King Tiger Pleco – Hypancistrus Species, L066

Common name: King Tiger Plecostomus, Network pleco, and Scribbled pleco, L066

Scientific name:   Hypancistrus Species

Average Adult Fish Size: 5 inches  /  12 cm

Place of Origin: North East Brazil, South America

Typical Tank setup: South American riverine biotope with rocks, caves, drift wood, bogwood, roots, and live plants.

Recommended Minimum Aquarium Capacity: 30 gallon  /  120 litre

Compatibility: A peaceful fish if plenty of hiding places are provided.

Temperature: 77 – 84 Deg. F  /  25 – 29 Deg. C

Water chemistry: pH 5.8 – 7.4

Feeding: Carnivorous species. You can use prepared foods such as pellets, wafers, sticks, and flakes for carnivores as a base and supplement with plenty of fresh or frozen meaty foods such as bloodworms, shrimps and mussels.

Sexing: Male King tiger plecos are bigger than the females and develop a darker and more distinct color pattern. They also have longer odontodes and you can see more bristles on their pectoral spines.

Breeding: King tiger plecos spawn inside caves. Males guard the eggs. The male fans fresh water over the eggs and they hatched after roughly one week. The yolk sacs are completely absorbed within two weeks. Fry readily accept baby brine shrimp and finely crushed flake food. Frequent partial water changes are a must to keep the fry healthy.

Additional Information: King Tigers are a cool medium sized pleco.