Royal panaque
Panaque nigrolineatus
Loricariidae
Hard
Parameter dashboard
Temperature
22-30 °C
pH
6.5-7.5
Size
43 cm
Lifespan
15 years
Min tank450 L
Price$$$$
DietHerbivore
TemperamentPeaceful
OriginSouth America
Shrimp-safeNo
Care guide
The royal panaque grows to 43 cm standard length and needs a tank at least 5 ft long with a volume upwards of 450 L. Unlike most plecos, this species is a xylivore — it raspes submerged wood by means of spoon-shaped teeth and hosts symbiotic gut bacteria that digest cellulose, making driftwood non-negotiable in the aquarium. Temperature can range from 22 to 30 °C with a pH of 6.5–7.5. Despite its size the royal panaque is peaceful toward tankmates, though it may be territorial toward other bottom-dwelling loricariids. It produces a heavy waste load (sawdust from rasped wood passes straight through) so oversize filtration and weekly water changes are essential. Feed algae wafers, courgette, cucumber, and sweet potato; keep meaty foods to a minimum. Breeding in the home aquarium is extremely rare.
Tankmate compatibility (sample)
Pairwise screening against other species in the database (prioritizing the same family when data is available).
Review first (8)
Caution or avoid from automated rules — confirm before mixing.
| Species | Assessment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nannoptopoma Nannoptopoma sternoptychum Caution | Caution | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates Open pair in Compare → |
| Oxyropsis Oxyropsis carinata Caution | Caution | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates Open pair in Compare → |
| Parotocinclus Parotocinclus eppleyi Caution | Caution | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates Open pair in Compare → |
| Royal Farlowella Sturisomatichthys festivus Caution | Caution | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates Open pair in Compare → |
| Whiptail catfish Farlowella acus Caution | Caution | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates Open pair in Compare → |
| Whiptail Catfish Loricaria simillima Caution | Caution | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates Open pair in Compare → |
| Zebra Oto Otocinclus cocama Caution | Caution | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates Open pair in Compare → |
| Zebra pleco Hypancistrus zebra Caution | Caution | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates Open pair in Compare → |
4 species with compatible assessment in this sampleCollapse to hide the list; use “Open pair in Compare” for the full matrix.
| Species | Assessment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blue-eye panaque Panaque suttonorum Compatible | Compatible | No rule-based conflicts detected for this pair. Open pair in Compare → |
| Farlowella Catfish Farlowella vittata Compatible | Compatible | No rule-based conflicts detected for this pair. Open pair in Compare → |
| Gold Nugget Pleco Baryancistrus xanthellus Compatible | Compatible | No rule-based conflicts detected for this pair. Open pair in Compare → |
| Sunshine Pleco Scobinancistrus aureatus Compatible | Compatible | No rule-based conflicts detected for this pair. Open pair in Compare → |
Same rule engine as Compare. Not a substitute for observation, tank size, or acclimation.
Related species
Keep this species? Spot anything off?