My Pleco Obsession Continues...

[ahodge84]

The 5 gallon is cycling. I will take a picture as soon as the cloudiness from the gravel clears up. I can't wait until it's ready. I have a permanent filter for it currently building up bacteria in another tank so the process speeds along. The approach worked wonderfully with my 55 gallon.

As for a 5 gallon, nvcichlids, I would say to go for it. I just got one of those 5 gallon "starter kits" from wal-mart for $30, a 5lb bag of gravel and a few pieces of slate and larger stones for a few bucks. I might have saved a few bucks buying everything piecemeal and getting the specific parts I wanted, but I had no idea where to find a cover for such a small tank - nowhere I looked had 'em. Oh, and I spent $10 for a fluorescent bulb - didn't want to add unnecessary heat to the tank if it's for the loaches.

Let me know when you get those plecos - I am definitely interested in pictures!

[ahodge84]

So, I added two new plecos today. The first is a calico BN



The second was sold as a "Spotted Mustard Pleco." It's not like any other pleco I own - especially the head/mouth, which appears to be a "snub" compared to the ones I am familiar with. Any thoughts?





The pictures do not do them justice.

[L number Banana]

It's beautiful! Love this thread, I'm going to start a cool water 15 gal - still need to hunt down possible inhabitants. You start looking through the cat-elog and poof, the sun's coming up...

[ahodge84]

It's beautiful! Love this thread, I'm going to start a cool water 15 gal - still need to hunt down possible inhabitants. You start looking through the cat-elog and poof, the sun's coming up...

Thanks! Keep me posted on the development of that coolwater tank. I will get pictures of my completed (I think) 5g soon...

[nvcichlids]

L Banana, do a north american native tank. Everything you need is native around you (if I remember your location correctly.) and as far as catfish are concerned, madtoms are AWESOME aquarium fish, and would go well in that 16 gallon if you were to add a swift current.

[L number Banana]

OMG, I would love to do that! You know how long I've been trying to find any suitable fish for an aquarium from my region???? If you've got any tips, bring 'em on please

So far all I have is sunfish My local cats are called Mudcats around here and grow huge but I have no idea what they really are. I know from experience that they have a nerve numbing sting that can penetrate workboots!

At the end of my yard is a stream and a island that has original Carolinian hardwood forest, can't be touched, it's Native American burial grounds. It's a botanist's heaven too. Lots of waterways that are there for the studying. In the grand scheme of things, I'm at the mouth of the St.Lawrence, on the far end of the Rideau Canal and if I was bionic, I could throw a rock and hit New York. Water, water everywhere.

Madtoms are going in to the search engine in two seconds - current, no prob. Yippee, off on a new adventure.

Thanks!

[L number Banana]

Wow they look awesome, fun and are overlooked too! What a shame.
Look at this from Shane's world article :

One habit of madtoms that endears them to aquarists is their penchant for breeding in empty beer cans, so perhaps an empty or two of your favorite brew may be enough to do the trick. Hopeful breeders may have to try several brands just to get the right can shape for the particular species.

Maybe it's up to a Canadian to breed them

Okay, need a net, a bucket, a jools hat, some warm weather to melt the foot of ice and I'm all set.
Maybe more research first as to the important "how to find them' bits. The ferry to the New York side is only about 20 minutes so I can look there too. I'll bring a pic to my LFS just in case but finding my own would be like finding a gold mine.

So much for sleeping tonight

[L number Banana]

Of all the first articles to find
http://www.nativefish.org/articles/MaddeningMadtoms.php

[Birger]

The ferry to the New York side is only about 20 minutes so I can look there too

You may want to stay on the Canadian side as you could get a spanking if you have these at the border.

a jools hat,

That is funny...this could catch on.

Madtoms are great, simple to keep and much more active than I thought they would be.

Birger

[L number Banana]

You may want to stay on the Canadian side as you could get a spanking if you have these at the border.

It looks like I only need a fishing license to collect and transport 'baitfish' over land but I don't think it would apply to country to country transport! People used madtoms as bait!

Most likely I'll just try to buy them but finding one (a pair) might be pretty exciting. There's lots of info about how to catch them on the conservation sites. I even found some historic collecting data for a river near me. Probably fished out but maybe that would make the adventure more exciting.

Still need more info as to what's ethical to catch - enough to try to breed or stay totally away from catching them and let them try to re-establish? Looks like there is/was five different kinds of Madtoms in my area.

If I apply for an educational collecting license from the MNR (Ministry of Natural Resources), I could set up an aquarium in a school! Cool.

That is funny...this could catch on.

I think the Jools hat is necessary for where you want to get serious

[ahodge84]

I managed to get another shot of the Mustard Spot. It sure is a funny looking critter, especially its head.


And I got another new one yesterday (I suppose I will have to stop soon, geez). This one is temporarily in my 37, but will be moved to the 55 as he grows. I'm also planning on setting up a significantly larger tank within the next year or two, at least a 75, for my larger cat and plec species. Anyway, here's the new guy:




It's quickly becoming one of my favorites, since it is always visible and seems to have some character. And just because it's so much different than any other plec that I own.

[nvcichlids]

Nice royal, I lost a group of mine due to a heat wave in the tank (somehow something in the tank turned the switch on higher.) I woke up in the morning with a tank @ 105 degrees. I was able to save the gymno. balzanii, L201s, and quite a few others, just supprised me that only the royals died =(

[ahodge84]

Nice royal, I lost a group of mine due to a heat wave in the tank (somehow something in the tank turned the switch on higher.) I woke up in the morning with a tank @ 105 degrees. I was able to save the gymno. balzanii, L201s, and quite a few others, just supprised me that only the royals died =(

Wow, sorry to hear about that. How many did you lose? Regardless, that sucks. Have you thought about getting more?

While I am at it, a few new in-tank pics of the new guys:


What can I say? He enjoys his wood...

[L number Banana]

Hi ahodge84,
Are the Mustard Spot easy to find in your area? He looks like he might make a wonderful addition for me - not for the 24c tank. I love that face! Smaller size, peaceful. He's going onto my Wanted Cat Page. Nice pictures and I hope you win the lottery and keep obsessing

PS - found another fish-moving tip: Buy canned oxygen to put into the bags/boxes etc. No CO2 in that. Sounded like a smart idea to me.

[ahodge84]

Thanks for the comments. This was the first mustard spot plec that I have ever seen. And it cost me $35 lol. However, I think it was worth it Just keep in mind that not all of them have a head shaped like that: http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/sp ... ies_id=732

As for the canned oxygen idea, I like that. I may try to do that, at least for the fish that I can bag up.

[L number Banana]

And it cost me $35 lol.

Worth every penny.

I think it's the eyes that I like and they seem to all have very expressive ones in the cat-elog pictures. It's like my P.maccus, he follows what I'm doing when I'm in front of the aquarium.

The other tip I forgot wrt moving was that it seems to keep the fish calmer if you transport them in dark coloured containers. I was reading a journal of someone who collects catfish in the wild. Maybe it's just his fish but again, I can't see how it would hurt

[ahodge84]

And it cost me $35 lol.

Worth every penny.

I think it's the eyes that I like and they seem to all have very expressive ones in the cat-elog pictures. It's like my P.maccus, he follows what I'm doing when I'm in front of the aquarium.

The other tip I forgot wrt moving was that it seems to keep the fish calmer if you transport them in dark coloured containers. I was reading a journal of someone who collects catfish in the wild. Maybe it's just his fish but again, I can't see how it would hurt

Again, thank you for the info. I appreciate your helping me out - I am sure it will pay dividends when the time comes for the big move... Speaking of which, I just officially accepted the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's offer minutes ago. I'm gonna be a Husker, baby! haha

Yeah, I am liking my Mustard Spot more and more. However, he's competing with my royal for my affection, lol. Fortunately for both of them, I have a lot of room in my heart for fish!

[ahodge84]

Finally, I remembered to take a couple of shots of my 5 gallon cool water tank.


Off to the left you can see the edge of my halloween crab's tank. If you guys want a shot of him, I can get one- he's a cool-looking bugger.



As you can see, I included a lot of smooth stones, both round and slate. I also threw one in from my 55 gallon that had a lot of algae on it to kick-start algae growth in this tank. I'm not entirely happy with the filtration system, as I would like more of a current. However, a filter rated for a 5-15 gallon tank should be sufficient. I have another that I could put in to increase the flow, but my cover won't accommodate it.

[PlecoCrazy]

Your coolwater tank is coming along nicely. Another filter may not fit your hood but a powerhead would probably fit in there if you have one sitting around. Not that I could tell you what it is but I don't think your mustard spot is truley a mustard spot. Doesn't look like any of the ones I have kept. The nose doesn't look right, the spots are the wrong color, and the tailfin doesn't fit either. I have never kept any that were very young so maybe yours just hasn't matured yet.

[L number Banana]

Speaking of which, I just officially accepted the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's offer minutes ago. I'm gonna be a Husker, baby! haha

Congrats!

Nice rocks and bring on the Crab photo, not nice to leave him out. He's friends with a catfish person afterall.

From PlecoCrazy:

Not that I could tell you what it is but I don't think your mustard spot is truley a mustard spot.

I still want one like him, hope someone can figure it out. Pleco people?

[Borbi]

Hi,

your "Mustard Pleco" is actually a deformed Hypancistrus sp. "L 201" (or close relative).
These short-headed mutants sometimes appear among Hypancistrus fry and should (that´s my opinion) not be sold.

Cheers, Sandor

[nvcichlids]

I would suggest cutting a hole in the hood if you feel nessecary for the other filter to be added, or the powerhead will work too. I know with one of my 20 gallon L's, I cut the "heater" spot larger to incorporate another filter, and it works great. It also has a powerhead too, so I know the water is moving! I will have to start up either a 5 gallon cool water or do a 20 gallon L once I move into my appartment for some native madtoms, and some dace/minnow sp. Now time to start the blueprint drawings for that tank lol.

BTW, if your interested in US native fish, i would suggest http://aquaculturestore.com/ They are very knowledgeable and great to work with! Not to mention shipping is included in the price!

[L number Banana]

Here's another link for collecting native fish. Really helpful!
http://nativefish.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=7

[ahodge84]

Thanks for the comments (and congrats), folks.

Regarding the "Mustard Spot," I am not entirely convinced that that is what it is, but I believe it is closer to one of those than a 201 for a couple of reasons: 1) I have a 201 and they don't look too similar. The pictures that I have seen of Mustard Spots are closer, but not a perfect match. 2) The Mustard Spot is a type of Panaque(sp), no? Well, this little guy spends considerable time seemingly munching on driftwood in my tank. My 201 does hang around the pieces of wood, but never indulges. While those are far from pieces of concrete evidence, they give me reason to doubt that my "Mustard Spot" is a 201 or a relative. At the same time, as I said before, I am not sold on it being a Mustard Spot, either.

As for the crab, as soon as I can get a good picture, I will post it. He's big into burrowing and hiding, lol.

[nvcichlids]

I am wondering if it could POSSIBABLY be a mustard 201 cross? I mean i have a friend who has been trying to cross L18 and longfin bristlenose (which I doubt will happen and I hope doesn't, but he is sure trying.) I would love to find a group of mustards. I think it would be a neat tank with Mustards and Contradens (but if this IS a hybrid, then I would stratch that idea.)

It is awesome no matter what. Good Find!

[MatsP]

I doubt that

Panaque albomaculatus

and a Hypancistrus (whether contradens or other species) would cross at all. Within a genus, yes. But "mustard spot" is not in the same genus as L201.

L201 and some of the similar species do have a variation in yellow vs. white spots, so the colour of the spots is not a good indicator of the species.

Panaque and Hypancistrus have differnet body shape, and more importantly, have different types of mouth/teeth, so a clear close-up shot of the mouth [posted in a new thread in the "What's my catfish?" section] would help a lot.

--
Mats

[mod edit: Jools: Fixed incorrect clog tag]

[ahodge84]

I doubt that

Panaque albomaculatus

and a Hypancistrus (whether contradens or other species) would cross at all. Within a genus, yes. But "mustard spot" is not in the same genus as L201.

L201 and some of the similar species do have a variation in yellow vs. white spots, so the colour of the spots is not a good indicator of the species.

Panaque and Hypancistrus have differnet body shape, and more importantly, have different types of mouth/teeth, so a clear close-up shot of the mouth [posted in a new thread in the "What's my catfish?" section] would help a lot.

--
Mats

[mod edit: Jools: Fixed incorrect clog tag]

Thanks. If/when I can get a good mouth picture I will post it. He's always out and about, but never on the glass.

EDIT: BTW, I was basing my "it's not a 201" on two facts: overall body color difference (black as opposed to the 201 grey- but I may be wrong on this) and the fact that the "mustard spot" appears to enjoy munching on wood. That suggests, to me at least, that it's a Panaque.

[ahodge84]

As requested, a couple of crab pictures. It was tank-cleaning day, so I was able to get a couple of decent shots:






And a couple of photos of the updated 5 gallon coolwater tank. I added a few live plants to accommodate my community: 6 white cloud mountain minnows and 3 hillstream loaches. I also added a power head - that's what is causing the white swirls in the pictures.

[Birger]

Is this http://fireflyforest.net/firefly/2006/0 ... ween-crab/ the species of your crab?

Interesting little things.

Birger

[ahodge84]

Is this http://fireflyforest.net/firefly/2006/0 ... ween-crab/ the species of your crab?

Interesting little things.

Birger

That would be it! They are affordable, very entertaining and very easy to keep. And VERY hardy. Mine likes to dig itself under things and get buried. Not too long ago, its burrow collapsed and buried it underneath several inches of sand and stone. Fortunately, I checked its tank that night and found it nowhere to be seen. After a few minutes of careful digging around, I found it, lol. So, I recently re-did the tank and it's only sand as a substrate. No stones anymore.