TankBud

King tiger pleco (L066)

Hypancistrus seideli

Also known as L066, L333, L236, L399, L400, King tiger plec, Scribble pleco, Network pleco, Hypancistrus sp. L066

FreshwaterFish

King tiger pleco (L066) (Hypancistrus seideli)
Elizabeth Barrett / animal.photos · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
79–84°F
26–29°C
pH
6.0–7.0
Adult size
5.1 in
13 cm
Minimum tank
40 gal
150 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Medium
Rarity
Common
Family
Loricariidae
Origin
Rio Xingu, Para, Brazil

Overview

Keep them in a tank of at least 150 liters with the water held at 26 to 29 C and a pH of 6 to 7. They are mostly peaceful bottom dwellers but territorial with their own kind, so give each fish its own tight cave to claim and defend. Do weekly large water changes, since they will not tolerate building nitrate, and keep the flow strong and the oxygen high. Despite the suckermouth they are carnivores, not algae eaters, so feed meaty foods like bloodworm and mysis. They get on fine with other calm fish that do not crowd the bottom.

In the wild

King tiger plecos come from the Rio Xingu in Para, Brazil, a fast, rocky river where they live among the rapids. That water runs warm, clean, and very oxygenated, so set the tank up to copy it. Use rockwork and caves over a hard substrate, push strong flow with around four to five times turnover, and keep the water at 26 to 29 C with a pH of 6 to 7. They are sensitive to nitrate, so a mature tank with stable water suits them best.

Good to know

Hypancistrus seideli is a dwarf pleco in the family Loricariidae, reaching about 13 cm as an adult. It was described in 2025, gathering the trade's L066, L236, L333, L399 and L400 into one highly variable species and honoring the aquarist Ingo Seidel. It is a cave spawner, with the male sealing himself in the cave and guarding the eggs and fry until they are free swimming. Most fish in the trade are wild caught, though they are bred in captivity often enough. With good care they can live well over ten years.

Did you know

The black-and-white pattern is unique to each fish, like a fingerprint, which is part of why the L number coding system caught on for telling these Hypancistrus apart. The L066 tag dates back to when the trade started numbering plecos faster than scientists could formally name them, and that working name simply stuck.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

King tiger pleco (L066) is a mostly peaceful, social 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

Common questions

What size tank does a King tiger pleco (L066) need?

A King tiger pleco (L066) needs at least 40 gal (150 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a King tiger pleco (L066) need?

A King tiger pleco (L066) is comfortable at 79–84°F (26–29°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.0.

How big does a King tiger pleco (L066) get?

An adult King tiger pleco (L066) reaches about 5.1 in (13 cm).

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