Bring a peaceful, hard-working bottom dweller to your aquarium with the Clown Pleco (Panaqolus maccus), also known as the L104 or L162 Pleco. Famous for its attractive dark body decorated with distinct yellowish-white stripes, this dwarf plecostomus remains small, making it one of the most popular and manageable catfishes for freshwater tanks of almost any size.

Key Specifications & Care Details

• Place of Origin: Native to South America, primarily found in the warm, slow-moving river basins of the Orinoco and Apure rivers in Venezuela and Colombia.

• Care Level: Easy. Extremely hardy and ideal for beginner to advanced aquarium hobbyists.

• Maximum Size: Grows to a compact 3.5 to 4 inches, making it a fantastic alternative to massive common plecos.

• Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons for a single adult; 30+ gallons for a small group.

Ideal Tank Environment

Creating a comfortable habitat for a Clown Pleco requires a few essential elements:

• Driftwood (Essential): Driftwood is mandatory for this species. Clown plecos are xylivores—they actively ingest wood as a vital part of their digestive process and fiber intake.

• Hiding Places: Provide plenty of caves, rockwork, and hollow logs. Clown plecos are naturally nocturnal and prefer shaded, quiet retreat spots during the day.

• Water Conditions:

  • Temperature: 73°F – 82°F (23°C – 28°C)

  • pH Range: 6.5 – 7.6

  • Water Flow: Moderate aeration and gentle to moderate current.

Feeding & Diet

While they naturally graze on biofilm and wood fiber, Clown Plecos cannot survive on wood alone. Feed a varied diet including:

• High-quality sinking algae wafers and spirulina pellets

• Omnivore bottom-feeder pellets

• Blanched fresh vegetables (zucchini, cucumber, and spinach)

• Occasional protein treats (frozen bloodworms or brine shrimp)

Suitable Tank Mates

The Clown Pleco is non-aggressive toward other species and fits seamlessly into almost any peaceful community aquarium.

• Great Tank Mates: Tetras, rasboras, guppies, gouramis, peaceful barbs, Corydoras catfish, and dwarf cichlids (such as Rams or Apistogrammas).

• Caution: Males can be territorial with other male plecos over hiding spots, so ensure ample caves and driftwood if keeping more than one in the same tank.

Breeding Information

Clown Plecos are cave spawners and can be bred in home aquariums under proper conditions:

• Setup: Provide tight-fitting ceramic breeding caves or coconut shells alongside pristine water quality.

• Process: Lowering water temperatures slightly during water changes can simulate the natural rainy season, triggering spawning. The female lays a clutch of eggs inside the cave, which the male guards and fans until they hatch in roughly 4 to 7 days.

PLEASE READ BEFORE ORDERING

• The photos shown on fish product pages are representations of adult fish and are NOT the actual fish that you will be receiving. 
• Please visit our “Ordering/Shipping fish” page prior to checking out to familiarize yourself with our process.
• We ship fish exclusively using overnight shipping with either FedEx or UPS. We will not ship fish with lesser expensive shipping services like “Ground” or “Priority Mail”. This is to ensure the safety of the fish.
• Unless specified, all fish are sold as unsexed.