Clown Pleco

The Clown Pleco is a small, boldly striped loricariid from the Orinoco drainage of Venezuela and Colombia, where it lives among submerged wood and leaf litter in warm, softly flowing streams. A true wood-eater (xylophage), it must have a constant supply of soft driftwood to rasp; the fibre aids its digestion, so bogwood is not optional decor but a dietary staple. Supplement with vegetables such as courgette and cucumber, plus occasional protein like sinking wafers. It is peaceful and nocturnal, hiding by day in caves and tangles, making it an ideal community catfish. Keep water at 23-28°C, pH around 6.5-7.5, with moderate hardness. Territorial toward other plecos in small tanks, so provide several caves. Hardy and long-lived, it suits beginners with a wood-rich, well-oxygenated aquarium.