ROYAL XINGU PLECO L027 medium

The royal plec0 is closely related to the popular plecostomus catfish kept in many aquaria as an algae eater. While the royal plec0 also eats algae, it is best known among biologists as being among the very few fish capable of eating and digesting wood. It does so using symbiotic gut bacteria. Royal plecos are light grey in color patterned with dark grey squiggles. They have red eyes and the dorsal fins are edged with cream or gold. The body is encased in heavy armor, except for the belly, which is soft. This armor is made of strong plates of skin, not scales. Royal plecos can grow to 17 in in length. Because they are heavy and inflexible, they do not swim well, but they do have a strong sucker-like mouth that enables them to hold onto rocks and wood in fast flowing waters.