All fish / Loricariidae

Schaefer's Royal Pleco

Panaque schaeferi

Also known as l203, l-203, schaefer's royal pleco, giant royal pleco, l 203, royal pleco schaeferi, schaeferi pleco, panaque l203, パナクエ・シェーフェリ, L203皇冠豹

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This is one of the largest royal plecos, a heavy-bodied grey to brown sucker-mouth catfish with spoon-shaped teeth, a tall dorsal fin and long lyre-shaped tail filaments in adults. Keepers prize it as a rare, impressive centrepiece fish that grazes on wood and makes a striking show animal in big river-style aquariums.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

45 cm

Temperature

24 to 30 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

1000 litres

Keep as

Single specimen, or a group only in a very large tank

Diet

Herbivore: bogwood to rasp on, plus vegetables such as courgette, cucumber and sweet potato, algae wafers and the odd meaty food

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

15 to 20 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Upper Amazon basin in Peru and Brazil (Solimões, Ucayali and Marañón systems)

Breeding

It is a cave spawner in which the male guards the eggs, but given its adult size it has not been bred reliably in home aquariums.

Good to know

Grows very large and produces heavy waste, so it needs a huge tank, strong filtration and plenty of driftwood; it is territorial towards other plecos. Juveniles are easily confused with Panaque nigrolineatus and other royal plecos.