My Pleco Obsession Continues...

[ahodge84]

Well congratulations, if you find any fish stores down there you should post what and where they are.

I can do that. I've already begun my online search for local places. I will be sure to let you know if they are worthwhile. I won't be moving until July/August, though.

Adam

Pictures of new pleco coming very soon...

[ahodge84]

LFS had this Gold Nugget for a few weeks at least. I thought about getting it very time I went in and I finally decided to do it. I didn't mind the $25 price tag because it would be much more to get 'em shipped in.

[ahodge84]

Just an update on some of my other plecos. I will get more of the Nugget once he's acclimated and actually in the tank.


My 201, which is very active. He's routinely out in daylight, which I love. Can't say the same for my clowns, but I know where they lurk and my eyes are pretty sharp


Finally was able to get a good shot of my most developed male BN. I think I have at least two more out of my 7 just starting to grow bristles. I hope they are not all males, though.

[L number Banana]

That BN is adorable and thanks for the bumblebee pics. I think I'd like some for another tank but where to find... goldfish city

As for the hillstream loach, that's funny, I did the same thing. Went for otos, came back with him too. Didn't know what it was, just thought it was cool and cute. Couldn't find it here until Dave Rinaldo suggested it. Thought he was joking because I'd only ever seen worm-style loaches. Here's a couple loach videos that are brilliant, slightly OT but they do look a little catfish like..and they are funny so forgive me, catpeople.

Reason to keep a lid or rim on your tank:<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sPAIUHfQDhs&hl ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sPAIUHfQDhs&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/youtube]

Greco roman wrestling:<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aKt4Hb03tj8&hl ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aKt4Hb03tj8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object>[/youtube]

I put an extra bubbler and a mid-tank powerhead and the loach is very active now. Likes the zuchinni.

Have you got your tank move planned for July/August? Lotsa work!

[ahodge84]

Thanks for the videos! Those were pretty entertaining, lol. I was at the store where I got mine from yesterday when I went to get the Nugget and almost got another... or two. But I decided against it since I was already spending a nice chunk of change, lol.

As for the bumblebees, I got lucky with finding those. I had never heard of them before when I saw that a local big chain store had them. I haven't seen them anywhere else since.

As for the move, I have some ideas. I am still trying to figure out the best approach to it, since it will be very difficult. I won't be able to have running tanks waiting for me when I get there - they will be going with me. So, that makes it very tough. For that, I plan on keeping my filter media in a lidded bucket or something similar with an air stone to keep the bacteria alive. I suppose I am leaning toward the same with the fish, but I'm looking for alternatives to buckets - something that won't hurt them so much while driving. Bags are probably out because a good many of my fish will pop holes in them easily. If anyone has any ideas, I'm game.

BTW, from Ohio, it's about 13-14 hours to Lincoln, NE. So, it could be much worse (Montana State, about a 36 hour drive is an option).

Adam

[PlecoCrazy]

Nice videos. I used to have a 5 gallon tank with 6 Hillstream's in there and they were very comical to watch. I still wonder why I tore that tank down. Just a little FYI on the Hillstream loaches. They do not like warm water and there lifespan will be greatly reduced if kept too warm. I kept mine in an unheated tank when I had them.

[L number Banana]

Hi PlecoCrazy,
Not videos of mine but they were too cute not to share.

They do not like warm water and there lifespan will be greatly reduced if kept too warm.

When I started searching the forums after I got mine (by happy mistake), I was surprised to find that people have been keeping them in temps up to 28C!!! On the bright side, these fish were old and active so my guess is that the extra current and air keeps them going? If I can find more, I'll be setting up a tank for them alone (19c), they are really entertaining to watch. I think mine likes to tease my clown pleco - keeps sneaking up to his hidey-hole and sitting at the entrance. He'll keep moving closer and closer until the clown finally takes a run at him

ahodge84 moving:

If anyone has any ideas, I'm game.

Beer coolers and battery operated air stones? Guess you could bring the water in wine buckets? Usually pretty cheap or free from DIY wine stores, 20 gal and recyclable. I'm sure someone on this forum has made a big move. Maybe a good idea to make a separate post when the time gets closer, there's probably a ton of good ideas out there.

[ahodge84]

After all this hillstream loach talk, I went out and got a 5 gal tank to set up just for them. It'll begin cycling tomorrow

As for the talk about me moving, I have already put out some feelers for it. But when the time does near, I will definitely make another post about it. Your ideas are good - I was already planning on using airstones, just gotta figure out in what. Also, I will look into the wine buckets. That's not something I had thought of.

[L number Banana]

After all this hillstream loach talk, I went out and got a 5 gal tank to set up just for them. It'll begin cycling tomorrow

Is there no icon/smiley for jealousy?

Just got my last power bill... HSL can be kept cooler

[nvcichlids]

Nice nugget! I may be getting a group of 4 L177. Also, the talk fo the 5 gal tank had me thinking of setting one up for some gobies (ones I mentioned to you in a PM) and a couple hillstream loaches. would be awesome! lets see some pics of the 5 gtal

[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?