Care
The Brokenline Royal Plec is known only from the Rio Caguan, a tributary of the Caqueta River in south-western Colombia. This secretive species grows to a substantial size and will require a spacious, mature aquarium with neutral to slightly soft and acidic water. Provide dim lighting, a dark substrate, and an abundance of shady retreats amongst bogwood and sturdy rocky caves, ensuring all decor is secure as larger specimens can be a little clumsy at times. Unfortunately, most plants will be eaten - even relatively hardy species - although some aquarists have success cultivating Java Fern, which reportedly has a bitter taste. Filtration should be efficient (adult fish produce a substantial amount of waste, especially when grazing on bogwood) with areas of brisk water movement along with some quieter resting spots out of the current. There should be a decent level of oxygenation, and small frequent partial water changes will help keep nitrate to a minimum. The Brokenline Royal Plec is generally peaceful and mixes well with most community fish, although it can be rather territorial with its own kind and similarly sized Loricariid species. If more than one specimen is to be kept in the same tank, it must be very spacious with the provision of multiple hiding places/visual barriers. May also be seen on sale as the Brokenline Royal Panaque or Dull Eyed Royal Pleco.
Feeding
As all Panaque species feed on wood, it is essential that the aquarium contains some bogwood. Offer a variety of different foodstuffs containing a good proportion of vegetable matter. Courgette, cucumber, lettuce, potato, pumpkin, squash, spinach, sweet potato etc should all be enthusiastically consumed, and these can be supplemented with sinking wafers/tablets, and the odd treat of meaty frozen foods such as bloodworm and chopped prawns. These fish have a very long digestive tract which is utilised in the breaking down of foods high in vegetable content, so do not offer an excessive amount of meaty foods as this will lead to health problems.
Breeding
This species has not been bred in the home aquarium.
