Alright so my girlfriend got me a Royal pleco for my christmas gift, and I've discovered (thanks to planet catfish) that it is a Dull eyed royal pleco or L191. I was wondering if anybody had some extra information on these guys as planet catfish had a bit, but not too much. I read that it grows to about 10" (9.8"), nocturnal, needs algea, algea/spirulina waffers, and drift wood. But is there any extra information from you guys such as growth rate, agression levels, prefered foods?
Info?
- Thread starter PRW1988
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nmonks
A stroke of the brush does not guarantee art from
These are good fish. Their basic care is identical to other Panaque nigrolineatus-species group fish (of which there are at least half a dozen species/subspecies).
Size is very variable within the group as a whole. Maximum size in aquaria is around 20 cm, but that does take several years to get to. According to lab work on these fish, growth rate is definitely highest in big tanks with very frequent (at least weekly) water changes of at least 50% of the water. Relatively high oxygen concentration is also important. In smaller tanks with less generous water changes growth rate is comparatively slow. In real terms this means that maximum size can be reached in anything from 5-15 years depending on conditions.
Panaque spp. generally are territorial and potentially aggressive towards other members of the genus and other similar loricariids. They ignore Corydoras, pimelodids, etc.
Preferred foods are essentially plant-based, with anything meaty being used sparingly. There's some lab work to suggest regular feeding of meaty foods causes fatty deposits around the internal organs, leading to death. So use algae wafers as the prime protein source, and then fill out the diet with vegetables and wood. Any and all kinds of wood will be eaten. Fresh, still green wood seems to be a particular favourite and probably the preferred diet in the wild for at least part of the year when other foods are absent. This ecological specialisation lets Panaque spp. grow through the dry season when other loricariids effectively go dormant, or at least can't feed much.
All Panaque spp. produce copious faeces. You will need to structure the tank to make quick "spot cleans" easy (e.g., by lowering one corner of the sand bed). Use generous amounts of filtration, at least 6x the volume of the tank, and ideally 10x.
Cheers, Neale
Size is very variable within the group as a whole. Maximum size in aquaria is around 20 cm, but that does take several years to get to. According to lab work on these fish, growth rate is definitely highest in big tanks with very frequent (at least weekly) water changes of at least 50% of the water. Relatively high oxygen concentration is also important. In smaller tanks with less generous water changes growth rate is comparatively slow. In real terms this means that maximum size can be reached in anything from 5-15 years depending on conditions.
Panaque spp. generally are territorial and potentially aggressive towards other members of the genus and other similar loricariids. They ignore Corydoras, pimelodids, etc.
Preferred foods are essentially plant-based, with anything meaty being used sparingly. There's some lab work to suggest regular feeding of meaty foods causes fatty deposits around the internal organs, leading to death. So use algae wafers as the prime protein source, and then fill out the diet with vegetables and wood. Any and all kinds of wood will be eaten. Fresh, still green wood seems to be a particular favourite and probably the preferred diet in the wild for at least part of the year when other foods are absent. This ecological specialisation lets Panaque spp. grow through the dry season when other loricariids effectively go dormant, or at least can't feed much.
All Panaque spp. produce copious faeces. You will need to structure the tank to make quick "spot cleans" easy (e.g., by lowering one corner of the sand bed). Use generous amounts of filtration, at least 6x the volume of the tank, and ideally 10x.
Cheers, Neale
Perfect information Neale, just what I needed to know 
, my tanks a 55gallon tank, 2 30% water changes a week, filtration on the tank is 270gallons although I do have a 12gallon internal filter (fulval 1) that will be installed shortly giving the tank a total of 282gallons filtration. Hopfully this will suffice, as for oxygen, I have a whisper 60 airpump which provides adiquate oxygen for up to 60gallons onto the tank. Currently I am feeding Spirulina disks, I will begin algea waffers aswell and (come friday -the next day I work-) I'll be picking up some bogwood for the tank for him/her to eat.
By any chance, do you know how to sex these fish? Or does anybody out there?
, my tanks a 55gallon tank, 2 30% water changes a week, filtration on the tank is 270gallons although I do have a 12gallon internal filter (fulval 1) that will be installed shortly giving the tank a total of 282gallons filtration. Hopfully this will suffice, as for oxygen, I have a whisper 60 airpump which provides adiquate oxygen for up to 60gallons onto the tank. Currently I am feeding Spirulina disks, I will begin algea waffers aswell and (come friday -the next day I work-) I'll be picking up some bogwood for the tank for him/her to eat.By any chance, do you know how to sex these fish? Or does anybody out there?
nmonks
A stroke of the brush does not guarantee art from
Once settled in Panaque spp. are very hardy, and my specimen has lived in small tanks, big tanks, buckets, brackish water, and hard water Malawi cichlid tanks! They are really only touchy for the first few weeks, maybe 3 months at the outside. During that time you need fatten them up a little. There's probably a good argument for ensuring they're the only bottom feeder in a tank during that time.
Optimal water changing in labs for maximum growth is 10-25%, 2-3 times per week.
Sexing them is not easy. Contrary to popular belief, both males AND females can develop the "whiskers", and according to at least one scientist I've spoken with, mature females with eggs have very bushy whiskers, possibly for protection. The only reliable way to sex them is by dissection. While catfish-keepers might suggest otherwise, the fish scientists working on the genus know better from collecting and dissecting these fish in the wild!
In the wild at least, Panaque are sexually mature at 20 cm, and spawning takes place during the wet season in rocky streams, usually in very specific places. The eggs are laid under rocks, out of the strong current.
Optimal water changing in labs for maximum growth is 10-25%, 2-3 times per week.
Sexing them is not easy. Contrary to popular belief, both males AND females can develop the "whiskers", and according to at least one scientist I've spoken with, mature females with eggs have very bushy whiskers, possibly for protection. The only reliable way to sex them is by dissection. While catfish-keepers might suggest otherwise, the fish scientists working on the genus know better from collecting and dissecting these fish in the wild!
In the wild at least, Panaque are sexually mature at 20 cm, and spawning takes place during the wet season in rocky streams, usually in very specific places. The eggs are laid under rocks, out of the strong current.
Neale, is there anything you don't know?! 
Thanks much for all the help, I'll let you know how the little guy does Also, would a 2.5gallon tank be alright for my little guy (2") alone for the first few months then so I could fatten him up??
Thanks much for all the help, I'll let you know how the little guy does Also, would a 2.5gallon tank be alright for my little guy (2") alone for the first few months then so I could fatten him up??
nmonks
A stroke of the brush does not guarantee art from
Yep, there's quite a lot I don't know. How to keep neon tetras alive for any length of time for a start! That, and how to cook rice without it sticking, and how to drive a car, which I never managed to learn.
Anyway, 2.5 gallons is a wee bit small for even a tiddler Panaque. Of course all that matters is water quality, but even so, I'd not keep a baby in anything less than 10 gallons. On the other hand, mine lived her first couple of years in a 20 gallon tank without complaint, and she's something like 15 years old now.
Cheers, Neale
Anyway, 2.5 gallons is a wee bit small for even a tiddler Panaque. Of course all that matters is water quality, but even so, I'd not keep a baby in anything less than 10 gallons. On the other hand, mine lived her first couple of years in a 20 gallon tank without complaint, and she's something like 15 years old now.
Cheers, Neale
lol, Neale 
Alright, so I've decided that I'll keep the little buddy in the 55gallon for the time being, hopfully with my gut loading (I hope I'm loading him/her up) it'll grow . Is your girl a Royal, or dull eyed royal?? I'd love to see some pics
Alright, so I've decided that I'll keep the little buddy in the 55gallon for the time being, hopfully with my gut loading (I hope I'm loading him/her up) it'll grow . Is your girl a Royal, or dull eyed royal?? I'd love to see some pics
nmonks
A stroke of the brush does not guarantee art from
She's a standard issue Panaque nigrolineatus, from the Columbian/Venezuelan population. I do have a few pictures on my web pages, plus a movie where you can see her really digging into a bit of cucumber:
http
/homepage.mac.com/nmonks/aquaria/fishphotos.html [about halfway down]
http/homepage.mac.com/nmonks/files/panaque_high.mov [~5 MB]
Everyone says they're shy and nocturnal, but mine isn't! I've gotten into the habit of feeding her salad scraps at lunchtime, depending on what I'm eating myself, and she'll get impatient if there's nothing out for her. She'll sit at the front waiting for me!
Cheers, Neale
http
/homepage.mac.com/nmonks/aquaria/fishphotos.html [about halfway down]http
/homepage.mac.com/nmonks/files/panaque_high.mov [~5 MB]Everyone says they're shy and nocturnal, but mine isn't! I've gotten into the habit of feeding her salad scraps at lunchtime, depending on what I'm eating myself, and she'll get impatient if there's nothing out for her. She'll sit at the front waiting for me!
Cheers, Neale
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