Gold Stripe Tiger Panaque (Panaqolus sp)

The Gold Stripe Tiger Panaque is somewhat popular in the aquarium hobby due to its availability, attractiveness, peaceful demeanour and hardiness. However, males can be slightly quarrelsome over food and territories. Therefore, these Plecos are ideally suited to the more active community tank.

These Plecos will co-exist fine with their own kind as well as with fish that prefer slightly higher temperatures; Tetras, Dwarf Cichlids, Hatchet Fish, Pencilfish, Rainbowfish and Corydoras Catfish all make perfect inhabitants.

The Gold Stripe Tiger Panaque is ideally suited to an average-sized aquarium, providing that a few essential requirements are met. The water in the aquarium should be well established with a substrate of small smooth gravel or sand, and it will also need to contain plenty of driftwood or bogwood, as this forms a necessary part of their diet. These Plecos will require many private retreats created from the bogwood and smooth rocks so that they will feel comfortable during the day.

These Plecos do not enjoy light that is too bright, so it would be best to make sure they have plenty of shaded areas constructed with driftwood and caves as well as some floating plants, as this will help diffuse the light. You can include robust plants such as Java Fern and Anubias; however, avoid soft-leaved or delicate plants as these will be eaten or uprooted.

You should always maintain excellent water conditions using a powerful filtration system that can cope with the amount of wood waste, and you will need a good current. A high oxygenation level will benefit the fish and may even entice them into breeding.

The Gold Stripe Tiger Panaque has a light brownish-gold body contrasted with thick black bands that run from the upper body to the lower body. These bands start small on their snout, then get more significant on the rest of the body, and do not join each side of the fish. In addition, their fins have the same pattern as the body.

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Feeding

In the home aquarium, the Gold Stripe Tiger Panaque will readily accept most good quality dried foods such as granules, flakes and sinking pellets. These modern food products have been developed to provide all adequate nutrition to maintain your fish's health and dietary requirements.

Providing additional foodstuffs such as live, frozen, and freeze-dried meals such as bloodworm, daphnia, and tubifex once or twice a week will provide additional benefits to your fish's health and well-being but is not a must for this fish.

It should be noted that bloodworms should only be given as an occasional treat and should not be used as the staple diet as they are difficult for fish to digest and can potentially cause blockages.

This fish is an omnivore in the wild, meaning it will consume some vegetable matter. Although most modern fish foods take this into account and include them in their products, you can still supplement your fish's diet with blanched vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and zucchini. Ensure you do not overfeed your fish and remove any leftovers the following day.

Sexual Dimorphism

It can be somewhat challenging to differentiate between the male and female Gold Stripe Tiger Panaque for the lesser experienced fish keeper. However, males are usually slightly larger than females and possess a wide head and odontodes behind their gill covers, on the posterior part of their body, and their pectoral spines; these are much shorter than the females. In contrast, females are rounder in the ventral region and are usually slightly smaller than males.