L018 Gold Nugget Pleco (Baryancistrus xanthellus)
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For the safety of our animals, we now ship live fish exclusively via UPS Next Day Air. If your order contains this item, you will only see UPS Next Day Air as a shipping option during checkout.
The Gold Nugget Pleco (Baryancistrus xanthellus), also known as L018, is one of the most spectacular and highly sought-after Loricariid catfish. Its jet-black body is adorned with vivid golden spots and finished with brilliant yellow edging along the dorsal and caudal fins. Native to the legendary Rio Xingu in Brazil, this pleco thrives in fast-flowing, oxygen-rich waters and is a true centerpiece species for the serious aquarist.
What We Love About This Fish:
• Bold golden spots and striking fin edging
• A showpiece pleco that adds contrast to any aquascape
• Generally peaceful and compatible with other community fish
• Hardy when given stable water conditions and proper diet
Natural Habitat:
The Gold Nugget Pleco is a wild-type species from Brazil’s Rio Xingu, a tributary of the Amazon River. In its natural range, this pleco inhabits fast-moving, rocky waters with high oxygen levels, strong currents, and numerous submerged rocks and crevices. These conditions shape its natural behaviors, from clinging to surfaces to grazing on algae and biofilm.
Aquascaping:
• Plants: Hardy, broad-leaf plants such as Anubias, Java Fern, and Amazon Swords can withstand the flow and the pleco’s activity.
• Hardscape: Rocky caves, slate, and especially driftwood provide shelter, territory, and grazing areas.
• Botanicals: Indian Almond Leaves, Catappa Bark, and alder cones can help mimic tannin-rich waters while providing biofilm.
Diet and Feeding:
Gold Nugget Plecos are omnivores. In the aquarium, they require a balanced diet of sinking algae wafers, blanched vegetables (zucchini, spinach, cucumber), and occasional protein-rich foods such as bloodworms, mysis shrimp, or brine shrimp. Driftwood is essential in their environment for grazing and digestion.
Tank Mates and Compatibility:
Gold Nugget Plecos are peaceful and make excellent additions to community aquariums. They coexist well with tetras, rasboras, Corydoras, and other mid- or top-dwelling fish. They may display mild territoriality toward other plecos or bottom dwellers if space and hiding spots are limited.
Shrimp Compatibility:
Safe with adult shrimp, but may consume baby shrimp or fry if food is scarce. Provide ample hiding places if housing with breeding shrimp colonies.
Breeding:
Captive breeding of L018 is rare and extremely challenging due to their specific habitat needs. In the wild, they are cave spawners that require strong current, pristine water, and proper caves for egg deposition and fry protection. Most specimens available in the trade are wild-caught.
Recommended Tank Parameters:
• Temperature: 74° – 82° F (23° – 28° C)
• pH: 6.0 – 7.5
• KH: 2 – 10
• Minimum Tank Size: 40 gallons
Care Guidelines:
• Diet: Omnivorous; requires algae, vegetables, and supplemental protein.
• Social Behavior: Peaceful; semi-territorial with other plecos.
• Origin: Wild-caught from Brazil (Rio Xingu).
• Average Adult Size: 7 – 9 inches (18 – 23 cm)
• Average Purchase Size: 2.5 – 3.5 inches (6 – 10 cm)
Bring home the dazzling Gold Nugget Pleco — a living jewel from Brazil’s Rio Xingu and a true treasure for community and display aquariums.
Live Arrival Guarantee:
All Aquatic Arts brand animals come with a 100% live arrival guarantee, plus free email support!
What makes the L018 Gold Nugget Pleco so popular?
It’s the contrast. The deep black body covered in bright yellow spots is striking, and the yellow edging on the fins really finishes the look. Even when they’re resting, they draw attention.
How big do L018 Gold Nugget Plecos get?
They’re considered a medium pleco, usually topping out around 8–10 inches. They need room to grow, but they’re more manageable than the truly giant pleco species.
Are L018 Gold Nugget Plecos aggressive?
They’re generally peaceful toward mid- and upper-level fish. Like many plecos, they can be territorial with other bottom dwellers, especially other plecos, so space and hiding spots matter.
Can L018 Gold Nugget Plecos live in community tanks?
Yes, with the right setup. They do best with peaceful to semi-peaceful fish that won’t harass them or compete heavily for caves and bottom territory.
Is the L018 Gold Nugget Pleco a good algae eater?
They do graze on algae and biofilm, especially when young, but they shouldn’t be relied on as your main algae solution. Think of them as a feature fish first, not a cleanup tool.
What should I feed a Gold Nugget Pleco?
A varied diet works best. High-quality sinking pellets, algae wafers, fresh vegetables, and occasional protein-rich foods keep them in good condition and help maintain coloration.
Do L018 Gold Nugget Plecos need driftwood?
Driftwood is highly recommended. It provides grazing surfaces, shelter, and helps create the kind of environment they’re comfortable in.
What kind of tank setup do they prefer?
They thrive in well-oxygenated tanks with strong filtration and moderate to higher flow. Caves, rockwork, and shaded areas are important, as they spend a lot of time resting during the day.
Are L018 Gold Nugget Plecos hardy?
Once acclimated, they’re fairly hardy, but they do best in clean, stable water. Because they come from oxygen-rich environments, good filtration and regular maintenance are important.
Who is the L018 Gold Nugget Pleco best suited for?
They’re ideal for aquarists who want a standout pleco with personality and presence. If you’re looking for a visually impressive bottom-dweller and can provide space and strong filtration, the L018 is a classic choice.
For the safety of our animals, we only ship live fish, crabs, and select other inverts exclusively via UPS 1 Day Air. If your order contains this item, you will only see UPS 1 Day Air as a shipping option during checkout. If other items are in your cart that can ship with 2 day or standard shipping options the only shipping method you can still select is UPS 1 Day Air.
UPS 1 Day is a description of the duration of time a shipment will spend in transit once it has been shipped. This does not guarantee the package will be shipped the same or next day from which the order was placed.
Shipping Schedule for this service
Current Handling Time:
1-9 business days
Here at Aquatic Arts, we consider the welfare of the live animals we are shipping to be of the foremost importance. This process is much more involved than simply creating a shipping label and affixing it to a box. Depending on the order, it takes from 4 to 7 people to complete this process properly. We check the weather conditions here where they fly out of the Indianapolis UPS facility and the destination for each shipment. We start early each morning and go through a multi-step process to have the day's shipments prepared in time for the UPS pickup. The volume of orders in our system also affects the processing time. Therefore our stated handling time is 1-9 business days.
Shipping Rate
Pricing is by size of package needed to fill entire order and distance it must travel. It will be calculated at checkout.
