tankmates for L046

[McEve]

I've got a tank with a group of L046, Zebra pleco. I've been wondering of
there's a fish, a choolong fish perhaps, that would be safe to keep in the
tank considering I'm hoping the Zebras will breed.

It will have to be a fish that will leave eggs and fry alone, and not in any
way disturb the catfish.

[Sue]

Whats " choolong"? Shoaling?
My Zebras are currently in a SA community tank but for breeding they need a
tank of their own or maybe tiny higher water fish like dwarf pencilfish or
Endler's.

The fry are tiny & slow growing. I have one here that is about 8/9mm at a
month old so they are easy prey once they get out of their cave.
They are also quite tricky to feed.


"McEve" > wrote in message
...
> I've got a tank with a group of L046, Zebra pleco. I've been wondering of
> there's a fish, a choolong fish perhaps, that would be safe to keep in the
> tank considering I'm hoping the Zebras will breed.
>
> It will have to be a fish that will leave eggs and fry alone, and not in
any
> way disturb the catfish.
>
>

[McEve]

"Sue" > wrote in message
...
> Whats " choolong"? Shoaling?
Yes - English is my second language, so sometimes I miss by a mile in my
attempts of spelling right :)

> My Zebras are currently in a SA community tank but for breeding they need
a
> tank of their own or maybe tiny higher water fish like dwarf pencilfish
or
> Endler's.
>
> The fry are tiny & slow growing. I have one here that is about 8/9mm at a
> month old so they are easy prey once they get out of their cave.
> They are also quite tricky to feed.

My Zebras are now in a tank wich they only share with a baby ancistrus, for
keeping algae at bay. I have 8 in a 120 liter, and are a bit worried about
that not being enough for establishing a good balance in the tank, bacteria
wise.

Have you published any information about how you went about getting them to
spawn? It would be very interesting to read :)

[Sue]

> >
> > The fry are tiny & slow growing. I have one here that is about 8/9mm at
a
> > month old so they are easy prey once they get out of their cave.
> > They are also quite tricky to feed.
>
> My Zebras are now in a tank wich they only share with a baby ancistrus,
for
> keeping algae at bay. I have 8 in a 120 liter, and are a bit worried about
> that not being enough for establishing a good balance in the tank,
bacteria
> wise.
>
> Have you published any information about how you went about getting them
to
> spawn? It would be very interesting to read :)
>
Mike Edwardes is the guy you want;-
http://mike-edwardes.members.beeb.net/Hzebra.html
I bought his colony when he changed to amphibians.Mike reckons the fry do
better removed as soon as they leave the cave.

They do better in planted tanks but bare bottoms with java moss & fern on
rocks or wood make for easier maintainence. The more small hidey holes the
better & they do seem to like terracotta.
Not having dither fish means you can keep Daphnia in the tank for a food
source.
The tiny fry need frequent feeds of tiny live/frozen foods.

HTH
Sue

[NetMax]

"McEve" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Sue" > wrote in message
> ...
<snip>
> My Zebras are now in a tank wich they only share with a baby ancistrus,
for
> keeping algae at bay. I have 8 in a 120 liter, and are a bit worried
about
> that not being enough for establishing a good balance in the tank,
bacteria
> wise.

The bacterial balance you need is to match the fish load. Biological
capability will level to their waste production. You cannot have too
small a fish-load.

As for dither, if you are breeding Zebras, I would resist adding
anything, for a variety of reasons.
--
www.NetMax.tk

[McEve]

"NetMax" > wrote in message
...
> "McEve" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Sue" > wrote in message
> > ...
> <snip>
> > My Zebras are now in a tank wich they only share with a baby ancistrus,
> for
> > keeping algae at bay. I have 8 in a 120 liter, and are a bit worried
> about
> > that not being enough for establishing a good balance in the tank,
> bacteria
> > wise.
>
> The bacterial balance you need is to match the fish load. Biological
> capability will level to their waste production. You cannot have too
> small a fish-load.
>
> As for dither, if you are breeding Zebras, I would resist adding
> anything, for a variety of reasons.
> --
> www.NetMax.tk
>
>

Thank you both, I will do as you advice! I can see now that I made a wrong
conclusion about bacterial balance. The baby ancistrus won't disturb them
though, will it...? (max length allowed for the cleaner is 3 cm, a bit over
an inch.)

[NetMax]

"McEve" > wrote in message
...
>
> "NetMax" > wrote in message
> ...
> > "McEve" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > >
> > > "Sue" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > <snip>
> > > My Zebras are now in a tank wich they only share with a baby
ancistrus,
> > for
> > > keeping algae at bay. I have 8 in a 120 liter, and are a bit
worried
> > about
> > > that not being enough for establishing a good balance in the tank,
> > bacteria
> > > wise.
> >
> > The bacterial balance you need is to match the fish load. Biological
> > capability will level to their waste production. You cannot have too
> > small a fish-load.
> >
> > As for dither, if you are breeding Zebras, I would resist adding
> > anything, for a variety of reasons.
> > --
> > www.NetMax.tk
> >
> >
>
> Thank you both, I will do as you advice! I can see now that I made a
wrong
> conclusion about bacterial balance. The baby ancistrus won't disturb
them
> though, will it...? (max length allowed for the cleaner is 3 cm, a bit
over
> an inch.)

There is a risk, but I can't comment on its severity or probability.
Most fish are opportunistic. If an Ancistrus came across fish eggs, you
are chancing that it would not eat them. I would let the algae grow long
as it harbours lots of microscopic life which a newborn Zebra might
appreciate.
--
www.NetMax.tk

[McEve]

"NetMax" > wrote in message
...
>
> There is a risk, but I can't comment on its severity or probability.
> Most fish are opportunistic. If an Ancistrus came across fish eggs, you
> are chancing that it would not eat them. I would let the algae grow long
> as it harbours lots of microscopic life which a newborn Zebra might
> appreciate.
> --
> www.NetMax.tk
>
>

Thanks NetMax