L46 Zebra Pleco's

Sorry, I didn't mean to rain on your parade . I just really want you to have success with these guys :embarrest:

I envy you as I've wanted these from the time I first got my common sailfin pleco.

 

@Hawk, no worries. All constructive comments and suggestions are welcome.

 

Hi all

Well my new L46 is still doing great, so are the two L333's, neon tetra's and betta's. The betta's seems to have adapted well to this temperature, 29*C. Will still move them to cooler waters as soon as space become available for them. The L46 and L333's are eating Tetra Prima (they eat this before anything else), Marine flake 2, soft pearl granulate and Tetra carnivore bottom dwelling granulate, frozen blood worms and mysis. For the latter I have to switch of the filtration for a couple of hours otherwise it's filter food.lol. I added Sera Super Peat in a organza material bag, about a handful of it (my handful, about 500ml of it), pH is down from 7.8 I think to 7.0. Replaced 20l of tank water with 20l of RO water, TDS down from 330ppm to 175ppm, much better, RO water TDS was 0.03 and pH 7.0.

New water parameters are now:

pH - 7.0
kH - 3mg/l
NO3 - 5mg/l (yes only 5mg/l !!!)
NO2 - 0mg/l
Ammonia - 0mg/l
TDS - 175ppm
Temp - 29*C

This is much better. I do 20l water change on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Will keep an eye on the pH level because of Super Peat filtration, don't WANT that pH to fall to quickly or to LOW. My stress level are lowering as my L46 is doing great. Hidding almost al the time behind a cave, not caving as such itself, so might be female...please be female!!!

 

Glad to hear all is going well with L46 @Charles, can just imagine all your stress levels is through the roof with this, keeping thumbs that it is a female. Must say your water parameters are looking more than just great, they are looking excellent!!!

 

Thanks @wsteene. I am on this L46 tank like you will not believe. Hoping to have at least 6 x L46 by the end of this year and 8 x L333's and 8 x L066's.

 

Sounds excellent, believe you will have great success on breeding with all of them especially the L46's. Won't suprise me if you say your getting up 4 times a night to check on your L46 tank:adore:. Please post some pics as you go along, love to follow your thread on this one.

 

That’s a tight wc regiment, I hope you can maintain those parameters for the long run.
And good luck with those poop machines

 

Thanks @Khalid. If I want to keep and breed L46 succesfully I will have to keep up this water regime. NOT taking any chance this time.

 

Good to hear all is well. These are not even my fish and I opened the thread hesitantly in case there was bad news :laugh:

Keep an eye on your neons at 29 degrees . The prof recommended we keep them at 22.

 

Hi all

Updated pictures for you all...

 

Wow, really frigging awesome @Charles, thanks for the pics!

 

My pleasure @Macmish.

Just sat and observed the L46 for the past 20min or so, it has nice strong jerkey movements, stays where it's dark but occasionally coming out to feed on food I put out about 20min ago. It is very lively and active. One again I have to shut off the filtration before feeding, this will be the norm. The small L333's are also doing great, once again thanks @Ammar for them, they are stunning and beautiful. The Neon's are doing well so far as well as the L144 Golden ancistrus. Betta's are surprising me by the day, they are in good shape and looks better than my other betta's in cooler (27*C) temps. Time will tell.

 

Very very cool.

 

Awesome news @Charles Glad they are doing well, i will give you feedback RE- veil teils as soon as i have an answer.

 

Hi All

@Ammar, great stuff.

I took some pics again tonight, lucky shots even if I may say so myself...

 

@Charles, why don't you submit one of your L46 pics for FOTM for March, think it will be a great winner. All I can say what a beauty :nuts:. Just love the pics!!!!!!

 

Beautiful @Charles, really beautiful, I've recently realised Plecos are my favourite. A worthy winner of FOTM!

 

Hi All

Happy to report my new L46 is still doing just fine, so are all the other fish in there, the neon's, L333's, L144's. I removed the Apple snails and added them to my 4ft L144 grow-out tank. They laid eggs that same night, probably over 1000 in one clutch!lol. First time in months they laid eggs. I'm looking for some more L46's, so if anybody perhaps hear something or know somebody, please let me know. Thanks.

@wsteene, I thought of the FOTM comp with my L46 but I think it would be a bit unfair to enter him/her. So I decided not to enter it. It would not have any real comp.lol. Thanks though.

@Macmish, thank you for your kind compliments.

 

@Charles,

Chat to Jungle Aquatics. They don't keep them in store, but they do have them in their private collection.

 

Thanks @Zoom.