Other Names:
Rio Tocantins Tiger Panaque, Tiger ''Peckoltia'', Hairy Pleco, L002
Scientific Name:
Panaque sp. (previously classified as Panaqolus sp.)
Range:
South America: Rio Tocantins at Cametá, Pará, Brazil.
Maximum size:
10-12cm. (4-5")
Aquarium:
This small catfish-species prefers a dimly lit tank with a good number of hiding places, either created with plants, drift wood, rocks or artificial (pleco spawning) caves. To keep more than one specimen in the same tank, or together with other bottom dwelling fish, you need at least a 40x16" (100x40cm.) tank: this fish can be quite territorial, and when suitable hiding places are lacking, it can be aggressive towards other bottom dwellers. When kept as only catfish in an aquarium, a tank size of 32x14" (80x35cm.) is sufficient.
Typical for South American catfish, this species does best in soft, slightly acidic to neutral water, good oxygenation and a good amount of currents. It can however adapt to harder, more akaline water, but wheter it will reproduce under such conditions is questionable.
Temperature:
pH:
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Diet:
This is a wood-eating catfish, like all species from the genus Panaque (including those known to some as Panaqolus) and Cochliodon. Therefore, a good supply of bog wood is necessary in the tank: not only does this fish extracts certain elements and nutrients from the organic layer which forms on the wood over time (also known as "Aufwuchs"), it actually eats the wood itself, possibly for digestive reasons. As wood does is not very rich in nutrients, it means the Tiger Panaque consumes vast amounts of it, and produces an almost equal amount of waste (because of which a very strong filtration system is an absolute necessity).
Besides wood, the diet can be supplemented with vegetable matter (cucumber, lettuce, egg plant/aubergine, zucchini/courgette, etc. as well as algae and catfish pellets) and meaty foods like shrimp and pieces of fish fillet.
Temperament:
Peaceful and unproblematic fish, suitable for community tanks and show tanks with easy to stress fish like Discus or Angel Fish, as well as other bottom-dwelling fish. May become a bit pushy during feeding time, or if not enough hiding places are offered, but if the tank is properly aquascaped it is unaggressive, even towards its own kind.
The Tiger Panaque has been succesfully bred in captivity on a small number of occasions, but most specimen in the aquarium trade are still wild-caught.
Notes:
This species is often confused with similar-looking Panaque species that vary slightly in color and pattern, and are found in different localities:
• L074 (creeks that flow into the Rio de Pará, Pará, Brazil)
• L169 (middle Rio Negro drainage, Amazonas, Brazil)
• L306 (Takutu River downstream of Lethem, Guyana)
Lighter coloration to blend into lighter surroundings
Closer up
Close-up of odontodal growth
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