# Zebra plecs.



## TDI-line (1 Jun 2008)

Just thought i'd share a few pictures of my zebra plec tank, all where bought as juvenille's, and are slowly getting bigger and fatter.  

Sorry about the quality of the pics, they are very shy and hide as soon as some one goes in the room.


----------



## planter (1 Jun 2008)

Very nice   no sign of spawning yet?


----------



## LondonDragon (1 Jun 2008)

Cool  when can I get one?


----------



## TDI-line (1 Jun 2008)

planter said:
			
		

> Very nice   no sign of spawning yet?




No, not yet, hopefully in the next 6 months...


----------



## TDI-line (1 Jun 2008)

LondonDragon said:
			
		

> Cool  when can I get one?




Probably in about 18-24 months...


----------



## LondonDragon (1 Jun 2008)

TDI-line said:
			
		

> LondonDragon said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Better start saving then! lol


----------



## Dan Crawford (1 Jun 2008)

Good work mate, its great to see people keeping and potentially breeding them.


----------



## beeky (2 Jun 2008)

Are the exports still banned? How much do tank bred ones cost these days?


----------



## TDI-line (2 Jun 2008)

Dan Crawford said:
			
		

> Good work mate, its great to see people keeping and potentially breeding them.



Cheers Dan, it will be a long slow process.


----------



## TDI-line (2 Jun 2008)

beeky said:
			
		

> Are the exports still banned? How much do tank bred ones cost these days?



Yes, there is no exporting of wild zebs, but they do pop up now and then.

Mine are all tank bred (F1), and basically they go for around Â£100 for 1-1 1/4" which would be about 6-9 months old.

There's always a few on Ebay, and of course http://www.zebrapleco.com


----------



## beeky (3 Jun 2008)

I hope your investment pays off!

Are they easy to sex or do you have a group?


----------



## George Farmer (3 Jun 2008)

Very cool fish, Dan.

Might have to pop over to see them before I go away...


----------



## TDI-line (3 Jun 2008)

beeky said:
			
		

> I hope your investment pays off!
> 
> Are they easy to sex or do you have a group?




Yes, it would be very good if it did, but we'll just have to wait and see, but it was something i've always wanted to do, but never really had the capital to do it.   

 They are always so cute to look at, and it's good fun doing water changes as i remove the rocks and there still stuck to it.  

As for sexing, haven't a clue for mine, hopefully a good split of m/f for my 12. I bought them from 2 sources also, so will a have a good mixture of breeding lines too.

One of the ones i bought also has some broken lines on the stripes, but he is very small still.


----------



## TDI-line (3 Jun 2008)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> Very cool fish, Dan.
> 
> Might have to pop over to see them before I go away...



Cheers George, we'll sort something out very soon.


----------



## Ray (28 Oct 2008)

So did they make babies yet?


----------



## LondonDragon (28 Oct 2008)

Ray said:
			
		

> So did they make babies yet?


Lets hope so, I am still waiting for mine


----------



## JamesM (28 Oct 2008)

Ooooh, me want baby zebs


----------



## Ray (28 Oct 2008)

JAmesM said:
			
		

> Ooooh, me want baby zebs


For sale 3 year old boy, will swap for baby Zebra Plecs?


----------



## JamesM (28 Oct 2008)

Ray said:
			
		

> JAmesM said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Deal! 8)


----------



## TDI-line (1 Nov 2008)

Still no spawning with mine, but it's only 10 months on, and they are probably just coming into young adulthood. 

But unfortunately i did loose one of the adults, which is a real shame. 

And in the same instant found about 5 Cory. Sterbai babies (2cm!) in my Blyxa tank.

Karma.


----------



## Goodygumdrops (1 Nov 2008)

Ah these famous plecs,well I'm waiting with baited breath to see if they display any breeding behaviour.Keep us posted.What sort of set up are they in now?


----------



## TDI-line (1 Nov 2008)

The setup is a 128 litre tank with no substrate or plants, just pleco breeding tubes for zebs, and some drift wood. 

Filtration is a Eheim Pro 2 2028 with external JBL heater running around 29c.

I think i may add some RO water to soften the Lincolnshire water here....


----------



## Goodygumdrops (1 Nov 2008)

Got stuck on Tropical Fish Forum this afternoon on the catfish,plec section.Fascinating,seemed every other thread was about bristlenose babies.I take it the zebras are a whole other kettle of fish?


----------



## aaronnorth (2 Nov 2008)

good luck with them, they are stunning fish, these are my favourite plecs & i also like blue phantoms 

i know sombody who needs a male to make (hopefully) a breeding pair. so if you ever sell any on please let me know.


----------



## beeky (28 Nov 2008)

Goodygumdrops said:
			
		

> Got stuck on Tropical Fish Forum this afternoon on the catfish,plec section.Fascinating,seemed every other thread was about bristlenose babies.I take it the zebras are a whole other kettle of fish?



Yeah, bristlenose catfish (Ancistrus sp.) will readily breed in a community tank, but there are hundreds of species of catfish that are still awaiting scientific description, hence the L numbers. Zebra's were imported to such and extent that the wild population were in danger of being wiped out so exports were banned and the only way to get hold of them is by captive breeding. This is why they command such a high price.


----------

