Panaque is a genus of large plecos from Amazonian and Orinoco river systems in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Venezuela, among the biggest members of the suckermouth armored catfish family — atlas species range from 11 in up to a substantial 23.5 in. The genus is best known for its wood-eating habit: Panaque carry distinctive spoon-shaped teeth adapted for rasping driftwood and submerged timber, and wood makes up a real part of their diet, a trait shared by only a handful of fish genera worldwide.
Several Panaque are well-established names in the larger-aquarium and pond trade, led by the royal pleco (P. nigrolineatus) and the blue-eyed royal pleco (P. cochliodon), the latter named for its striking pale blue iris. Despite their size, most are calm, slow-moving fish, but they need a tank to match their eventual bulk and a steady supply of driftwood alongside standard feeding. Conservation status leans favorable — five of the atlas's seven species rank Least Concern — though one, ranked Near Threatened, carries CARES conservation-priority status in the atlas, a reminder that even this hobby-familiar genus has at least one species under real pressure.