Blood-red Tiger Pleco Care Guide
Panaqolus claustellifer
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Bioload Score
3720
- Max Size
- 13.0 cm / 5.1"
- Temperature
- 26–28°C (78–82°F)
- pH Range
- 6.0 – 7.5
- Min Tank Size
- 57L (15 gal)
- Min Group Size
- Can be kept alone
- Tank Level
- Bottom
- Origin
- South America
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Breeding Difficulty
- Difficult
Diet
Primarily herbivorous, scraping and rasping wood and biofilm while also consuming algae and occasional supplemental foods like sinking wafers and vegetables in aquaria.
Community Compatibility
Best kept singly or with peaceful, similarly sized mid‑ to upper‑level tankmates that do not compete for the same caves or territories.
Good to Know
The Blood-red Tiger Pleco, *Panaqolus claustellifer*, is a peaceful, nocturnal wood-eating pleco whose striking red-and-black tiger stripes make it a standout in well-decorated aquariums.
Gender Differences
Males develop elongated odontodes on the cheeks and along the back and have a small pointed genital papilla, while females are fuller-bodied when gravid and show a larger, rounded, swollen papilla.
Stock Blood-red Tiger Pleco in Your Tank
Use our free stocking calculator to see if Blood-red Tiger Pleco fits your aquarium