{"product_id":"clown-pleco","title":"Clown Pleco (Panaqolus maccus)(Unsexed)","description":"\u003cp\u003eBring a peaceful, hard-working bottom dweller to your aquarium with the \u003cb\u003eClown Pleco\u003c\/b\u003e (\u003ci\u003ePanaqolus maccus\u003c\/i\u003e), also known as the \u003cb\u003eL104\u003c\/b\u003e or \u003cb\u003eL162 Pleco\u003c\/b\u003e. 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eKey Specifications \u0026amp; Care Details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePlace of Origin:\u003c\/b\u003e Native to South America, primarily found in the warm, slow-moving river basins of the Orinoco and Apure rivers in Venezuela and Colombia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCare Level:\u003c\/b\u003e Easy. Extremely hardy and ideal for beginner to advanced aquarium hobbyists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMaximum Size:\u003c\/b\u003e Grows to a compact \u003cb\u003e3.5 to 4 inches\u003c\/b\u003e, making it a fantastic alternative to massive common plecos.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMinimum Tank Size:\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003e20 gallons\u003c\/b\u003e for a single adult; 30+ gallons for a small group.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIdeal Tank Environment\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCreating a comfortable habitat for a Clown Pleco requires a few essential elements:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDriftwood (Essential):\u003c\/b\u003e Driftwood is \u003cb\u003emandatory\u003c\/b\u003e for this species. Clown plecos are \u003ci\u003exylivores\u003c\/i\u003e—they actively ingest wood as a vital part of their digestive process and fiber intake.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHiding Places:\u003c\/b\u003e Provide plenty of caves, rockwork, and hollow logs. Clown plecos are naturally nocturnal and prefer shaded, quiet retreat spots during the day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWater Conditions:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTemperature:\u003c\/b\u003e 73°F – 82°F (23°C – 28°C)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003epH Range:\u003c\/b\u003e 6.5 – 7.6\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWater Flow:\u003c\/b\u003e Moderate aeration and gentle to moderate current.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeeding \u0026amp; Diet\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile they naturally graze on biofilm and wood fiber, Clown Plecos cannot survive on wood alone. Feed a varied diet including:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHigh-quality sinking algae wafers and spirulina pellets\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOmnivore bottom-feeder pellets\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlanched fresh vegetables (zucchini, cucumber, and spinach)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOccasional protein treats (frozen bloodworms or brine shrimp)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSuitable Tank Mates\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Clown Pleco is non-aggressive toward other species and fits seamlessly into almost any peaceful community aquarium.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGreat Tank Mates:\u003c\/b\u003e Tetras, rasboras, guppies, gouramis, peaceful barbs, Corydoras catfish, and dwarf cichlids (such as Rams or Apistogrammas).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCaution:\u003c\/b\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBreeding Information\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClown Plecos are cave spawners and can be bred in home aquariums under proper conditions:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSetup:\u003c\/b\u003e Provide tight-fitting ceramic breeding caves or coconut shells alongside pristine water quality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eProcess:\u003c\/b\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePLEASE READ BEFORE ORDERING\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe photos shown on fish product pages are representations of adult fish and are NOT the actual fish that you will be receiving.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePlease visit our “Ordering\/Shipping fish” page prior to checking out to familiarize yourself with our process.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe 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.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eUnless specified, all fish are sold as unsexed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"KGTropicals","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41322499866688,"sku":null,"price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1478\/2240\/files\/Unknown-38_f1ae8041-3ee0-49c1-b426-deddd8558f85.jpg?v=1785531148","url":"https:\/\/keepfishkeeping.com\/products\/clown-pleco","provider":"KGTropicals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}