Royal Pleco 2-3

Royal Pleco Care Sheet

Overview

Tank Setup

Care Notes:

• Wood-eater species requires constant access to driftwood for digestion and beak maintenance.

• Produces a lot of waste; oversized filtration recommended.

• Needs plenty of shaded areas and stable, clean water.

Diet

• Type: Herbivore / xylivore (wood-eating)

• Primary Foods: Driftwood (must always be present), algae wafers, spirulina wafers

• Supplemental Foods: Vegetables (zucchini, cucumber, sweet potato), some plant-based pellets

• Feeding Frequency: Daily

Behavior & Compatibility

• Peaceful toward most fish.

• Territorial against other large plecos or wood-eating species.

• Slow-moving and calm; not aggressive but stands its ground.

Tank Mate Guide

Compatible Species

• Peaceful large fish (Severums, Geophagus, Angelfish)

• Larger tetras

• Rainbowfish

• Other non-competitive bottom dwellers

• Community fish too small to bother it

Avoid

• Other Royal/Panaque plecos (territorial conflicts)

• Very aggressive cichlids

• Fish that may outcompete for food

• Tanks without heavy filtration

Breeding Info

• Difficulty: Extremely rare in home aquariums

• Method: Cave spawner

• Requirements: Very large tank, perfect water quality, high oxygen, large caves

• Notes: Mostly bred in specialized facilities, not hobby tanks.

Fun Facts

• Known for its striped armor plates and massive muscular body.

• One of the few aquarium fish that digests wood, thanks to gut bacteria.

• Can live well over a decade with proper care.

Please note We don’t ship live animals. You can order online and choose click and collect and we will hold it for you.