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I picked up a large (8" or so), plump royal (Rexy!) about a month ago, and to make a long story short, this fish is way too shy to be in the community tank with my other fish. He began losing weight and his belly even started getting concave. I thought I was going to lose him, but after moving him to his own hospital tank, he has recovered greatly, and I've concluded that he's just not able to compete for food with other, faster, more outgoing fish. Even my little tetras steal his food, and the other plecos chase him off the wood. Poor Rexy.

Sooooo, I need to set up a tank for him, and am wondering what kinds of tankmates you posters here might recommend? I'm not sure how big I should go with his tank. I was thinking at least 90 gallons? Will that be too small for a fully grown royal?

I was also thinking that it would be best if I avoided other nocturnal fish, bottom feeders, and any other fish species that like to occupy the same parts of the tank as Rexy -- but those are my favorite kinds of fish. Are there any laid-back catfish which might get along with a super-shy royal? I think that my spotted raphaels would probably be okay, but I don't really have any other ideas. I welcome any suggestions.

From my experiance with the P. Nigrolineatus they can take a fairly large range of tank mates. I personally have had them with Oscars. I have also had them in tanks of purely their own kind and had no problems. You might want to make the tank as tailored for the P. Nigrolineatus as possible and then put in fish that agree with those conditions. Make the water fast, vigerously filtered, highly air rich, slightly acidic, and between 22 and 26 degrees C. Also try to limit the intensity of the light in the tank and also try to limit the length of time the lights are on. This light alteration should help your P. Nigrolineatus feel less exposed and viewed, then it might decide to venture out.


Good luck
Kurt

muridae,

My Royal is in my 105 gal. African tank along with a Queen and a Gold Nugget and he does fine. I never see any of them giving each other grief. Not sure what is up with Rexy...maybe it's just his personality.

Also, I find it a bit odd when I hear people say Royals need to be in certain water conditions...i.e. hard or acidic. My water is moderately fast, well-filtered, hovering around 82 degrees, and packed with limestone which makes for very non-acidic conditions...yet my Royal does fine. I guess it comes back to never really being able to duplicate natural habitats for these animals and their ability to adapt. Not saying you're wrong KURT...just my experience.

Do you have enough woods in your tank? Since P. nigrolineatus feed on wood
a lot, prenty of wood in your tank helps losing weights for Royal.
It is true that some fish bother Royal pleco, so avoid aggressive fish and provide
prenty of hiding places. This is my tank...just suggestions.
http://tiger.towson.edu/users/hnonog1/My%20tank.htm

Tetras are generally OK with Royal, I think. Good luck.

H.N, nice tank! I do have lots of wood in the tank and that gets eaten, it's just that the other fish tend to chase Rexy off before he can get enough. Mean fish.

I guess Rexy is just particularly a shy guy, and hasn't quite adjusted to life in captivity yet. Maybe he'll stick up for himself better after I've had him for a while.

Thanks for the advice, people!

Hi funnily enough we have had the same problem with our 4" royal the tetras and barbs and angel fish did not bother him at all but the 7" Gibbiceps chased him off the food all the time damaging his top fin we have now moved him into his own tank. I think tetras barbs ect are fine but sometimes plecos dont seem to get on,there was a lot of bogwood in the tank as well.
Pete