PlanetCatfish.com

I had bamboo and ceramic caves placed throughout the set up. They preferred bamboo but there were spawns in ceramic caves as well. My breeding tank was a 40 breeder with a Marineland Emperor 400 HOB and an extra Marineland 550 powerhead (145 gph) with venturi attached to a sponge pre-filter. So turnover was about 14 times tank volume per hour. Water changes were 50-60% weekly. I just used local tap water which is hard and alkaline (pH 7.6).
I miss living in Washington. In Bellingham we had basically RO water from the tap. It is not lost on me that we see clusters of very successful pleco breeders in parts of the world with high quality soft water on tap.
-Shane

Hmm, I will try to learn patience. If they don't care about seasonal changes or water parameters then I should be seeing babies like crazy.

I have a significant snail invasion in the L104 tank. I do not feed prepared foods regularly as there are multiple alder logs for them to chew on. I am considering dosing copper in the tank to destroy the snails. Would this have an adverse effect on the L104?

I am not a fan. Check out this link

http://help.bioworldusa.com/kb/algae-tr ... ic-to-fish

Additionally a sudden massive die off of snails can pollute a tank very quickly (even if the fish survive the treatment, which is known to be particularly hard on scaleless fishes).

Have you tried snail traps or assassin snails? Assassin snails can easily bloom to the point of a plague, but at least they are easy to sell.
-Shane

Shane wrote: ↑05 Jan 2021, 21:10 I am not a fan. Check out this link

http://help.bioworldusa.com/kb/algae-tr ... ic-to-fish

Additionally a sudden massive die off of snails can pollute a tank very quickly (even if the fish survive the treatment, which is known to be particularly hard on scaleless fishes).

Have you tried snail traps or assassin snails? Assassin snails can easily bloom to the point of a plague, but at least they are easy to sell.
-Shane

I know to dose half dose in freshwater but I did not know about the alkalinity of the water effecting the interaction. I have added 4 baby assassins to the tank. I haven't tried traps but I do pull the logs out of the tank periodically and wipe the snails off. I have 5 pea puffers I can move in there too which would give them a fast food restaurant buffet

If you can find or order one of these, get it. They are amazingly efficient and collecting a lot of snails:



https://www.sera.de/us/product/freshwat ... l-collect/

I rarely see them for sale in the USA. I've been told by people who should know that Sera does not market them in the USA because they fall under the category of pest control (which includes poisons) and are thus hamstrung by too much US govt regulation.

However, I've also spoken to a person who works in one of the offices of the US Govt that does oversee regulation of pest control chemicals and they swear these do not fall under US govt regulations/oversight.

I stumbled upon one in a Las Vegas, NV local fish store last year for about $20USD. Best $20 I ever spent... on snail control at least.

Cheers, Eric

P.S.

Shane wrote: ↑05 Jan 2021, 21:10Have you tried snail traps or assassin snails? Assassin snails can easily bloom to the point of a plague, but at least they are easy to sell.
-Shane

I really like assassin snails. I've bought or traded to get dozens over the years. Somehow, though, they die in my tanks without their eggs hatching successfully (I find eggs but never find baby assassins). I wish I knew why not.

Thanks, I do too. We really need a "like" button.

fishguy1978 wrote: ↑06 Jan 2021, 03:38We really need a "like" button.

Been there. Thought that.

viewtopic.php?f=37&t=41404

bekateen wrote: ↑06 Jan 2021, 05:23

fishguy1978 wrote: ↑06 Jan 2021, 03:38We really need a "like" button.

Been there. Thought that.

viewtopic.php?f=37&t=41404

Whew, thanks.

Awesome thread! I love those alder cone caves! I'm gonna get some myself!
I did a search and can't seem to find alder caves or nice bamboo caves in the USA.

AmazonTank wrote: ↑10 Jan 2021, 15:01 Awesome thread! I love those alder cone caves! I'm gonna get some myself!
I did a search and can't seem to find alder caves or nice bamboo caves in the USA.

I found a down and dead alder tree in the woods behind the house and just used a saw to cut sections. You could do the same with oak, maple, or fruit trees. I used 1in and 1.25in diameter spade bits to drill the caves. I am considering a redue and will drill .75 and 1in caves.

Thanks for your message.
I figured it was custom work! I been noticing they do seem to love those tighter caves.

Nothing to report other than water changes.

The wait is the hardest part.

Cheers, Eric

Did a water change and raised the temp on the heater to upper 80's F.

I had the temperature up around 88F for the last 2 weeks. 90% water change and dropped the temp down into the 70s F. Maybe....

Fingers crossed.

First time reading through the thread, any updates?

Woodh wrote: ↑11 May 2021, 13:03 First time reading through the thread, any updates?

Unfortunately, no. I am in the process of setting up a 260g (984L) tank and am considering moving them into it.

It took years before mine started breeding...... my suggestion is this. Stop with the large weekly water changes and stop messing with the temp. I bred mine in ~78 degree water.... I know others that bred theirs in much warmer water so temp has little to do with it. My thought with them is this, they need a more stable water temp and parameters to breed. So let your tank get a little dirty, no water changes for at lest 10 day. Then do smaller water changes every few days (~10% not 50%). As was said before fry are found year round so to me that indicates they breed when the water temp and parameters are more stable...... changing them greatly may very well put them off to breeding (in my thinking anyways). And be patient..... try not trying and that may do the trick!


HTH
Chuck

stuby wrote: ↑12 May 2021, 12:27 It took years before mine started breeding...... my suggestion is this. Stop with the large weekly water changes and stop messing with the temp. I bred mine in ~78 degree water.... I know others that bred theirs in much warmer water so temp has little to do with it. My thought with them is this, they need a more stable water temp and parameters to breed. So let your tank get a little dirty, no water changes for at lest 10 day. Then do smaller water changes every few days (~10% not 50%). As was said before fry are found year round so to me that indicates they breed when the water temp and parameters are more stable...... changing them greatly may very well put them off to breeding (in my thinking anyways). And be patient..... try not trying and that may do the trick!


HTH
Chuck

I will give it a try.

I moved the odd ball LDA068 into my newly setup 260g. He will be the only "pleco" type that I am considering keeping in this tank.

Added this little guy to the crew. Container is 55mm ish.

That fish is little. Did you buy it at a store or is a breeder selling them? If from a breeder, that works, but I'm a bit concerned if pet stores are importing fish that small. I'm not commenting on its size with regard to any concern for it in personal care (in your tank), but rather its welfare in a commercial transit environment.

Good luck with it.

Cheers, Eric

bekateen wrote: ↑09 Jun 2021, 04:05 That fish is little. Did you buy it at a store or is a breeder selling them? If from a breeder, that works, but I'm a bit concerned if pet stores are importing fish that small. I'm not commenting on its size with regard to any concern for it in personal care (in your tank), but rather its welfare in a commercial transit environment.

Good luck with it.

Cheers, Eric

Came from an LFS that only buys from the Wet Spot. I was surprised by how small it is too.

The log with the Nana petit attached is now drilled in both ends. One 25mm and one 21mm(7/8in). Each is about 100mm deep.
Newest member because he was out roaming.

Project halted. Colony deceased due to catastrophe while on vacation. I had a Rotkeil sev in the 29g tank immediately above the L104 colony and it died. Thankfully, a friend of ours was able to remove the 2 tanks from the system and adjust flow to the rest of the tanks.

Ouch. Sorry for your loss. Good luck getting restarted.

Best regards,
Eric

bekateen wrote: ↑04 Aug 2021, 18:26 Ouch. Sorry for your loss. Good luck getting restarted.

Best regards,
Eric

Thanks, not sure I will with the L104. I do have the opportunity as crappy as it is to try a new species.