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Tigris pleco

Pseudolithoxus tigris

Also known as L257, Tiger flyer pleco

FreshwaterFish

Tigris pleco (Pseudolithoxus tigris)

Care at a glance

Temperature
79–86°F
26–30°C
pH
5.5–7.2
Adult size
4.3 in
11 cm
Minimum tank
53 gal
200 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Cave spawner · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Loricariidae
Origin
Upper Orinoco, Venezuela

Overview

The Tigris pleco is a small, flat pleco built for fast, oxygen-rich water. It is a moderate challenge to keep.

Did you know

The Tigris pleco looks like a tiger pattern printed on a pancake. Its bold banding stretches across a body flattened almost flush to grip rock in the current.

Caring for the Tigris pleco

Give a Tigris pleco a tank of at least 53 gal (200 L), with smooth flat stones and driftwood over sand. It needs flat stone or wood to hold against the current.

Strong current and high oxygen are the priority, and they keep its color and appetite sharp. Filter heavily over the flat rock. Keep the water warm, soft and slightly acidic to neutral, at 79 to 86°F (26 to 30°C) and a pH of 5.5 to 7.2.

Feed it as an omnivore grazer. Offer algae wafers and blanched vegetables, plus sinking pellets and some frozen foods.

The Tigris pleco is solitary, so keep one to a tank. It is peaceful toward other fish and suits active midwater tank mates that enjoy the same brisk flow.

Mature males grow greatly elongated odontodes along the snout and pectoral spines. Breeding it is of moderate difficulty and follows a cave-spawning pattern, with the male guarding the eggs.

Good to know

Pseudolithoxus tigris is a member of Loricariidae, banded in gold and black. Its genus holds the flat or flyer plecos, which press low to grip fast-flowing rock.

In the wild

The Tigris pleco is endemic to the upper Orinoco and the Ventuari in Venezuela. It clings to flat rock in fast, shallow, highly oxygenated water, a rheophilic fish shaped by life in the rapids.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Tigris 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.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Tigris pleco need?

A Tigris pleco needs at least 53 gal (200 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Tigris pleco need?

A Tigris pleco is comfortable at 79–86°F (26–30°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.2.

What does a Tigris pleco eat?

A Tigris pleco is an omnivore grazer. It eats algae wafers and blanched vegetables, plus sinking pellets and some frozen foods.

How big does a Tigris pleco get?

An adult Tigris pleco reaches about 4.3 in (11 cm).

How can you tell a male Tigris pleco from a female?

Males grow greatly elongated odontodes along the snout and pectoral spines as they mature.

How does a Tigris pleco breed?

The Tigris pleco follows a cave-spawning pattern, with the male guarding the eggs. Breeding it is of moderate difficulty.

Related species