Gold nugget pleco care
Baryancistrus xanthellus · Xingu and Iriri rivers, Brazil
Gold nugget plecos are black plecos covered in gold spots, with gold-edged fins, from the fast, warm Xingu River in Brazil.
- Tank size
- 75 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 77 to 86 °F (25 to 30 °C)
- Group size
- Alone or in a pair
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 8.8 in (standard length, without the tail)
- pH
- 6.5 to 7.5
- Hardness (GH)
- 2 to 10 dGH
- Lifespan
- 10 to 15 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Moderate
In a 75 gallon
48½ × 18½ × 21⅛ in outsideHow to keep gold nugget plecos
Gold nugget plecos are black plecos covered in gold spots, with gold-edged fins, from the fast, warm Xingu River in Brazil. One needs a 75 gallon or larger tank at 77 to 86 °F with strong flow, plenty of oxygen and caves.
Diet: Omnivore: algae wafers, vegetables, frozen foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Bottom of the tank.
Gold nugget pleco tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Discus
8 in · 55+ gal · 82–88 °F
Blood parrot cichlid
8 in · 55+ gal · 76–80 °F
Severum
8 in · 55+ gal · 75–84 °F
Uaru
9.8 in · 75+ gal · 79–86 °F
Kissing gourami
12 in · 75+ gal · 72–82 °F
Angelfish
6 in · 29+ gal · 76–84 °F
Three-spot (blue) gourami
6 in · 29+ gal · 72–82 °F
Electric blue acara
6 in · 40+ gal · 72–82 °F
Keep apart
White cloud mountain minnow: No shared temperature: gold nugget plecos need 77 to 86 °F, white cloud mountain minnows 64 to 72 °F.
Oscar: Oscars are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as gold nugget plecos.
Reticulated hillstream loach: No shared temperature: gold nugget plecos need 77 to 86 °F, reticulated hillstream loaches 68 to 75 °F.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Fancy goldfish: No shared temperature: gold nugget plecos need 77 to 86 °F, fancy goldfish 64 to 74 °F.
Convict cichlid: Convict cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as gold nugget plecos.
What a gold nugget pleco tank needs
A tank of 75 US gallons or more (such as the 75 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aqueon QuietFlow Canister Filter 300
Rated by the maker for 55–75 US gal, which covers a 75 gallon gold nugget pleco tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Marineland Penguin PRO 375
Rated by the maker for up to 75 US gal, which covers a 75 gallon gold nugget pleco tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon Pro 200
Gold nugget plecos need 77 to 86 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding gold nugget plecos.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 77 to 86 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 75 gallon tank · Heaters for a 75 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common gold nugget pleco problems
- They need warm water with strong flow and plenty of oxygen; warm water holds less oxygen, so add flow or an air stone.
- They are territorial with other plecos.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Baryancistrus xanthellus. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Gold nugget pleco Anne Blindheim, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Discus Patrick Farrelly, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Blood parrot cichlid Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Severum Trisha M Shears, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Uaru Brent Tibbats, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Kissing gourami 5snake5, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Three-spot (blue) gourami Peter Jung, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Electric blue acara 5snake5, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- White cloud mountain minnow Petrtyl, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Oscar H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Reticulated hillstream loach Spiketooth, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Fancy goldfish Benson Kua, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Convict cichlid S. Olkowicz, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pygmy corydoras Birger A, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Salt-and-pepper corydoras D.W., CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bronze corydoras Quatermass (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Panda corydoras Chronotopian, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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