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Encyclopedia / Catfish & Plecos / King tiger pleco
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Variations

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King tiger pleco

Hypancistrus seideli · Hypancistrus sp. L066, L066, King tiger, L 066, L-066, Tiger pleco

Peaceful but territorial with other plecos; needs high oxygen.

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14 cmBody length, without tail ✓
26–30 °CTemperature ✓
5–7pH ✓
243 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (26–30 °C vs 21–25 °C). No setting suits both.
Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (26–30 °C vs 16–24 °C). No setting suits both.
Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (26–30 °C vs 16–25 °C). No setting suits both.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 26 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 26–27 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

175 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓2–15 dGH
Group size ✓Can live alone
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ✓Bottom
Care level ✓Moderate
Diet Carnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 5–10 cm
Growth Slow

Behavior

Peaceful but territorial with other plecos; needs high oxygen.

  • cave
  • current

Food

Mostly meaty food: sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm, mysis and prawn. It does not graze algae, so don't rely on vegetables.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Seen from above, males are slimmer and less stocky than females. Odontode growth is often similar in both sexes, though some older males have more on the pectoral fins.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Cave spawner ·

Cave spawner; the male guards the brood. Has been bred regularly in aquaria.

Pairing

Grow out 6-8 juveniles and let a pair form; keep the group in a well-oxygenated, stable tank.

Setup

100-200 L tank with strong flow, many caves sized to the fish (PVC or ceramic tubes), and very clean, warm water.

What starts it

Cool water changes, increased flow and a seasonal drop in temperature, plus rich protein feeding.

Eggs

The male guards a small clutch (5-30 large amber eggs) in the cave for around 5-10 days until they hatch; the fry carry a big yolk sac.

Raising the fry

Fry stay in the cave until the yolk is gone, then feed on sinking algae wafers, blanched veg and crushed flake. Keep nitrate low.

Common mistakes
  • Too few caves
  • Warm, stagnant water
  • Moving the male while he guards eggs
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionSouth America – Rio Xingu basin, Brazil
Rivers and lakesRio Xingu
HabitatFast-flowing rocky rapids
Native rangeAbout 300 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the king tiger pleco

The king tiger pleco (L066, also L333) was named Hypancistrus seideli in 2025, after the aquarist Ingo Seidel. It grows to about 14 cm, has a highly variable pattern of dark and pale vermiculations, prefers meaty foods, and lives in rocky Xingu rapids threatened by the Belo Monte dam.

The king tiger pleco is an undescribed Hypancistrus from the Rio Xingu that entered the hobby as L066. It is closely related to the famous zebra pleco from the same river. Its pale body with dark, wavy stripes varies a lot between individuals.

  • The 'L-number' code system was started in 1988 by the German aquarium magazine DATZ to label undescribed plecos.
  • It is a close relative of the zebra pleco, Hypancistrus zebra.
  • No two individuals have exactly the same stripe pattern.

Sources

15 facts checked with sources