Pleco ideas, need help picking…

[DMD123]

Been a bit since I started this and now I have a couple pleco in multiple tanks. I did end up putting my aggressive/territorial bn male in with my red wolf in the 65B. I think they hide out together in the same hollow log decor. I only know I have the pleco from all the poo I gravel vac every week, lol. Haven't seen any fights so I have to assume they get along. Tempted to replace the bn with some kind of cactus type pleco.

Ive acquired two ‘green phantom’ plecos. One is the hi-fin and he if about 6” or so and lives with my bumblebee oscar and with another pleco, a L001. The other green phantom is still a bit small and lives in the 46g bowfront. Its tankmates are a male and female albino bn pair and 3 babies that survived from a batch a while back. Tempted to rehome these bn pleco in favor of a rare type bn. Maybe a blue eye bn, or super red? Still thinking on that. Goal would be to encourage them to breed.

And I still have the monster rhino pleco. He lives with my trimac who will go at him at times but never too serious.

 

[lloyd378]

If you want the super reds, I know someone who can source them for you out of Aberdeen ( might be a nice weekend drive to spend time at the ocean and then pick them up on your return trip home).

 

[DMD123]

Thanks @lloyd378, will let you know if I decide to do those. I really dig the whole blue eye thing too. I would likely rehome my current albinos first and add some pleco caves if I am seriously going to do this.

 

[lloyd378]

If one of your albino ones is a female, I would be interested for my albino male I have

 

[fishguy1978]

There is a member on Planetcatfish selling some F1 L173. Iirc it’s a group of 6 for $1500

For Sale- 6 True F1 L173 - PlanetCatfish.com

Images are copyright and may not be reproduced without permission of the copyright holder.

www.planetcatfish.com

 

[DMD123]

There is a member on Planetcatfish selling some F1 L173. Iirc it’s a group of 6 for $1500

For Sale- 6 True F1 L173 - PlanetCatfish.com

Images are copyright and may not be reproduced without permission of the copyright holder.

www.planetcatfish.com

You should do it! Then deal with the consequences with the wife, lol.

That would be a dream pleco, but I cant even imagine buying one at the going rate. That is quite the deal for six!

 

[DMD123]

Since having started this back in March I have not added any pleco but have ideas that are starting to become clearer but likely will involve rehoming a few to acquire something else. I feel like I want to rehome all my albino bn pleco (m/f + 4 babies) and try a more rare type like super reds, or blue eye lemon bn pleco instead. Something relatively easy to breed but worth more for trade. Im having a tough time with this one because my male bn pleco is so calm. Even with fry he is not overly aggressive or territorial. This is completely opposite of my male that lives with my wolf fish. That thing is uber territorial and would even try and fight with my Oscar when they were tankmates.

So at this point really considering a pleco swap out but having a hard time finding the lemon blue eyed or super reds I want at a price Im willing to pay, lol

 

[lloyd378]

Since having started this back in March I have not added any pleco but have ideas that are starting to become clearer but likely will involve rehoming a few to acquire something else. I feel like I want to rehome all my albino bn pleco (m/f + 4 babies) and try a more rare type like super reds, or blue eye lemon bn pleco instead. Something relatively easy to breed but worth more for trade. Im having a tough time with this one because my male bn pleco is so calm. Even with fry he is not overly aggressive or territorial. This is completely opposite of my male that lives with my wolf fish. That thing is uber territorial and would even try and fight with my Oscar when they were tankmates.

So at this point really considering a pleco swap out but having a hard time finding the lemon blue eyed or super reds I want at a price Im willing to pay, lol

Message shorty kilo girl… her friend in Aberdeen has super reds and they travel this way or should I say to olympia fairly regularly

 

[DMD123]

Message shorty kilo girl… her friend in Aberdeen has super reds and they travel this way or should I say to olympia fairly regularly

I will keep that in mind if I go the super red route. My favorite are the blue eye lemon which Ive seen someone on Craigslist in Portland area and I believe Imperial Tropicals has them too.

 

[DMD123]

Well another idea popped into my head... instead of breeding bn plecos why not just rehome all the 'common' types I have and just spend the money on plecos I really like and keep those 'fancy' types instead? lol, of course this will cost an arm and a leg but might be more in line with what I want. Decisions, decisions...

 

[DMD123]

A pleco of interest to me is the L056 Parancistrus aurantiacus or common named chubby pleco. They are short and stout which makes them look cute. They can get big enough to keep with some of my milder cichlids and they intrigue me with the whole color change thing. Would not risk spending a lot on a big yellow individual and then possibly watch it go grey but getting a little one and growing it out and getting one to turn yellow would be rewarding. Not a very outgoing pleco but love how they look.

Not my pic, from https://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/closed.cgi?view_archive_item&fwcatfishp1536061183

 

[DMD123]

Another one I like L255 spotted medusa

That pic from Facebook posting

 

[DMD123]

Well. I think Im ready to start rehomeing plecos but now I have to deal with my bn pleco having a fresh batch of fry so I will wait a bit before disturbing the 46g bowfront to catch all the plecos in there. In the meantime I could purchase a pleco or two that Im considering and just raise them out in the 65B growout. Im not sure if I will get any fish in the immediate future or maybe wait till Black Friday sales that will be right around the corner. Usually Imperial Tropical will do something good at that time.

 

[fishguy1978]

Well. I think Im ready to start rehomeing plecos but now I have to deal with my bn pleco having a fresh batch of fry so I will wait a bit before disturbing the 46g bowfront to catch all the plecos in there. In the meantime I could purchase a pleco or two that Im considering and just raise them out in the 65B growout. Im not sure if I will get any fish in the immediate future or maybe wait till Black Friday sales that will be right around the corner. Usually Imperial Tropical will do something good at that time.

I would put a net over the hide and lift it out. Dip it up and down in a bucket of water to rinse out the fry.

 

[DMD123]

I would put a net over the hide and lift it out. Dip it up and down in a bucket of water to rinse out the fry.

The hide is a large spiderwood mounted on slate. Likely fry would scatter or get eaten if I did this now. Maybe in two weeks or so when they have a bit more size on them… The decor is an absolutely terrible place to have babies but the plecos managed it somehow, lol. I feel like I should let the batch grow out first. A couple of the last batch look pretty cool with white edges on fins and some really cool spotting, almost want to see what they look like as adults, might look better than the father.

 

[lloyd378]

When you start to rehome, if you have one in the 2” range, let me know. I’m in need of one for my 20g classroom tank

 

[DMD123]

When you start to rehome, if you have one in the 2” range, let me know. I’m in need of one for my 20g classroom tank

I think the 4 bn from the first batch are close. Im thinking about 1 1/2” on these.

 

[DMD123]

Some decisions made, fish on order from WetSpot… pictures to come.

 

[DMD123]

@fishguy1978, you are the king of diy stuff for your fish. What kind of cave would you come up with for a fairly wide pleco that can potentially get 8” to 10”?

 

[DMD123]

This is the potential for the pleco, lol

Not my pic, from: https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/...paranciatrus-aurantiacus.724523/#post-8175392