A not so experienced pleco keeper chugging along, L397 for start!

[Woodh]

Hello again hope you all have a nice weekend!

I am thinking about ditching the idea of guianacaras till I can get a larger tank setup but that leaves me with the "problem"(granted it's a pretty nice one to have) of finding a fish or two that can go with the L397, I have a hard time finding any that I wan't to put in there as it's barely planted(save for some pathetic looking anubias). Any ideas?

For now I have moved the tetras to the 50gal or whatever it is so the L397 are all alone(in the 65gal) except for snailexplosion. Have considered a group of rams, keyhole cichlids or maybe Nannacara anomala? Not all that interested in keeping a 3rd tetra species but it's not ruled out(might just throw 20 or so cardinal tetras in there if I can't decide on anything else.

Any, and I do mean any, input is welcome.

[Woodh]

Had somewhat of a "downperiod" as a far as aquariums are concerned but now stuff happened. I got a good deal on a couple of 75x40x40cm tanks.

My idea is to move the L397 group(6 fish) over there, I will separate one since it seems to have some deformity on it's head. I am just a bit afraid that it would be crowded but if it doesn't work out ill just have to upgrade them at a later time I guess.

Sadly two of the CW009 corydoras did pass away and I never really got any answer as to why, my guess is that something simply was wrong in their specific tank since after I moved them the remaning 5 seems to be really happy(I am looking to add a couple of more but they seems to be out in my area for the moment).

Will make the move of L397s in the weekend aswell as probably setting up the second tank, will post some pics then!

[Woodh]

Progress so far, I am a bit concered that the pieces of wood are not entirely flat(can get a couple of cards inbetween the spirit level and the surface) but I am thinking it should be okay considering the tanks are just 30gal each?). Don't think I can get it much more in level atleast so ill just go with it, I am in rental apartment with good inscurance anyway!

Plan is to have the two 30gals+a couple of smaller tanks and some houseplants on this rack(each shelf is rated for 300kg or 660lbs). Any input?

[Woodh]

Moving slowly but over the last couple of days I have managed to setup the first tank in the rack, it's a 120 litres tank which will house my small group of cw009(just 5 left after a couple of mishaps, not sure when I will get the chance to add to the group- dream scenario is that they manage it themselves- the remaining ones seems very healthy atleast!), will also (atleast temporarily) hold a pair of bristlenose and a school of colombian tetras.

Stay safe guys!

[Woodh]

Still working on transforming my small apartment to a mini fishroom! Next up is the second 120litre tank in which I am going to house the L397s.

I am considering just using a couple of spongefilters(+wavemaker) for the group of (5 or)6 individuals and maybe some dither tetras would you say this is enough or should I use a canister?

Have a nice weekend!

[bekateen]

I would be fine with spong filters (or a Matten) and a wave maker.

Good luck,
Eric

[Woodh]

I would be fine with spong filters (or a Matten) and a wave maker.

Good luck,
Eric

Thanks, might look into matten filter do you by chance have any guide or something to recommend? Suppose it's kinda easy to make one yourself but hard to judge how porous filter media to use etc.

Might still opt to just transfer a canister filter over but the lid wouldn't fit etc so that creates other problems.

[bekateen]

Panaqolus make a lot of poop. I would recommend coarse foam (10 pores per in or 20 pores per inch) so that it does not clog easily.

[Woodh]

Ive noticed! haha. Going to the LFS tommorow to see what they have available. You are truly a life saver(Getting input from more experienced keepers is at the very least reassuring), matten filter scares me somehow but guess it's just a filter pad and a powerhead behind it.

Might still opt for spongefilter(s) since I have seeded ones and I am impatient, although fishkeeping is atleast teaching me some in that regard- still didn't learn to plan much ahead.

Hope you have a nice weekend!

[Woodh]

A pic from the feeding this morning, they look healthy to me and I hope I can be able to keep the rest. Picked up a leftover from the store so now they are in total 6. If I keep having problems with them I think I will just try to rehome the group and accept defeat.

On a tangent, I am no more experienced with corydoras than plecos- at what size would these be possible to sex reliably? On my larger Sterbais I can tell the difference in bodyshape but I have heard that one can look on the fins etc?

[Woodh]

Today I moved 5 L397s into a new tank(a downgrade size wise as they are now in a 75x40x40cm tank) but in return I think the layout is better and they are alone in the tank save for a small school of green neon tetras.

Still don't know if one can determine their sexes for sure and it might aswell be 5 angry males (or why not 5 females) for all I know still my guess is that it's 2+2 with 1 being to small to tell(a bit concerned it's so much smaller than the others). The 6th sibling was left in the previous tank since it got some deformities sadly I am pretty sure that one is female. It will move to a new "display" tank I am setting up aswell that's 180x20x20cm.

I do have a longer video of them so one can see them moving around etc not sure if it's possible to upload to the site or what types of links are allowed?

Edit: Link to a video of them if it's of interest to anybody or if someone could crush my hopes of having a pair! https://vimeo.com/666512179 . Excuse my voice in the background, trying to make a very interested dog stay put while filming.

[bekateen]

Is it just me? The fish in the photos seem too far away for me to sex them. Can you get closer photos?

Cheers, Eric

[Woodh]

Is it just me? The fish in the photos seem too far away for me to sex them. Can you get closer photos?

Cheers, Eric

They are pretty close up if you press on them? Maybe something is weird with how I added them(taking more is to late but in my mind they are "close") there is also a video(with my annoying voice ) . I think the plecos themselves might still be to small to sex but pics should be fine(but maybe poor since they didn't want to sit still).

[Woodh]

Is it just me? The fish in the photos seem too far away for me to sex them. Can you get closer photos?

Cheers, Eric

Realize I sounded a bit rude and it wasn't my intention haha, but I do think the pics should be quite close up so maybe ill try to reupload them(they probably are not very good regardless), the video is decent in my mind but the plecos obstruct each other quite a bit.

[Woodh]

Think this might be a pic of the alpha male of the group, if there is one. In my eyes it looks like it's showing signs of odontes and it's the only one camping a cave most of the time.

[Pudsey2012]

Sorry I’m in the wrong topic here but I didn’t no how to start a new topic. I’ve got 2 green phantom plecos and 1 blue phantom I would like to try and find out how to sex them