# Zebra Plecos



## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

Does anyone keep zebra plecos with their SA cichlids? or other cichlids for that matter... I have been planning a SA tank and have fallen in love with these guys. I wanted to do some sort of tank with breeding zebra plecos. Would love Apistogrammas (was thinking Panduros) or maybe Rams or angels? And then I saw M festivas and thought of those.... Not sure what would work well and be a pretty tank....

I am currently thinking about a 40 gallon tank, but considering a bti larger too.


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## Charles (Feb 25, 2003)

if you are planning to breed zebra, you should setup a tank just for them.


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

*CichlidWhisperer*
You do know the price tag on these guys right?

At that price tag, I think that answers the question enough... but if not, there is only a handful of folks I know of that have spawned these guys and the requirements are so strict that cichlids of any sort would not really fit.


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

Yeah I know the pricetag... It is what is making me take it very slowly.. LOL... I actually saw 5 wild ones for $1500 and started dreaming... But back in reality I am looking at saving up for a few and trying it... I have seen them go for as low as $85 a piece... If they are sexed, 2 would work as a start....

As for being difficult to breed, it seems if you provide them with the correct requirements they do pretty well. From what I can tell the water requirements overlap with some apistos, rams, and angels. The big difference seems to be that the plecos desire current.

Still looking for someone with experience with these with any cichlid though, as I am definitely more a cichlid lover than a pleco lover.


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## lloyd (Aug 24, 2005)

IMO, all hypancistrus will slowly waste, if mixed too closely with cichlids. try half beeks, threadfin or celebes rainbows, or add another pleco species (omni or herb) to their tank. snails and dwarf shrimp can also work, but some shrimp, and some pleco eggs, could go missing before you know about them.


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## Charles (Feb 25, 2003)

Because of the price tag, I would just keep them by themselves.

One hobbist here in BC spawned his first batch of eggs just few weeks ago. It took him about 2 years or so in a group of 8 starting at 2.5-3" to get his first spawn.


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

Yikes... that does sound like a long time.....

Do you know what his set up was? How many male-female, and how big a tank, how many caves... etc.?


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## Charles (Feb 25, 2003)

I am pretty sure you can't just get a pair and hoping they will spawn. They are not like bristlenose. And it is not easy to tell sex apart when they are under 3". So a group is best to start them before you waste years and finally realize that you have both same sex.


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

CichlidWhisperer said:


> As for being difficult to breed, it seems if you provide them with the correct requirements they do pretty well. From what I can tell the water requirements overlap with some apistos, rams, and angels.


 I don't know what you read to get that impression, but it does not match what I've been told in person by those with success under their belt.

Got a link?


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

http://www.zebrapleco.com/breeding.php

That site has quite a lot of information on it to suggest the same. The only difference I ahve found is with tank current. I was actually hoping that with some work I could set up a tank with definite currents but also non-current sections or that the other fish might tolerate the current.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Also remember the temp, few cichlids can handle the 84-86 degrees. Most apistos can't for instance, though blue rams could. Ahso you do want really well areated water, ie lots of disolved oxygen ... like most rapid dwelling fish, they are used to higher levels.


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

The only issue I have with the blue rams is they take a pH below 6, don't they?


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Not really, I've kept them in a pH of 6.8 with no issues ... they just need soft water for the eggs to hatch if you are breeding them.


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

That sounds like a possibility then. Do blue rams tolerate currents?


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Not well no ...

I'd also advise keeping them by themselves. I lost 10 of them due to a dwarf cichlid going psycho many years ago.


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

dwarfpike said:


> I'd also advise keeping them by themselves.


Yeah, I am coming to the same conclusion. I was hoping to manage, but it would be too big a shame for anything to happen to them. Problem is, it will be difficult enough to convince Jeff of another tank, let alone two. Hoping to win a tank at the ECC this weekend.. Then I have an excuse to have another tank. LOL

I wonder if they would do better in a wider, shallower tank where they could have more space to themselves...


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

> I wonder if they would do better in a wider, shallower tank where they could have more space to themselves...


Wouldn't worry them one bit, as long as they had some nice caves and a decent water flow.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Though a shallower tank makes it easier to create currents. For instance, a 60 breeder would be a perfect tank, they can be a bit scrappy with each other.


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