L66 info and advice

BK · Post by BK » 11 Apr 2003, 00:49

hi,

i just ordered six L66 and was wondering if any of you who have kept them have any advice.

thanks,
BK

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 11 Apr 2003, 06:30

Hi!

Good choice!
It is a nice fish, not too much territorial, except between each other and still it is not much.
THese don't use caves unless they are willing to spawn, still they will hide mainly under or on driftwood.
The water parameters and filtration should be the same like for Hypancistrus zebra.
They grow up to 15cm/6 inches
They accept about any thing to eat, but prefer blod worms, gammarus, brine shrimp, and spirulina tablets.
I have try to give them some vegetables but they do not touch it, still I know several people that have such fish and theirs are eating some vegatables.

Regarding the breeding, I will let you read the article under the Shane's world section!

Cheers
Yann

BK · Post by BK » 12 Apr 2003, 05:44

hi,

I read all the articles I could find on L66 today but I still have some questions for those out there who have breed or kept them:

What is the usual breeding size for male/females?

What type of caves do they prefer for spawning (clay, wood, slate, PVC, front entrance, lateral entrance)?

At what size can males/females be identified?

What size of tank would be large enough to hold 4-6 of them once they are of breeding size and what kind of turnover rater do they like (one site said they like really fast warm water with high oxygen content)?

thanks,
BK

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 12 Apr 2003, 10:04

Hi!

They become mature at around 4'' /10cm so not until then you can tell male and female apart.
The sexual dimorphism is the same than the other Hypancistrus spp

Male broader/bigger head, broader pectoral rays, longer interopercular, pectoral odontodes, body plate covered with odontodes, colouration darker.
female more round in the ventral region.

They would use mainly clay and slate caves, but only use them when they are willing to spawn.

a 50gal/200l tank should be good for such breeding colony. a turnover rate of 10 times the volume per hour is good enough, but not less.
T° should be high like for H. zebra.
Hope it help!
Cheers
Yann

BK · Post by BK » 13 Apr 2003, 03:31

Hi,

would an 16x to 18x turnover rate be to high? and at a minnimum how deep should the tank be?

thanks,
BK

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 13 Apr 2003, 10:23

Hi!

I guess the biggest problem you will face with such rate will be to find a way for the food not being carried away into the filter.

I don't think otherwise that it will be a problem.

THe most important thing with a tank dedicated to catfish is nto the heights of the Aquarium but rather the bottom surface, the biggest the better, the height of the tank is not important, still I would not have it too high!

Cheers
Yann

BK · Post by BK » 15 Apr 2003, 03:29

hi,

i was told the ones i am getting will be around 2-3 inches. do you think i could keep them in a 29 gallon for a month until they are out of quarentine and i get the bigger (50 gallons or more) tank set up?

thanks for all the help,
BK

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 15 Apr 2003, 06:47

Hi!

Yes I guess it should be ok if you keep them for the quarantine in a 29 gallons.
Just provide enough place for them to hide.
Still they are not that muchh territorial and tolerate each other quite well!
Cheers
Yann

BK · Post by BK » 15 Apr 2003, 22:40

hi,

i have a few question left

. Out of the slate and clay cave types in the picture wich do you think they would prefer for spawning? how deep/long sould they be made? and how big in diameter (on the average) should the oppening/entrance be for adult sized fish? (picture D is supposed to be the dome like breding bells that look kind of like a hamburger bun and picture E is suppised to be a flower pot cut in half and on its side)

i was also wondering if you thought that having two powerheads at 580 gph each, both sucking water from one end and pumping it to the other side (one would drive a spray bar and the other a trickle type bio filter that would flow into the tank like a regular hang on the back powerfilter) on a 50 gallon rubbermaid stocktank with dimensions of 51x31x25 would provide enough flow and filtration for the L66 with out overpowering the 2-3 inch L66

http://www.rubbermaid.com/hpd/consumer/ ... nuIndex=11

thanks for the help and sorry i asked so many questions,
BK

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 16 Apr 2003, 07:00

Hi!

Well I would use the A type!!!
I know some people who also had success with the C type

The lenght should be just a bit over the lenght of the fish.
Regarding the diameter: the fish should get inside without a problem and not being able to raise his fins. He should be able to lock himself with them.
One thing said was the width should be the width of the fish + 1/3 of the pectroal fins
the Heigth should be the heigth of the fish + 1/3 of the dorasl fins.

The pump set up should be alright the way you think it.
I would put one on each end but not in the middle of the side for exemple on the left or right side of it, this way you will make a sort of circular water movement.

Cheers
Yann

BK · Post by BK » 17 Apr 2003, 16:03

I just got a call from my parents, all the L66 arrived alive and instead of around 2-3 inches they are all around 4-5 inches!! Maybe I?ll be able to determine their sex this weekend. The seller did a good job shipping them. They were double bagged and each fish was in its own bag. I?ll try and get some pictures this weekend and post them.

Yann thanks for all the help and answering my questions.

BK · Post by BK » 19 Apr 2003, 09:10

well my mother exagerated their size a little when she called me and told me 4-5 inches. they are actually 3.4-4 inches. they are all doing well so far.

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 19 Apr 2003, 09:53

Hi!

4 inches ( 10cm) is the size you should start to be able to tell them apart, males from females!
Gla to hear they are doing well!
Cheers
Yann

BK · Post by BK » 11 May 2003, 04:06

hi,

Sorry to bother you with another question but i was wondering how active L66 usually are? Since my L66 have started eating my dad says they have been real active compared to my other plecs. is this normal? the Q-tank they are in has gravel, several caves, two larger pieces of drift wood, and doesn't have a light of its own but gets ambient light from the room lights and a window about 5 feet above it.

thanks,
BK