Venezuelan Blue Eye Panaque - (Panaque suttonorum)

🐟 Venezuelan Blue Eye Panaque – (Panaque suttonorum) – Extremely Rare & Possibly Unavailable Pleco

The Venezuelan Blue Eye Panaque (Panaque suttonorum) is a scientifically recognized species native to a remote, mountainous region of Venezuela. This pleco is known for its dark, armored body and striking blue eyes, similar in appearance to the commonly kept Blue Eye Panaque (Panaque cochliodon). However, despite its name appearing on wholesale lists, this species is not in the aquarium hobby and may have never been collected for the trade due to the extreme difficulty of accessing its habitat.

The area where P. suttonorum lives has no active ornamental fish exporters. Reaching the location would require transporting fish through miles of rivers and over mountain terrain — a journey that would be extremely costly for fishermen and possibly impossible for live fish transport. We have spoken directly with multiple exporters about this species, and none have ever heard of anyone successfully exporting it. In fact, some scientists who study the region have not seen this fish in over 20 years.

Unfortunately, the name “Venezuelan Blue Eye Panaque” is still used on wholesale orders, and many importers incorrectly use this name to make the common Blue Eye Panaque seem rarer — and to charge higher prices.

🔎 Quick Facts – Venezuelan Blue Eye Panaque (Panaque suttonorum)

• 📛 Common Name: Venezuelan Blue Eye Panaque
• 🔬 Scientific Name: Panaque suttonorum
• 🌍 Origin: Remote mountain rivers of Venezuela
• 🎨 Appearance: Dark armored body with striking blue eyes (similar to P. cochliodon)
• 📏 Max Size: Estimated 10–12 inches (25–30 cm)
• 💎 Availability: Not in the aquarium hobby; may never have been exported

💡 Important Note on Availability

• This species is absent from the aquarium trade due to extreme inaccessibility of its habitat.
• No known exporters operate in the collection area.
• Transport would require navigating mountains and long stretches of river, making logistics and survival rates unfeasible.
• Reports of this fish being sold are almost always mislabeling of the more common Blue Eye Panaque.

📋 Venezuelan Blue Eye Panaque Overview Table

✨ Highlight:
The Venezuelan Blue Eye Panaque is a scientifically described but likely unobtainable pleco — known more from research than from aquariums, with no confirmed exports in decades. Any fish sold under this name in the hobby is almost certainly a misidentified Panaque cochliodon.