Panaque maccus
Encyclopedia
Panaque maccus, commonly called the clown panaque, clown plecostomus, clown pleco, or ringlet pleco, is a dwarf loricariid
. By numbering systems such as the L-number
system, this fish may also be known as L104, L162, or LDA22.
and Venezuela
in a clear water biotope. This fish originates from the Apuré
and Caroní River
basins. Their natural environment is driftwood tangles near riverbanks.
.
This species has a striped pattern. However, this colouration may change with age. Also, there are specimens with straight bars, but there are also specimens with a broken or wavy pattern. The wavy pattern form is found in the actual Orinoco and its tributaries in Bolivar State, Venezuela
, while the "normal" patterned P. maccus comes from further north and west (Cojedes
, Portuguesa
, Guarico
, and Apure States) in the llanos
where the drainages run into the Apure River
.
hobby. This species adapts well to aquarium life. They are not too difficult to spawn.
The clown pleco attains a maximum size of 4" which makes it an ideal species for small (10 gallons+) aquaria. In the aquarium
, panaque maccus eat primarily vegetable matter and they must be provided with driftwood, as wood forms a large part of their diet. Their diet should also occasionally be supplemented with higher protein foods such as shrimp pellets, bloodworms, glassworms, etc. Loricariids are constant grazers, due to this fact, they produce large amounts of waste. They should be provided with a strong current in the aquarium and plenty of surfaces to attach themselves. Ideally, the aquarium should be a river set up, using pvc pipes to achieve a one directional flow. The water should be fairly warm, 78F-81F. Multiple individuals should be kept in a larger tank with plenty of hiding places to allow each fish to establish a territory. The clown pleco is a reclusive fish and will rarely stray from its chosen piece of driftwood, usually swimming no more than 6" in either direction in search of food. They do well with tankmates and are a good species for a community aquarium. Mature males of this species will develop interopercular odontodes on the rear half of the body.
Loricariidae
Loricariidae is the largest family of catfish , with almost 700 species and new species being described each year. Loricariids originate from fresh water habitats of Costa Rica, Panama, and tropical and subtropical South America. These fish are noted for the bony plates covering their bodies and...
. By numbering systems such as the L-number
L-number
The L-number system is a semi-scientific classification system of catfish based on photographs of shipments of tropical catfish of the family Loricariidae published by the aquarium magazine DATZ ....
system, this fish may also be known as L104, L162, or LDA22.
Distribution and habitat
It originates in ColombiaColombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
in a clear water biotope. This fish originates from the Apuré
Apure River
The Apure River is a river of southwestern Venezuela, formed by the confluence of the Sarare and Uribante near Guasdualito, in Venezuela, at , and flowing across the llanos into the Orinoco...
and Caroní River
Caroní River
The Caroni River is the second most important river of Venezuela, the second in flow, and one of the longest, 952 km from the Tepui Kuquenan, where she originates with the same name Kuquenan, up to its confluence with the River Orinoco to which basin she belongs...
basins. Their natural environment is driftwood tangles near riverbanks.
Description
This species is a small loricariid. It reaches a length of about 8.8 centimetres (3.5 in) SLFish measurement
Fish measurement refers to the measuring of the length of individual fish and of various parts of their anatomy. These data are used in many areas of ichthyology, including taxonomy and fisheries biology.-Overall length:...
.
This species has a striped pattern. However, this colouration may change with age. Also, there are specimens with straight bars, but there are also specimens with a broken or wavy pattern. The wavy pattern form is found in the actual Orinoco and its tributaries in Bolivar State, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, while the "normal" patterned P. maccus comes from further north and west (Cojedes
Cojedes
Cojedes is a town in the Venezuelan state of Cojedes. This town is the shire town of the Anzoátegui Municipality and, according to the 2001 Venezuelan census, the municipality has a population of 14,044.-Demographics:...
, Portuguesa
Portuguesa (state)
Portuguesa State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela.The state capital is Guanare, founded in 1591.Portuguesa State covers a total surface area of 15,200 km² and, in 2007, had an estimated population of 873,400.-Municipalities:...
, Guarico
Guárico
Guárico State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is San Juan de Los Morros. Guárico State covers a total surface area of 64 986 km² and, in 2007, had an estimated population of 745,100.-Municipalities and municipal seats:...
, and Apure States) in the llanos
Llanos
The Llanos is a vast tropical grassland plain situated to the east of the Andes in Colombia and Venezuela, in northwestern South America. It is an ecoregion of the Flooded grasslands and savannas Biome....
where the drainages run into the Apure River
Apure River
The Apure River is a river of southwestern Venezuela, formed by the confluence of the Sarare and Uribante near Guasdualito, in Venezuela, at , and flowing across the llanos into the Orinoco...
.
In the aquarium
P. maccus is one of the most common species of small, striped loricariids available in the fishkeepingFishkeeping
Fishkeeping is a popular hobby concerned with keeping fish in a home aquarium or garden pond. There is also a fishkeeping industry, as a branch of agriculture.-Types of fishkeeping systems:...
hobby. This species adapts well to aquarium life. They are not too difficult to spawn.
The clown pleco attains a maximum size of 4" which makes it an ideal species for small (10 gallons+) aquaria. In the aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
, panaque maccus eat primarily vegetable matter and they must be provided with driftwood, as wood forms a large part of their diet. Their diet should also occasionally be supplemented with higher protein foods such as shrimp pellets, bloodworms, glassworms, etc. Loricariids are constant grazers, due to this fact, they produce large amounts of waste. They should be provided with a strong current in the aquarium and plenty of surfaces to attach themselves. Ideally, the aquarium should be a river set up, using pvc pipes to achieve a one directional flow. The water should be fairly warm, 78F-81F. Multiple individuals should be kept in a larger tank with plenty of hiding places to allow each fish to establish a territory. The clown pleco is a reclusive fish and will rarely stray from its chosen piece of driftwood, usually swimming no more than 6" in either direction in search of food. They do well with tankmates and are a good species for a community aquarium. Mature males of this species will develop interopercular odontodes on the rear half of the body.