L397 Pleco- Tangerine Tiger Pleco

L397 Pleco / Alenquer Tiger Pleco

L397 Plecos, also commonly known as the Alenquer Tiger Pleco, are a beautiful dwarf pleco prized for their bold orange and black striping, manageable adult size, and strong personality. This is a wood eating species, and it does best in aquariums with plenty of driftwood, strong oxygenation, and stable tropical water conditions. Adults generally stay around 5 inches, making them a much more practical pleco for many home aquariums than many of the larger common pleco types.  

At Legacy Line Aquatics, these fish are raised in a small-scale, care-first setup. My focus is on healthy fish, clean systems, proper nutrition, and attentive day-to-day care, so you receive fish I’d be confident keeping in my own fish room.

Why Hobbyists Love L397 Plecos

• Striking orange and black “tiger” striping
• Manageable adult size compared to many larger plecos
• Peaceful overall temperament with plenty of personality
• Excellent choice for wood-heavy tropical aquariums
• Highly desirable pleco for hobbyists wanting something more unique than common algae eaters  

Temperament & Behavior

L397 Plecos are generally peaceful, but like many plecos they can be territorial with their own kind or with similar bottom-dwelling fish if kept too tightly. They spend much of their time resting on wood, exploring caves, grazing surfaces, and using shaded hiding spots. This is also a cave-spawning pleco, and males may become more defensive of caves when mature.  

They do best in tanks with:

• Plenty of driftwood
• Caves and shaded hiding places
• Stable water quality and temperature
• Good oxygenation and water movement
• Smooth hardscape and adequate bottom space

Tank Size (Recommended)

• Single fish: 20 gallon long minimum, though 29–30 gallons+ is a better long-term setup
• Small group: 30 gallons+ strongly recommended with multiple caves and wood pieces
• Mixed bottom-dweller setups: larger tanks are strongly recommended to reduce territorial stress  

Water Temperature

• Ideal range: 78–82°F
• Stable, warm water is more important than chasing extremes  

Tank Mates (Good Choices)

Best tank mates are peaceful tropical fish that will not constantly harass them or compete too heavily for the same caves and bottom territory.

Good tank mates may include:

• Peaceful tetras and other midwater community fish
• Peaceful dwarf cichlids in properly planned setups
• Calm rainbowfish
• Corydoras only in tanks with enough room and enough separation of bottom space

Avoid:

• Large aggressive cichlids
• Overly rough or boisterous bottom dwellers
• Cramped setups with multiple plecos competing for the same space
• Similar wood-eating plecos without enough caves and wood available  

Feeding

L397 Plecos are wood eaters, which means driftwood is an important part of their husbandry and natural feeding behavior. They should not be treated as simple algae cleaners. In addition to wood, they do best on a mostly vegetable-leaning diet with quality sinking foods. Wood is essential and foods like algae wafers, fresh vegetables such as zucchini, and tubers such as potato or sweet potato are good as well.  

Recommended foods:

• High-quality sinking wafers and pellets
• Driftwood for constant grazing
• Zucchini and other appropriate vegetables
• Repashy or other quality gel foods for plecos
• Occasional supplemental protein in moderation  

What You’re Getting from Legacy Line Aquatics

When you purchase from me, you’re getting fish raised in a small-scale setup where care and condition matter. I focus on:

• Fish health
• Clean systems
• Proper feeding, mixture of high-quality sinking foods, vegetables, driftwood access, and other appropriate foods
• Careful day-to-day observation
• Strong overall condition

That matters, especially with plecos.

Local Delivery

• Delivery is available within an 80-mile maximum distance from Owensboro, Kentucky.
• $150 minimum order is required for delivery
• $25 delivery fee applies

Local Meet-Up

• Local meet-up is available.
• After order we will contact you by email, or through Facebook or Instagram Messenger.
• We will arrange a date, time, and public location to meet.

Shipping & Live Arrival

Live fish are shipped Monday–Wednesday (weather permitting) to reduce transit risk. Please review our How Shipping Works page and DOA policy before ordering.