Iquitos tiger pleco
Panaqolus changae
Also known as L226, Chang's tiger pleco
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 77–84°F
- 25–29°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.4
- Adult size
- 3.9 in
- 10 cm
- Minimum tank
- 42 gal
- 160 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Cave spawner · Medium
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Loricariidae
- Origin
- Itaya and Nanay basins, Peru
Overview
The Iquitos tiger pleco is a compact, wood-rasping pleco for a calm community tank. It is best with a little experience.
Did you know
The Iquitos tiger pleco's species name, changae, honors Fonchii Chang, a Peruvian ichthyologist. She drowned during fieldwork in 1999 at the age of thirty-six. Several fish species now carry her name, this small striped pleco among them.
Caring for the Iquitos tiger pleco
Give the Iquitos tiger pleco a dim tank of at least 42 gal (160 L), packed with driftwood, leaf litter and shaded caves. It keeps to the shade by day and comes out to feed after dark.
Keep the water soft and warm, at 77 to 84°F (25 to 29°C) with a pH of 6.0 to 7.4. Give it gentle, clean flow.
Real driftwood is the heart of its care, since it rasps and feeds on the wood constantly. Add vegetables and the occasional sinking wafer.
Keep it singly. It does not seek out its own kind and can be scrappy over a favorite piece of wood. It is peaceful toward other fish, so keep it with small, calm community fish. It is a cave spawner of moderate breeding difficulty, and the male guards the eggs.
Good to know
Panaqolus changae is a loricariid sold as L226, also known as Chang's tiger pleco. It is marked with fine ochre and brown pinstripes, and it has the spoon-shaped teeth of its genus.
In the wild
The Iquitos tiger pleco lives in the Itaya and Nanay basins near Iquitos in Peru. These warm blackwater tributaries are stained by tannins and littered with sunken wood.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The Iquitos tiger pleco is a 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.
Bernatzik's baril
Opsarius bernatziki
Freshwater4.3 in (11 cm) · 42 gal (160 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Common hatchetfish
Gasteropelecus sternicla
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 33 gal (125 L)68–82°F (20–28°C)
Brown dot peckoltia
Peckoltia oligospila
Freshwater5.9 in (15 cm) · 42 gal (160 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)
Ajamaru Lakes rainbowfish
Melanotaenia ajamaruensis
Freshwater4.3 in (11 cm) · 42 gal (160 L)75–84°F (24–29°C)
Celebes halfbeak
Nomorhamphus liemi
Freshwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)68–77°F (20–25°C)
Arrow loach
Nemacheilus masyae
Freshwater6.3 in (16 cm) · 42 gal (160 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Common questions
What size tank does an Iquitos tiger pleco need?
An Iquitos tiger pleco needs at least 42 gal (160 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does an Iquitos tiger pleco need?
An Iquitos tiger pleco is comfortable at 77–84°F (25–29°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.4.
What does an Iquitos tiger pleco eat?
An Iquitos tiger pleco rasps and feeds on real driftwood constantly. Add vegetables and the occasional sinking wafer.
How big does an Iquitos tiger pleco get?
An adult Iquitos tiger pleco reaches about 3.9 in (10 cm).
How does an Iquitos tiger pleco breed?
An Iquitos tiger pleco spawns in caves, and the male guards the eggs. Breeding it is of moderate difficulty.
Related species
3.1 in (8 cm)42 gal (160 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Bloodred tiger pleco
Panaqolus claustellifer
3.1 in (8 cm) · 42 gal (160 L)
5.5 in (14 cm)53 gal (200 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Galaxy panaqolus
Panaqolus albomaculatus
5.5 in (14 cm) · 53 gal (200 L)
3.5 in (9 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Clown pleco
Panaqolus maccus
3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
4.7 in (12 cm)30 gal (112 L)75–84°F (24–29°C)Nocturnal panaqolus
Panaqolus nocturnus
4.7 in (12 cm) · 30 gal (112 L)
5.1 in (13 cm)40 gal (150 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Flash pleco (L204)
Panaqolus albivermis
5.1 in (13 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)
5.1 in (13 cm)40 gal (150 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Tiger pleco (L002)
Panaqolus sp. L002
5.1 in (13 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)