Weekly Stock Tour: L191 Royal Pleco, Shell Dwellers & We Made PFK Top 40!
Well, it's official - we've been awarded Practical Fishkeeping Top 40 fish store in the UK and runner-up for the whole south of England! I genuinely can't thank you all enough for voting for us. It means the world to the team here at Pond Life Aquatics.
But enough about that - let's get into some fish!
For those of you who are new here, we organise everything continent by continent. It helps people understand where their fish come from in the wild and allows us to give you the best advice on how to keep them properly.
South America
L191 Dull Eyed Royal Panaque Pleco
Starting off with something properly impressive - the L191 Royal Pleco from Colombia, specifically the Rio Caguán in the Caquetá drainage.
This is a chunky pleco. We're talking up to 40cm or more when fully grown, so you're looking at a minimum of 300 litres to keep one of these properly. This isn't a nano tank fish - this is a long-term commitment for someone with a large display tank who wants something genuinely impressive.
Like a lot of Royal Plecos, these are proper wood eaters. They don't just appreciate driftwood for hiding - they actually need it to survive. If you ever catch them on the glass, you can see their adapted teeth designed for rasping through wood. It's why you'll often see oak and algae wafers recommended for L-cats rather than just straight algae wafers.
Generally peaceful, but they can be territorial with their own kind. Given their size, we'd only recommend keeping one per tank anyway. If you're in the market for a cool-looking pleco that isn't your typical common or gibbiceps, this is the one.
Asia
Reticulated Flying Fox
Now these are interesting. We've got the reticulated variant in, and they're often sold simply as algae eaters - but they're so much more than that.
The pattern on these is stunning - that net-like reticulation across the body is far more interesting than the single stripe you get on a standard Siamese algae eater. They're genuine algae eaters too, and they'll actually do the job unlike some species sold under that name.
These originate from Thailand and the Mekong basin, where they're found in clear, flowing streams. They do get to around 15-17cm, so they need decent space - I'd say 120 litres minimum. They appreciate good flow and oxygenation, and can become a bit territorial with their own kind as they mature. Keep them singly or in groups of five plus to spread any aggression.
Great community fish with similarly sized tankmates, and unlike some "algae eaters" out there, these will actually keep on top of the green stuff.
Pentazona Barbs
I think Pentazona Barbs are massively underrated. Five black bands on a gorgeous golden-red body - they're often confused with tiger barbs but they're so much more peaceful and stay smaller at around 4-5cm.
These are from the blackwater peat swamps and streams of Borneo, so they're ideal for Southeast Asian biotope setups. They pair beautifully with rasboras, gouramis, and loaches. Soft, slightly acidic water is preferred, and keep them in groups of six or more.
If you're looking for a barb that won't terrorise your other fish, these are the ones.
Africa
Lamprologus multifasciatus
These have just come out of quarantine and I am so excited to have them ready for sale. Shell dwellers from Lake Tanganyika - one of the smallest cichlids in the world. Males reach around 5cm, females only about 2.5cm.
The behaviour on these is absolutely fascinating. They create entire colonies in shells, with males holding territories and females moving between shells. You can watch them for hours. The entire base of your aquarium should be filled with clusters of different shells - that's their world.
Water parameters are important here - hard, alkaline water with a pH of 7.8-9.0. They're best kept as a species tank or in a Tanganyikan community. If you're looking for something almost beginner-friendly that's incredibly interesting to watch, multis are the way to go. Genuinely one of the best introductions to rift lake species.
I'm honestly torn between setting up a 60 litre liquorice gourami tank at home or a 60 litre lamprologus tank. Both are calling to me.
Alestes brichardi
I wanted to highlight these again because they have really started to colour up. Absolutely stunning.
These are African tetras from the Congo basin - specifically the Democratic Republic of Congo around Yangambi and Lake Yandja. They'll reach around 8cm. Males develop extended finnage with age, and ours are looking phenomenal right now. They need space - 200 litres plus, something like a Rio 240 would be ideal for them.
They're peaceful but active and fast, so don't keep them with shy or slow species. Keep them in groups and give them room to move. I'm genuinely thinking about moving these over to the plant tank on the other side once we sell the final Cribensis out of there - just to let them really grow and develop.
Underrated fish. Doesn't get the attention it deserves.
Business Update
We've just finished the fiberglassing on our front river system! This is going to be ready for next year to service pond plants for everyone. We've got plans for a new fish room and new quarantine space too - the shop is constantly evolving.
Coming Next Week
The second part of our Christmas Gift Giving series drops next week. And for those of you who aren't interested in the gift giving angle, there's going to be a fun little aquascape in there which I'm really pleased with. Tune in for that!
Thank you again for the PFK votes. We're going to keep improving here at Pond Life Aquatics.
See you in store!
Harris Bard Pond Life Aquatics & Tropical Fish London Finchley Nurseries, London Open 9am daily (Sun 10am-4:30pm) www.pondlifeaquatics.co.uk