Flash Pleco (L204)

The flash pleco is one of the most admired members of the genus Panaqolus. Juveniles carry thin white lines on a black background; as they mature these lines become finer and break up into spots. Spotted adults are sometimes separated in the trade under the name "L204a". It was sold for a long time only under the number L204 and was described in 2013 as Panaqolus albivermis.

Like the clown pleco it is a wood-eating species, and the aquarium must contain driftwood. Adults reach 12–14 cm, so it needs a larger tank than the clown pleco.

In Peru it lives in fast-flowing stretches of the Ucayali basin, among fallen trees and piles of roots. The water is rich in oxygen, and there is plenty of decaying wood in the environment.

• Volume: at least 120 liters for one or two fish.
• Wood is a must: several pieces of driftwood; the fish gnaws on them constantly.
• Filter: because there are plenty of wood shavings and waste, strong mechanical filtration and frequent gravel vacuuming are needed.
• Oxygen: heavy aeration and flow; soft water makes breeding easier.
• Water: 25–27°C, a 30% water change every week.

Wood fiber is the basis of its diet, but it is not enough on its own. Blanched zucchini, cucumber, spinach, peas and vegetable sinking tablets should be given regularly. Protein-rich food such as bloodworms or shrimp can be added once a week. Too much protein leads to digestive problems.

Peaceful toward other species. Males of its own kind chase each other over caves and wood; with a large footprint these fights stay mild. It usually does not harm plants.

Good companions: Tetras, rasboras, corydoras, dwarf cichlids, gouramis.

Avoid: Large cichlids that claim the bottom, large territorial plecos, other Panaqolus species (in limited space).

It can be kept singly. More than one fish requires a separate cave and wood territory for each. For breeding, 1 male and 1–2 females are enough.

It has been bred in the aquarium in soft water. The male claims a hollow in the wood or a cave, the female lays her eggs there, and the male guards the eggs and fry. The fry start rasping on wood and vegetables at an early age.

Hardy, but low oxygen and dirty water cause problems. Digestive disorders can occur in an aquarium without driftwood. Sensitive to copper. The color of new arrivals may be pale due to shipping stress; with clean water and plenty of wood they usually recover within a few days.

Mature males have prominent odontodes on the rear part of the body and on the caudal peduncle; their pectoral fin spines are thicker. Females are plumper and smoother.