peaceful species and are fortunate to keep small colonies of each. I have been keeping Iquitos tigers for 5 years and L205’s for just over a year, and I have had limited success in breeding them.
Phill also imported two pleco species with more subtle colours: the Iquitos tiger pleco (Panaqolus changae, L226) and the spotted Peckoltia (Peckoltia brevis, L205). Both species were bred a few times in New Zealand and at times they were relatively freely available and reasonably priced. However they are now becoming rare and given their more cryptic colouration they are probably unlikely to be imported anytime soon. I have a soft spot for these two
Iquitos tigers are a small (to about 10 cm) light grey to tan pleco with broad dark grey bands on the tail section, thinner irregular bands on the trunk (body section), and very fine lines on the head. They are a similar pattern to the familiar clown pleco Panaqolus maccus (L104, L162, LDA22) but they have more dark bands on the trunk (6–12, often 8, in P. changae vs. 3–7, often 4, in P. maccus). As with clown plecos, flash plecos, and other Panaqolus species, Iquito tigers are highly specialised wood and algae eaters, and not surprisingly wood is an essential part of their Above left: Mature Pterygoplichthys weberi Photo: Phill Collis Below: Panaquolus changae, L226 Photo: Darren Stevens
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