adadkins1
Aquarium Advice Addict
Submitted By: adadkins1
Common Names: Clown Plecostomus
Scientific Name: Panaque maccus
Category: Plecostomus
Family: Loricariidae
Distribution: Columbia, Venezuela, and Brazil
Maximum Size: 5 inches
Ecosystem: Driftwood tangles near river banks
Salinity: Freshwater
Temperament: Peaceful, but will claim and defend territory
Diet: Herbivore
Temperature: 74°F - 82°F
pH Range: 6.5 - 8
Hardness: 2 - 30
Sexing: Sexing plecos eg: L104 clowns - plecoplanet Forums
Lifespan: 10+ years
Minimum Tank Size: 29 gallons
Strata: Bottom
Tankmates: Basically any fish that will not bother the Clown Pleco
Acclimation: Acclimate your Clown Pleco slowly in order to prevent unneeded stress. Float the fish in the bag for about 30 minutes so it can get used to the temperature in your aquarium. Then remove about 50% of the water from the bag. Slowly replace the water removed with some from you aquarium. Do this in increments: replace about 10 % of the water with some from your aquarium then wait 20 minutes. Do this process until you have 50% original water and 50% of your water. This will allow the fish time to get used to the chemical properties of your water. Finally, carefully release your fish into the aquarium and enjoy.
Care: Clown Plecos are extremely hardy (see comments). They will not be seen very often in a basic tropical community tank. Provide dim lighting and plenty of driftwood, rocks, and caves to have more opportunities to see your Clown Pleco. These Plecos are no different than any other when it comes to bioload. You will need to keep an eye on nitrAtes and make sure they do not exceed acceptable levels.
Feeding: Clown Plecos will rasp on driftwood for the most part. They will enjoy the usual Pleco fodder also: blanched zucchini, algae wafers, romaine lettuce, etc. There have been reports of Clowns relishing sweet potato.
Breeding: Easy if you get a male and a female. Refer to sources for breeding techniques.
Comments: I have a single Clown Pleco in my 55g community tank. He is housed with Bloodfin and Glowlight Tetras, Kuhli Loaches, Ghost Shrimp, Guppies, a pair of German Blue Rams, a Bristlenose Pleco and Otos. I usually see my Clown Pleco every day, but that is only because I have some floating plants above the piece of driftwood he calls home. This definitely isn't a fish that you should purchase thinking you will be able to see it all the time.
Something interesting about my Clown is that I didn't really purchase him! I was cleaning out my 55g that I got off somebody from craigslist. The previous owners had emptied the tank early the day I went to pick it up. After getting the tank I ran some errands, then made the 45 minute journey home. After getting the tank out of the truck, I was getting ready to bleach the it when I noticed a weird figure in the gravel. I studied the figure for a second, then I touched it. It wiggled! Turns out the poor guy had been left in the tank living in only a little moist gravel for what I am guessing to be at least 8 hours. I have no idea how you completely forget about a fish when you are emptying a tank. Luckily he was perfectly fine once I got him in the 55 with all my other fish.
Sources:
Clown pleco, Panaque maccus Profile, with care, maintenance requirements and breeding information for your tropical fish
Sexing plecos eg: L104 clowns - plecoplanet Forums
Clown Pleco
Common Names: Clown Plecostomus
Scientific Name: Panaque maccus
Category: Plecostomus
Family: Loricariidae
Distribution: Columbia, Venezuela, and Brazil
Maximum Size: 5 inches
Ecosystem: Driftwood tangles near river banks
Salinity: Freshwater
Temperament: Peaceful, but will claim and defend territory
Diet: Herbivore
Temperature: 74°F - 82°F
pH Range: 6.5 - 8
Hardness: 2 - 30
Sexing: Sexing plecos eg: L104 clowns - plecoplanet Forums
Lifespan: 10+ years
Minimum Tank Size: 29 gallons
Strata: Bottom
Tankmates: Basically any fish that will not bother the Clown Pleco
Acclimation: Acclimate your Clown Pleco slowly in order to prevent unneeded stress. Float the fish in the bag for about 30 minutes so it can get used to the temperature in your aquarium. Then remove about 50% of the water from the bag. Slowly replace the water removed with some from you aquarium. Do this in increments: replace about 10 % of the water with some from your aquarium then wait 20 minutes. Do this process until you have 50% original water and 50% of your water. This will allow the fish time to get used to the chemical properties of your water. Finally, carefully release your fish into the aquarium and enjoy.
Care: Clown Plecos are extremely hardy (see comments). They will not be seen very often in a basic tropical community tank. Provide dim lighting and plenty of driftwood, rocks, and caves to have more opportunities to see your Clown Pleco. These Plecos are no different than any other when it comes to bioload. You will need to keep an eye on nitrAtes and make sure they do not exceed acceptable levels.
Feeding: Clown Plecos will rasp on driftwood for the most part. They will enjoy the usual Pleco fodder also: blanched zucchini, algae wafers, romaine lettuce, etc. There have been reports of Clowns relishing sweet potato.
Breeding: Easy if you get a male and a female. Refer to sources for breeding techniques.
Comments: I have a single Clown Pleco in my 55g community tank. He is housed with Bloodfin and Glowlight Tetras, Kuhli Loaches, Ghost Shrimp, Guppies, a pair of German Blue Rams, a Bristlenose Pleco and Otos. I usually see my Clown Pleco every day, but that is only because I have some floating plants above the piece of driftwood he calls home. This definitely isn't a fish that you should purchase thinking you will be able to see it all the time.
Something interesting about my Clown is that I didn't really purchase him! I was cleaning out my 55g that I got off somebody from craigslist. The previous owners had emptied the tank early the day I went to pick it up. After getting the tank I ran some errands, then made the 45 minute journey home. After getting the tank out of the truck, I was getting ready to bleach the it when I noticed a weird figure in the gravel. I studied the figure for a second, then I touched it. It wiggled! Turns out the poor guy had been left in the tank living in only a little moist gravel for what I am guessing to be at least 8 hours. I have no idea how you completely forget about a fish when you are emptying a tank. Luckily he was perfectly fine once I got him in the 55 with all my other fish.
Sources:
Clown pleco, Panaque maccus Profile, with care, maintenance requirements and breeding information for your tropical fish
Sexing plecos eg: L104 clowns - plecoplanet Forums
Clown Pleco
