L239 blue panaque care: a beginner's guide

The L239 blue panaque is a striking dark blue-gray pleco with pale fin edges that grows to about 6 inches. Despite the name, it isn't a true panaque and doesn't need to eat wood. It's a hardy, peaceful fish for a warm, well-filtered tank, as long as you feed it properly.

I've kept my L239 for about three years. It lives in my 29 gallon planted tank with Henry, my dwarf gourami, and eats live brine shrimp, Northfin foods and Xtreme krill flakes.

L239 facts

• Scientific name: Baryancistrus beggini
• Size: about 6 inches as an adult
• Tank: about 30 gallons or more for one, with a long footprint. Go bigger for more than one pleco.
• Temperature: warm, about 77–84°F
• Water: soft to medium, with a pH of about 6 to 7.5
• Lifespan: 10 years or more with good care

Not a real panaque

"Panaque" in the common name is misleading. True panaques, like the royal pleco, grow large and rasp wood as a main part of their diet. The L239 is a Baryancistrus, a group that grazes on the film of algae and tiny animals that coats rocks. It still likes driftwood in the tank for hiding and grazing, but wood isn't food for it.

Feeding

L239s are omnivores. In the wild they graze on algae, tiny invertebrates and other small foods. Most tanks don't grow nearly enough of that, so feed them every day or two:

• Sinking pellets and wafers with both plant and animal ingredients.
• Meaty foods like brine shrimp, bloodworms or krill-based foods a few times a week.
• Algae and vegetables like blanched zucchini now and then.

Drop food near its cave after the lights go off, when it's most active. A healthy L239 has a gently rounded belly. A sunken belly means it needs more food. See the best fish food for beginners.

Setting up the tank

• Strong filtration and plenty of oxygen. L239s come from fast, warm rivers. A canister or a large hang-on-back with good surface movement works well. See the best canister filters.
• Caves and wood to hide in during the day. See aquarium driftwood.
• Sand or smooth gravel, so it doesn't scratch its belly. See the best gravel and sand.
• A steady, warm temperature. Check your heater size with the heater calculator, and see the aquarium temperature guide.
• A mature, cycled tank. See how to cycle a fish tank.

Tankmates

• Good: peaceful fish that like warm water, such as gouramis, tetras, rasboras, angelfish and corydoras that tolerate warmth.
• Careful with: other plecos. L239s guard their favorite cave, so give each pleco its own hiding spot or keep just one.
• Avoid: goldfish and other coldwater fish, and large aggressive cichlids.

L239 or bristlenose?

If you want an easy algae-eating pleco for a community tank, a bristlenose is cheaper, smaller and grazes more algae. Choose an L239 if you love its color, can keep a warm tank and are happy to feed it every day.

Related: Bristlenose pleco care · Dwarf gourami care · Aquarium driftwood