TankBud

Nocturnal panaqolus

Panaqolus nocturnus

Also known as LDA028, Night panaque

FreshwaterFish

Nocturnal panaqolus (Panaqolus nocturnus)

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–84°F
24–29°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
4.7 in
12 cm
Minimum tank
30 gal
112 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Cave spawner · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Loricariidae
Origin
Upper Amazon tributaries, Peru

Overview

As its name suggests, the nocturnal panaqolus hides by day and comes out after dark, so you will not see much of it. It is a small pleco for a keeper with a little experience.

Did you know

Wood-rasping catfish like the nocturnal panaqolus were long assumed to live on the wood itself. Studies that included this species found they lack the gut microbes to digest wood well. They are now seen as feeding on the biofilm and microbes coating the wood they scrape.

Caring for the nocturnal panaqolus

Give a nocturnal panaqolus a tank of at least 30 gal (112 L), filled with real driftwood. Wood is the centerpiece of the layout, not just decoration. Add leaf litter, low light and dim cover, plus a cave or other retreat of its own.

Keep the water soft and warm, at 75 to 84°F (24 to 29°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Aim for gentle flow and clean, stable conditions.

It rasps the driftwood constantly. Feed vegetables as well, with the occasional sinking wafer.

Keep it singly, with calm tank mates. It is mostly peaceful but can be territorial toward other bottom dwellers around its wood and cave. It spawns in caves, and the male guards the eggs. Breeding it is rated hard.

Good to know

Panaqolus nocturnus is a dark, pinstriped catfish in the family Loricariidae, sold under the code LDA028. It has the spoon-shaped teeth its genus uses to scrape wood.

In the wild

The nocturnal panaqolus comes from tributaries of the upper Amazon in Peru. These are warm, shaded streams full of sunken wood.

Common questions

What size tank does a nocturnal panaqolus need?

A nocturnal panaqolus needs at least 30 gal (112 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a nocturnal panaqolus need?

A nocturnal panaqolus is comfortable at 75–84°F (24–29°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a nocturnal panaqolus eat?

A nocturnal panaqolus rasps driftwood constantly, so keep real wood in its tank. Feed it vegetables as well, with the occasional sinking wafer.

How big does a nocturnal panaqolus get?

An adult nocturnal panaqolus reaches about 4.7 in (12 cm).

How does a nocturnal panaqolus breed?

The nocturnal panaqolus spawns in caves, and the male guards the eggs. Breeding it is rated hard.

Related species