L200 Baryancistrus Demantoides

[brechtvh]

Little group of L200 High Fin.
Anybody an idea about the different sexes?

Cheers!

Ps: sorry about the numbers

[MatsP]

Number 4 is definitely male. 2 probably also male.

3 looks female. 5 is probably also female. 1 looks too small to say for sure (possibly female).

--
Mats

[brechtvh]

Hi Mats, thanks!
I sexed them out of a group of 12 pieces.
The smaller ones are between 13 & 14cm TL, the 3 larger specimens are around 17-18cm TL, so almost mature.

[Quo]

Will you try to breed them? why the profile says that breeding is unreported, they are probably bred by suppliers.

[brechtvh]

Hi,

In the future maybe a breeding attempt is an option. They will house a 150cm tank for now with some L128 and a group of young Geophagus Winemilleri.

I agree that number 2 looks like a male, but number 4 is a little bit rounder, which is maybe also a female.
If I have 2 females, I would be glad.

I sexed the fish, and took out 1 definite male, and compared each fish with this one, based on this I took out all the fish that looked like females.

[MatsP]

Will you try to breed them? why the profile says that breeding is unreported, they are probably bred by suppliers.

I'm 99.9% sure that large fish like these are wild-caught. There are commercial breeders of easy to breed species such as Ancistrus and Sturisoma, and some people are breeding expensive plecos, like Hypancistrus. These fish aren't terribly expensive to get in wild form - it is better for the breeders to either get more money for the fish, or get fish that are very productive (lots of fry, fry that grow quickly).

--
Mats

[Suckermouth]

Will you try to breed them? why the profile says that breeding is unreported, they are probably bred by suppliers.

Absolutely not. These fish are heavily fished in Venezuela for the aquarium trade.

[brechtvh]

Hi,

I think breeding the fishis not that difficult if you have the right equipment and the right environment. But it takes for sure 3/4 years before they reach a total length of about 17cm, and that cost a lot of money!

So I think mine are for sure wildcaughts!

Greetings

[Simon86]

Hello

I think its more difficult then you think. It's a very famous catfish and a lot of people keep them. And still there is no successful breeding report!
A few had eggs but thats it as far as I know...

Cheers Simon

[PlecoCrazy]

There have been a few reports on here of people breeding them successfully but less than a handful.

[Unungy]

There have been a few reports on here of people breeding them successfully but less than a handful.

I am only aware of one person has has successfully bred them on regular basis.
I've seen same nice sizes coming through...

3-5 look females though one still very young.

Good luck with this project.

[brechtvh]

Ok, great!
So you guys think I've got definitely the 2 genders?

[MatsP]

I'm pretty sure you have both males and females, yes.

--
Mats

[brechtvh]

Nice!
Next week, I'm going to Holland, to select a few females in a group of 10pcs of about 15-17cm.

[brechtvh]

Okay, I made a mistake, the fish on the above pictures are all low fins (hemiancistrus subviridis).
What size of clay caves should I use if I want trying to breed these beautiful fish?

[MatsP]

Give them some different size caves, around 20cm deep, 3-4cm high, and 4-6cm wide. The alpha male will pick the right cave...

--
Mats

[jvision]

Are the two L200s definitely different species?

[MatsP]

Are the two L200s definitely different species?

Baryancistrus demantoides

("high fin") and

Hemiancistrus subviridis

("low fin") are definitely different species according to the scientists.

--
Mats

[brechtvh]

Hi, yesterday I went to Holland and took some nice L200's with me back to Belgium.

The Largest one is nearly 19cm and the smaller one 13-14cm.
Anybody an idea on the different sexes?

Cheers

[MatsP]

1: Definitely male.
2, 4: possibly female.
3, 5: probably male.

--
Mats

[Simon86]

Hello

The only thing I agree with Mats is:
Number 1 def. male

Comparing head-, bodyshape and the thickness of pectoral I'd say 3 could be a female and the rest look male to me.
I have a breeding group of L200 low fin. Always had problems to sex them. Last week I had the 3rd spawn from them and I think I got it now. I try to describe what for me worked good to sex them so far!

Both males and females could have long interpercularodontodes. But males do have more! Maybe from the side you can't see the difference. But if you look from top, I think males have a much bigger bump, blain, bruise (whatever you call that in english) next to the eyes where the interpercularodontodes start. In my eyes females don't even have that bump, because less odontodes are there!
So I always first check that, what I call it, bump at interpercularodontodes. Then comparing head-, bodyshape and thickness of pectoral fins! Of course you need to compare with more then one picture. As most of you'd have allready seen, they can "push" the interpercularodontodes from body and then all are males
But a big male can not hide it!

Again I'm not yet 100% sure about that....
At least for my group it worked! But maybe it is just another helpful signification together with headshape,...

Hope you understand what I'm trying to explain

Cheers Simon

[brechtvh]

Thanks Mats & Simon!
I will try it on my group.

The total of the group is 18 specimens.
I've got 4 really large specimens, 8 pieces of about 15cm and the rest is between 10 & 13cm. I speak about total length!
I will try to breed with the fish this winter with trio's and in small tanks (70cm long x 30cm high x 60cm deep).

Cheers