Small Breedable Pleco

[CarlDeller]

Hi

I was looking into buying a pair of pleco that i could possibly breed or just keep because they are gorgeous.

I fell in love with

Hypancistrus zebra

but here they are 300$ each and they can't guarantee that i'll get a male/female pair unrelated....

ideally I'd like

Size: around that same size max: 3in-4in
Diet: preferably vegetarian
Price: Not 300$
Breeding: Easy-moderate


I currently have a

Panaqolus maccus

but it's my first pleco and i'm new to having them.

Thank you

[Supercorygirl]

Best bet would be a Bristlenose pleco (ancistrus) from everything I have read.

[leisure_man]

___

[carkichi]

Hi

I see you are from Quebec. Try Oliver Lucanus (fish@belowwater.com), he is in your province. Try to get a group of 6 L260 along with some caves and drift wood and they will breed for you without too much trouble. But change water (25-30%) once a week. Try to get a 50g breeder tank. L260s were expensive but they are off the banned list so you should be able to get them ~$45 ea.

[pitbull13]

The albino bristle nose pleco is a good one their easy to breed because the males have a pink heart on their back and males also grow the bristles unlike females.

[CarlDeller]

For US $599, I can sell you a pair of unrelated L46 that are 2"+. Too expensive?
How about a pair of unrelated L260 that are 3" for US $350. Still too expensive?
How about a pair of unrelated L134 that are 2.5" for US $300. Still too rich for you?
How about a pair of unrelated L340 that are 3" for US $200? Still burning a hole in your pocket?
Maybe you should just get a pair of normal brittlenose pleco. Sorry, I don't have any of those.

Why do you tempt me sooooo how about a quote for the shipping ?

My LFS said they pay 150$ each and they 'usually' double their price. But I doubt they would of made me pay more than 200$ each.

The albino bristle nose pleco is a good one their easy to breed because the males have a pink heart on their back and males also grow the bristles unlike females.

Thanks i'll do some research on the bristlenose, I really hope they are mainly algea eaters

Hi

I see you are from Quebec. Try Oliver Lucanus (fish@belowwater.com), he is in your province. Try to get a group of 6 L260 along with some caves and drift wood and they will breed for you without too much trouble. But change water (25-30%) once a week. Try to get a 50g breeder tank. L260s were expensive but they are off the banned list so you should be able to get them ~$45 ea.

Thanks i'll be sure to contact him and see what he can do for me. Wow 50G just for breeding ? my community tank isn't even that big.... But wow is it a gorgeous fish. Kind of hypnotic with those colors

On a side note I found these at an Asian Fish Store

Panaque nigrolineatus

Hypancistrus sp(l201)

or

Hypancistrus inspector

<---- they labeled this one L201 which is weird since it's L102

Lol the owner's soon told me the royal pleco aka

Panaque nigrolineatus

only grew to like 5 inches like the L201



Thank you all for the comments keep em coming i'm hooked

[DBam]

Any of the hypans except for L46 and P. compta should be within your budget. Check out Canadianaquatics.com if you're in Canada.

[CarlDeller]

What are your thoughts about this one

Dekeyseria brachyura

aka L168

[vanillarum]

Check out this list. It may help you decide. Good luck.

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariu ... hp?t=92700

[CarlDeller]

Check out this list. It may help you decide. Good luck.

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariu ... hp?t=92700

L002-

Panaqolus sp(l002)

(Tiger Pleco) 3.9 inches 20 gallons up
L015-

Peckoltia vittata

(Candy Striped Pleco) 3.9 inches 20 gallons up
L034-

Ancistrus ranunculus

(Medusa Pleco) 5.1 inches 30 gallons up
L046-

Hypancistrus zebra

(Zebra Pleco) 3.1 inches 20 gallons up
L129-

Hypancistrus debilittera

(Columbian Zebra Pleco) 3.9 inches 20 gallon up
L134-

Peckoltia Compta

(Leopard Frog Pleco) 4.4 inches 20 gallon up
L144-

Ancistrus sp(l144)

(Black eyed yellow bristlenose) 4.4 inches 20 gallon up
L162-

Panaqolus maccus

(Clown Pleco) 4 inches 20 gallon up
L169-

Panaqolus sp(l169)

(Gold Stripe Panaque) 3.5 inches 20 gallon up
L174-

Hypancistrus sp(l174)

(Panther Pleco) 2.5-3 inches 10 gallon up
L183-

Ancistrus dolichopterus

(Starlight Bristlenose) 3.9 inches 20 gallon up
L201-

Hypancistrus sp(l201)

(Orinoco Angel Pleco) 3.9 inches 20 gallon up
L226-

Panaqolus changae

(Iguitos tiger pleco) 4.7 inches 20 gallon up
L260-

Hypancistrus sp(l260)

(Scribble Pleco) 3.1-3.9 inches 20 gallon up
L306-

Panaqolus sp(l306)

(Red Stripe Panaque) 4.7 inches 20 gallon up
L340-

Hypancistrus sp(l340)

(Mega Clown Pleco) 3.1-3.9 inches 20 gallon up
L400-

Hypancistrus sp(l400)

(Belo Monte) 3.9- 4.7 inches 20 gallon up
L401-

Hypancistrus sp(l401)

(Yellow Zebra) 3.9 inches 20 gallon up
L411-

Hypancistrus sp(l411)

(Monte Dourado) 4.5 inches 20 gallon up
LDA008-

Ancistrus claro

(Marble Bristlenose) 4.2 inches 20 gallon up
LDA025-

Parotocinclus jumbo

(Pitbull Pleco) 2 inches 10 gallon up
Panaque need wood that is the majority of their diet. They still are omnivore so provide them with a balanced diet as well.
Hypancistrus are omnivores but more prefer meatier foods.
Ancistrus are omnivores and prefer a balanced diet.
Peckoltia are omnivores and prefer a balanced diet.
Parotoclus jumbo have to be in groups of 3 bare minimum.
This is intended to help you get started. You still want to research there temperament and see if they prefer others of their own species or bottom dwellers. Also the food is generalized still look up what food you want to give them. I hope this helps. This is thanks to all the great folks on planetcatfish and plecoplant

Thank you very much Vanillarum

[vanillarum]

You can add L306 to that list. Very attractive, small pleco that is banned in the U.S. Beautiful fish, wish I could find some. Rich at Canada Pleco has them, I believe. Good luck.

[CarlDeller]

You can add L306 to that list. Very attractive, small pleco that is banned in the U.S. Beautiful fish, wish I could find some. Rich at Canada Pleco has them, I believe. Good luck.

Wow i am in love with the L306

Panaqolus sp(l306)

and since there was a note about the L169

Panaqolus sp(l169)

i<m in love with both.

Small size, Awesome colors and Vegetarian !!!

Who's Rich at Canada Pleco ?

Any thoughts on the L140

Peckoltia sp(l140)

[vanillarum]

I believe Rich is the owner at Canada Plecos. He may be a member here, but if not, you can find him on PlecoWorld.org. I am not familiar with L140, sorry

[Narwhal72]

L140 is a small and easy to breed pleco. I spawned them myself last year but I don't have them any longer. They aren't super common but they are available.

I don't know of any loricarid that is banned in the U.S. They may not be legal to export from Brazil but that doesn't mean it is banned in the U.S. Can't say I have ever seen an L306 for sale.

Andy

[vanillarum]

Andy, I was recently told by an importer that 306s are, indeed, banned from the states. She stated that the only 306s in the states, and they are few and far between, are all pre ban fish. I had not heard this before yesterday, but I do know in the 6 or 7 years I have been breeding plecos, I have never seen an 306 available, except in Canada. Thanx.

[Suckermouth]

L306 is from the Takutu river on the border of Brazil and Guyana. I have assumed this is a fairly rare area for fishes to be exported from, but I didn't think L306 were actually banned from the US.

[CarlDeller]

Andy, I was recently told by an importer that 306s are, indeed, banned from the states. She stated that the only 306s in the states, and they are few and far between, are all pre ban fish. I had not heard this before yesterday, but I do know in the 6 or 7 years I have been breeding plecos, I have never seen a 306 available, except in Canada. Thanx.

So you're saying i should invest in those and sell them to Americans ? With the profit I can finally afford my L046

Hypancistrus zebra

[Narwhal72]

In order to be "banned from the U.S." they must be restricted per U.S. law (generally the Endangered Species Act in particular). There are no loricarids currently listed on the Endangered species act. They are not banned from the U.S.

Several countries do not allow export of fish (Venezuela and Suriname in particular) and Brazil has the IBAMA list (a white list) of species that are allowed to be exported. Species not on the list are illegal to export. This does restrict the export of these species from their native countries into the U.S. but does not ban them from the U.S.

If these fish were ever captive raised outside their native countries or were allowed to be exported from their native countries then they would become available in the U.S.

Andy

[Narwhal72]

Or like Suckermouth said. Noone is collecting and exporting from the area they are found in.

[Barbie]

I agree with Andy. There is no "ban" on importing plecos to the US. The US enforces other countries restrictions for export list. The problem with that in regards to Brazil is that they don't have a list of what is NOT to be sold, they just have a list of what is allowed to be sold. While it seems very black and white, it has instead created a huge gray area. The fish aren't imported because Brazil doesn't allow them to be exported. This is not because the US has done anything in regards to restriction, as the term ban would imply.

Barbie

[vanillarum]

Bottom line- there are very few L306s in the U.S.

[Narwhal72]

Agreed.

[Juiceyfish]

I have plecos for sale


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[Juiceyfish]

I have lots of l306 as well I can ship to the border for pick up!


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[CarlDeller]

I have lots of l306 as well I can ship to the border for pick up!


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How much for a pair ?

What do you mean by border pickup ?

My LFS said they could order me some but only in a couple weeks.