and its underslung mouth works as a sucker for clinging to rock in current. The fish is black, with glowing yellow spots and yellow trim on the fins.

In the wild

The gold nugget pleco comes from the fast, rocky rapids of the Rio Xingu in Brazil. The water there is warm, clear and saturated with oxygen. The Xingu is the same fast Amazon tributary that produces the zebra pleco.

Common questions

What size tank does a gold nugget pleco need?

A gold nugget pleco needs at least 55 gal (210 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a gold nugget pleco need?

A gold nugget pleco is comfortable at 81–90°F (27–32°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a gold nugget pleco eat?

A gold nugget pleco rasps algae and tiny organisms from wood and stone. It needs more than greens, so feed algae wafers and vegetables with sinking pellets and occasional frozen bloodworms.

How big does a gold nugget pleco get?

An adult gold nugget pleco reaches about 9.8 in (25 cm).

Related species