Remarks:  The L018 gold nugget pleco is a highly coveted species of Loricariid within the aquarium keeping hobby and one look at them shows exactly why this is. With their dark gray to black bodies decorated with contrasting bright gold/yellow seams along the edges of their dorsal and caudal fins along with similarly colored spots, they are considered one of the most beautiful plecos. These seams and spots are thicker and larger when the fish is younger, reducing in size as they grow but gaining even more of these spots. This changes their pattern from a playful polka-dot one to a more elegant speckle or starry pattern. While many would presume their common name to be derived from their gold/yellow pattern, it actually has a much more interesting story.

  When the gold mining industry in the native range, the Rio Xingu, of the L018 gold nugget pleco shut down, locals turned to these abundant plecos as a source of income. Young fish are collected for the aquarium trade while older fish are collected for food. Capturing these fish is far from an easy endeavor, however, as they live in some of the fastest flowing water in the Amazon and hide among the cracks in boulders where they graze on biofilm and algae as well as capture small insect larvae and crustaceans. These conditions consisting of clear, pristine, warm, oxygen-rich waters full of hiding spots should be replicated in the aquarium if one wants to keep L018 gold nugget plecos. If these conditions are not met, this sensitive species will almost certainly decline in health over time and eventually die.

  As this omnivorous catfish mainly feeds on algae and vegetable matter, this should consist of a majority of their diet in captivity. However, they are still omnivores so protein still should be provided. Due to L018 gold nugget plecos actually having softer teeth compared to other species, they prefer softer foods so Repashy gel foods are a great choice for feeding them. It should also be noted their metabolism is rather fast for how long their intestinal tract is so they will need to be fed more frequently than most other Loricariids.

  Keeping multiple L018 gold nugget plecos can be challenging as they are a very territorial species, aggressively sparring to the point of injury and sometimes even death if ample space is not provided. A 60 gallon tank can be enough for a single male and a small group of females, but a minimum of 100 gallons is needed if one plans to keep more than one male. This aggression can also be shown to conspecifics so they are best kept as the only pleco in the tank or even in a species only tank. Needless to say, this is not a beginner species of pleco and is more suited for the intermediate to advanced keeper. If well cared for, it is well worth the challenge to keep such a beautiful and unique species.