Royal pleco
Panaque nigrolineatus
Also known as L190, Royal plec
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–82°F
- 22–28°C
- pH
- 6.5–7.5
- Adult size
- 16.9 in
- 43 cm
- Minimum tank
- 125 gal
- 473 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Diet
- Herbivore
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Loricariidae
- Origin
- Orinoco and Amazon basins
Overview
The royal pleco is a large, mostly peaceful pleco that lives on the bottom of a very big tank. It suits experienced keepers.
Did you know
The royal pleco is one of the few fish that actually eats wood. It rasps fine shavings off driftwood and relies on bacteria in its long gut to break down the cellulose. That is why its waste comes out looking like wet sawdust.
Caring for the royal pleco
Give a royal pleco a big, mature tank of at least 125 gal (473 L), since it needs a lot of space. Use a sand or smooth substrate to protect the belly, and add plenty of cover.
Driftwood is not optional. Keep several large pieces in the tank at all times, so it has its own wood to rasp on. Feed vegetables such as zucchini and sweet potato as well.
Hold the water at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C), with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. It produces a heavy bioload, so run oversized filtration with strong flow and plenty of current.
The royal pleco is territorial toward other plecos and catfish, so keep one per tank. Pick tank mates that stay out of the bottom zone and will not compete for the same territory. Breeding it in the home tank is hard and rarely done.
Good to know
The royal pleco, Panaque nigrolineatus, is a large catfish in the family Loricariidae. It is long-lived and can stay with you for many years given the right setup. Most royal plecos in the trade are wild caught.
In the wild
Royal plecos come from fast, oxygen-rich stretches of the Orinoco and Amazon basins. There they spend their time on submerged wood and rocky bottoms.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The royal 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.
Neocaridina shrimp
Neocaridina davidi
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 5 gal (19 L)59–84°F (15–29°C)
Guppy
Poecilia reticulata
FreshwaterBrackish2.4 in (6 cm) · 10 gal (38 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Neon tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
Freshwater1.5 in (3.8 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)70–77°F (21–25°C)
Bolivian ram
Mikrogeophagus altispinosus
Freshwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 45 gal (170 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Narrow hatchetfish
Triportheus angulatus
Freshwater9.8 in (25 cm) · 79 gal (300 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Yoyo loach
Botia almorhae
Freshwater6.3 in (16 cm) · 42 gal (160 L)66–81°F (19–27°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a royal pleco need?
A royal pleco needs at least 125 gal (473 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a royal pleco need?
A royal pleco is comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.
What does a royal pleco eat?
A royal pleco needs several large pieces of driftwood to rasp on at all times. Feed it vegetables such as zucchini and sweet potato alongside the wood.
How big does a royal pleco get?
An adult royal pleco reaches about 16.9 in (43 cm).
Related species
17.7 in (45 cm)151 gal (570 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Thunder royal pleco (L027)
Panaque armbrusteri
17.7 in (45 cm) · 151 gal (570 L)
11.8 in (30 cm)119 gal (450 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Blue-eyed pleco
Panaque cochliodon
11.8 in (30 cm) · 119 gal (450 L)
23.6 in (60 cm)264 gal (1,000 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Volkswagen pleco
Panaque schaeferi
23.6 in (60 cm) · 264 gal (1,000 L)
9.8 in (25 cm)79 gal (300 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Papa panaque
Panaque bathyphilus
9.8 in (25 cm) · 79 gal (300 L)
17.7 in (45 cm)100 gal (380 L)73–84°F (23–29°C)Sailfin pleco
Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus
17.7 in (45 cm) · 100 gal (380 L)
15.7 in (40 cm)85 gal (320 L)72–86°F (22–30°C)Common pleco
Hypostomus plecostomus
15.7 in (40 cm) · 85 gal (320 L)