Breeding Plecs 101

Pure · 07-15-2006, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkwidsLair

You've done extremely well, then, I'd say.

I don't know that I would go that far. We have certainly had our ups and downs. Like the time the VERY expensive 399 females ate the equally expensive male.

Talk about tough love.

Heater malfunctions, disease, lack of availability. Yeah it's been a rough road. But in the end we have managed to breed several species of hypancistrus and of course BNs out the wazoo. And have learned a great deal from it all.

Currently I'm almost mass producing L260, albino BNs, and am working on 134s and 110s. With several species waiting to get large enough to be worked with.

PlecoCollector · 07-15-2006, 02:48 PM

Got asked the same question one too many times again? :P The site shall be filled with Pure's answers to everything!

Very nice guide! You're gonna send me a few L134s when you get 'em to spawn, right?

FishGeek · 07-15-2006, 02:53 PM

Hey what about me I want some!?!?!? Pleeeeease!!

FreshwaterJeff · 07-17-2006, 02:04 PM

Sorry, I've got L-134 dibs

FreshwaterJeff · 07-17-2006, 02:06 PM

So, Pure, is the implication that BN's are significantly easier to breed than fancies?

Pure · 07-17-2006, 02:35 PM

BNs as in the common 3 color morphs are much easier to breed. All you have to do is have a male a female or 2 and a proper cave. They take care of the rest. Commons and Common Ancistrus sp (common BN) have been bred in captivity long enough that water parameters make little to no difference as long as extremes in either direction are avoided.

That's not to say the more fancy BNs such as 183s, 110s and 59s are as easy as their common cousins. But even with them the seasonal change needed in the tank gives more wiggle room. Reports of 183s breeding with little more than 10% daily water changes.

FreshwaterJeff · 07-17-2006, 02:51 PM

Cool. Thanks.

wayne · 08-15-2006, 06:51 AM

BN's are pretty easy to breed as long as you get a male and female from the same species (not always the case). Some of the fancies, or semi fancies like Farlowella re pretty straightforward, and I'd likely stick Hypancistrus in that category too. I know someone local to me who has bred Gold Nugget 018 , and that is a notch up the difficulty tree again, and I'd rate panaques, common and gibbiceps as being even harder unless you have access to a heated pond.
I too have used an intank refugium (or rather a livebearer net) for the first week of fry care, after that I liked to use a five gallon on which I guess I changed a 1/2 gallon of watertwice a day.

One thing I have found is that like a tight fit in the breeding caves.

The amount of flow required to get the baryancistrus to spawn is pretty mighty. One of the few times I'd use a Tunze in FW.

juggernaut303 · 11-20-2006, 09:55 PM

whats the easiest species of pleco to breed? Good article.

Pure · 11-21-2006, 09:07 AM

For the common hobbyist BNs are the easiest.

07-15-2006, 02:48 PM	#12
PlecoCollector Super Fish Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Clinton, NY Posts: 1,387	Got asked the same question one too many times again? :P The site shall be filled with Pure's answers to everything! Very nice guide! You're gonna send me a few L134s when you get 'em to spawn, right? __________________ 5 gallon Eclipse (Hex) Heavily Planted: ~30 Fancy Guppy babies, 1 Male Lyretail Guppy, 3 Female Guppy, 2 Peppered Cories, 2 Albino Cory, 2 Small Clown Loaches, Bristlenose Pleco, Small Sailfin Pleco, Mystery Syno cat 2.5 gallon Heavily Planted: 1 Celestial Danio 90 gallon and 20 gallon Zebra tank are in my dad's care!

07-15-2006, 02:53 PM	#13
FishGeek Super Fish Join Date: May 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 4,265	Hey what about me I want some!?!?!? Pleeeeease!! __________________ 44G ~ Equipment: Rena Filstar XP3 & 200W Heater *Inhabitants:* 7 Pristella Tetras, Marigold Platy, Koi Angel, & Female Betta 90G ~ Equipment: Tidepool & 300W Titanium Heater *Inhabitants:* 4 Texas Cichlids & Royal Pleco-L027C Other Pets ~ 3 Horses (Sunny-Roscoe-Luke), 2 Rats (Duncan-Bongo) & a Dog (Chance)

07-17-2006, 02:04 PM	#14
FreshwaterJeff Super Fish Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 1,261	Sorry, I've got L-134 dibs __________________ 55 gallon Planted Freshwater Aquarium

07-17-2006, 02:06 PM	#15
FreshwaterJeff Super Fish Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 1,261	So, Pure, is the implication that BN's are significantly easier to breed than fancies? __________________ 55 gallon Planted Freshwater Aquarium

07-17-2006, 02:35 PM	#16
Pure Super Fish Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 3,216	BNs as in the common 3 color morphs are much easier to breed. All you have to do is have a male a female or 2 and a proper cave. They take care of the rest. Commons and Common Ancistrus sp (common BN) have been bred in captivity long enough that water parameters make little to no difference as long as extremes in either direction are avoided. That's not to say the more fancy BNs such as 183s, 110s and 59s are as easy as their common cousins. But even with them the seasonal change needed in the tank gives more wiggle room. Reports of 183s breeding with little more than 10% daily water changes. __________________ Yup, I've got tanks. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/xyshannen/

07-17-2006, 02:51 PM	#17
FreshwaterJeff Super Fish Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 1,261	Cool. Thanks. __________________ 55 gallon Planted Freshwater Aquarium

08-15-2006, 06:51 AM	#18
wayne Super Fish Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,077	BN's are pretty easy to breed as long as you get a male and female from the same species (not always the case). Some of the fancies, or semi fancies like Farlowella re pretty straightforward, and I'd likely stick Hypancistrus in that category too. I know someone local to me who has bred Gold Nugget 018 , and that is a notch up the difficulty tree again, and I'd rate panaques, common and gibbiceps as being even harder unless you have access to a heated pond. I too have used an intank refugium (or rather a livebearer net) for the first week of fry care, after that I liked to use a five gallon on which I guess I changed a 1/2 gallon of watertwice a day. One thing I have found is that like a tight fit in the breeding caves. The amount of flow required to get the baryancistrus to spawn is pretty mighty. One of the few times I'd use a Tunze in FW.

11-20-2006, 09:55 PM	#19
juggernaut303 Little Fish Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hazleton,Pa Posts: 248	whats the easiest species of pleco to breed? Good article. __________________ 10g tank baby common snaping turtle 75g under construction 3 flying foxs and 1 krib 20g 20lbs LR 1 pistol shrimp,1 clown, 1 dansel, 1, turbo snail, star polyps and button polyps. Dog,Ball python

11-21-2006, 09:07 AM	#20
Pure Super Fish Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 3,216	For the common hobbyist BNs are the easiest. __________________ Yup, I've got tanks. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/xyshannen/