Clown Pleco
Panaqolus maccus
Also known as L104, Ringlet Pleco
Edited by Ivan F. · Reviewed
Beginner verdict
A small, wood-eating pleco with bold stripes that stays far smaller than the common pleco. It spends its days tucked into driftwood and comes out at dusk. Without real wood in the tank it cannot thrive, so treat driftwood as part of its diet, not decoration.
Care at a glance
- Min tank size
- 20 US gal
- Footprint
- Not specified
- Temperature
- 73–82 °F
- pH
- 6.8–7.6
- Hardness
- 8–10 dGH
- Swim zone
- Bottom
- Min group
- Single fish
- Lifespan
- 10–12 years
Clown Pleco care mistakes to avoid
The mistakes beginners most often make with this species.
- Plan on one as the centerpiece of the tank, and read the tank-mate lists before adding others.
- Add real driftwood. It rasps wood as part of its diet and will decline without it.
- Expect lots of fine waste, because wood-eating fish produce plenty of it.
- Give multiple fish their own caves, since they may guard territories.
- Check your tank before you buy. Our sourced minimum is 20 US gallons.
Clown Pleco tank mates and swim zone
Bottom
Spends most of its time in this part of the tank.
Paracheirodon innesi
Paracheirodon axelrodi
Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi
Hemigrammus erythrozonus
Trigonostigma heteromorpha
Trigonostigma espei
Hyphessobrycon amandae
Clown Pleco is much larger than Ember Tetra and may frighten or even eat it.
Boraras brigittae
Clown Pleco is much larger than Chili Rasbora and may frighten or even eat it.
Danio margaritatus
Clown Pleco is much larger than Celestial Pearl Danio and may frighten or even eat it.
Barbodes semifasciolatus
Their temperature ranges barely overlap, so you will have little room for error.
Tanichthys albonubes
Their temperature ranges do not overlap, so one of them would always be stressed.
Pseudomugil furcatus
One needs much harder water than the other can tolerate.
Carassius auratus
Goldfish suit cooler water and are not suited to tropical tanks, so Clown Pleco is a poor match.
Common tank-mate questions
Clown Pleco feeding and care
How to feed
- Keep several pieces of driftwood in the tank at all times.
- Add blanched zucchini or squash, and sinking wafers after dark.
- Feed small portions you can see finished within a couple of minutes, because overfeeding fouls the water fast.
Telling males from females
Males often have bristly odontodes along the rear body and fins. Females are smoother and rounder when viewed from above.
Plants that suit it
Species facts
- Family
- Loricariidae
- Native to
- Caura River, Venezuela
- Adult size
- 3.5 in (9 cm)
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social needs
- Solitary/Centerpiece
- Diet
- Herbivore
- Water flow
- Moderate
- Substrate
- Any
- Live plants
- Mostly Safe
- Shrimp
- Adult Shrimp Only
- Fin nipping
- None
- Vulnerable to nippers
- No
- Breeding
- Difficult in Home Tanks
Clown Pleco FAQ
What size tank do Clown Plecos need?
Our sourced minimum is 20 US gallons (76 liters). A bigger tank is always easier to keep stable.
How many Clown Plecos should I keep?
One is fine in a tank this size. Add more only with plenty of extra room and cover.
What can live with Clown Plecos?
Good matches on our list include Neon Tetra, Cardinal Tetra and Black Neon Tetra. Avoid White Cloud Mountain Minnow and Endler's Livebearer.
How long do Clown Plecos live?
Care guides report about 10–12 years. Stable water and a good diet make the biggest difference.
Does a clown pleco eat algae?
Only a little. It mostly eats wood and the biofilm on it, so it should not be bought as an algae cleaner.
Where to buy Clown Pleco
We have not found a store that sells Clown Pleco under its scientific name yet. We add stores as we confirm them.
Live animals and plants travel by courier. Check the store's live-arrival guarantee, and only buy once your tank has cycled (see how to cycle a fish tank).
Some US states restrict certain species. Check our US state aquarium rules table and your state's own rules before you buy.
Complete the tank
A forgiving setup with room for a small community.
Tank size for this species
At least 20 US gallons (76 L), Not specified footprint
Filter
Hang-on-back or large sponge filter
Easy to maintain and strong enough for a community without blasting the fish.
We are still choosing products for this.
Heater
Adjustable heater, about 5 W per gallon: 100 W at 20 gallons, about 150 W at 29
Enough power to hold a stable temperature in most homes. Size up for a cold room.
We are still choosing products for this.
Water Conditioner
Dechlorinator such as Seachem Prime
Tap water contains chlorine or chloramine that harms fish.
Seachem Prime US
Fritz Complete Water Conditioner US
API Betta Water Conditioner US
sera aquatan Spain
Tetra AquaSafe Spain
Maker's page · Sold at Kiwoko · Sold at Tiendanimal · Sold at zooplus.es
Why we chose these (Best Water Conditioner for Betta Fish). Nobody here has used or tested them.
Test Kit
Liquid kit such as API Freshwater Master
Tracks ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH while the tank cycles.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit US
API General & Carbonate Hardness Test Kit US
Maker's page · Sold at The Shrimp Farm · Sold at Bulk Reef Supply
sera aqua-test box (Cl) Spain
JBL PROAQUATEST COMBISET Plus NH4 Spain
Why we chose these (Best Test Kit for a Freshwater Aquarium). Nobody here has used or tested them.
Cycle the tank before adding animals. See our guide on how to cycle a fish tank.