my first L number plec!

[hellohefalump]

I got a new tank last week - don't worry, I haven't put him in there yet and aren't going to for a couple of months - wait for tank to mature properly...

anyway, I went out to buy a bristlenose, but then I fell in love with the royal panaque plec. It's been in the shop for months and every time I go in I see him and want to get him but I don't because he's too expensive and I didn't need another plec. But this time I caved in and got him and he's lovely lovely lovely!!

I know that they are sensitive to water quality, so I'm keeping a close eye on it, it's been consistantly fine for ages though. I change about 30% once a week and use water conditioner/dechlor.

a couple of questions:

he hides all theh time, will he come out more often as he gets more confident and settles into the tank?

I'm feeding him algae wafers is that alright? I also give bloodworm and other frozen food on a regular basis so if he's not veggie he could be eating those... also they get catfish pellets. I'm guessing he's veggie? is that right? there are also plants on the tank which he could eat if he wants...

 

[smithrc]

an important part of a panaque's diet is bog wood.

The nutrients and stuff they use is in the surface of the wood so wou'll need to change it every now and then.

He will eat all of the things you've mentioned

How big is he (and how much??)

 

[hellohefalump]

Good good... the tank has lots of bogwood in it

he's about 4 inches and cost 26 pounds.

 

[bunjiweb]

bargain for a 4" panaque Best thing you can do is read up plenty about them and then just give him the best home you can. Some Panaque plecs grow massive (in excess of 30cm long) so you will need to keep that in mind when moving him into his permanent home. And as ever, plecs=poo, so make sure your filtration is up to it

Ben

 

[smithrc]

bargain for a 4" panaque Best thing you can do is read up plenty about them and then just give him the best home you can. Some Panaque plecs grow massive (in excess of 30cm long) so you will need to keep that in mind when moving him into his permanent home. And as ever, plecs=poo, so make sure your filtration is up to it

Ben

Royals are one on them... about 12"

Most of them (eg red eyes and standard Royals) all come from the same areas so need the same sort of requirements... Have a look at planet catfish for L027 and others

 

[SirMinion]

We have an eight-inch Royal, we got him at the amazing price of £30!

Ours spends most of his time hanging on the glass in a corner of the tank cuddled up with his friends the four inch Royal and the seven inch Bruno, but will come out if offered bloodworm, hikari sinking wafers, zucchini or JMC sinking pellets.

 

[Fishy411]

i saw a royal in my LFS that looked to be about 15-16". At least it was labeld as a royal.

 

[bunjiweb]

The biggest royal I have seen is in one of the display tanks at Maidenhead Aquatics in Swindon. It is probably around 14" long and its body is HUGE! Must be 10-12" circumference!

Ben

 

[lighter]

Those food you have been feeding are right, just feed a variety of different food and it'll get all the nutrients it need. Wood is necessary as part of the royal's diet so you must have some driftwood in there.

 

[hellohefalump]

excellent... she's still doing fine, hides a lot but seems contented will she eat courgette? I give them a slice of courgette sometimes and it usually gets eaten pretty fast by the other fish in the tank.

 

[SirMinion]

will she eat courgette?

Yeah, she should do, all our plecs love it, including our Royals.

 

[mells]

i saw a royal in my LFS that looked to be about 15-16". At least it was labeld as a royal.

I believe I have the L3330 Watermelon Royal, he is huge- a whopping 11 inches and growing.

He has lived with me for around nine months now, and he loves the skin on the cucumber.

I havent tried courgette yet, but will tonight as I bought some yesterday to try out.

Sorry for the crappy pic, he hides most of the time.

Mells

 

[smithrc]

i saw a royal in my LFS that looked to be about 15-16". At least it was labeld as a royal.

I believe I have the L3330 Watermelon Royal, he is huge- a whopping 11 inches and growing.

He has lived with me for around nine months now, and he loves the skin on the cucumber.

I havent tried courgette yet, but will tonight as I bought some yesterday to try out.

Sorry for the crappy pic, he hides most of the time.

**image removed**

Mells

330's are 'spotted' yours is a rather large and stunning stripy one... dont think its a 330 though.

 

[nmonks]

I wonder how old those giants are. My Royal is 11 years old and a 'mere' 15 cm long. She mostly eats wood, but at the moment she's swimming about at the front of the tank eating shrimp eggs.

One caution: I learned from a scientist working on them that most of the dead specimens he gets sent by aquarists have died prematurely, and these usually have signs of fat around the internal organs. He believes that high-protein foods (like mussels) fed on a regular basis are the problem. In the wild, Royals just eat wood and algae, so it's important to mimic this in captivity. See the thread here.

Cheers,

Neale

The biggest royal I have seen is in one of the display tanks at Maidenhead Aquatics in Swindon. It is probably around 14" long and its body is HUGE! Must be 10-12" circumference!