# My new Plecos - Take a look!



## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Got them from Exotic Finds. They have really healthy stock and can tell you what is compatible. I just love Plecos. I have 2 others in my tank.

L333 Hypancistrus Imperial King Tiger









L174 Hypancistrus









L172 Gold Heterodon Leporacanthicus - He's really yellow with brown spots.









Hypancistrus White Spot









L134 Peckoltia Leopard Frog - not new but had to throw him in. He is yellow and black (bad color shown).









L75 Peckoltia sabaj i- not new but threw him in also.


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## Anafranil (Mar 15, 2005)

very nice,do you keep them separately?


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## intermediate_noob (Oct 18, 2007)

Awesome Plecos, Exoticfinds.net is AWESOME!


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## orlando (Feb 14, 2007)

How beautiful! Very nice, lucky you.


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## bothia (Oct 19, 2006)

Very nice Plecos; are they good with your plants?


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

very nice!


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Thanks everybody. They all go in my 125g. I can't grow glosso because they won't let it root. Aside from that everybody will get along just fine!  These will go with my queen arabesque, Peckoltia sabaji and an unidentified guy. If I can ever get a px of my unidentified guy I'll post and you guys can help me with who he is.

The gold heterodon is really gold and black even though the px doesn't show it.


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## DMHdispute (Oct 23, 2007)

How big are they? I ask this because i had a pleco that was about 5-6" long and he would uproot anything in his path, so i got rid of him. Id like to have another if i knew it wouldnt mess up my plants.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

All have different max sizes.
Queen Arabesque -4-4.5", 
White spot 5"
Leopard frog 4"
Imperial King Tiger max 6"
L174 is max 3-3.5"
Gold Heterodon max 6"
My peckoltia sabaji max 9.8 but have had him for years and he is max about 6"


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Oh wow the king looks even better than I had thought!!! 

Also that frog pleco is a damn fine piece of fish if I do say so.


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## DMHdispute (Oct 23, 2007)

I wonder why i had so much trouble with mine when yours are almost the same size.



Zapins said:


> Also that frog pleco is a damn fine piece of fish if I do say so.


that made me laugh.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

DMHdispute said:


> I wonder why i had so much trouble with mine when yours are almost the same size.


*DMHdispute:* Don't know what to say. I had pea gravel that was even a little big and didn't have any problems. Have recently changed to ADA AquaSoil and the only problem I have is they won't let the glosso root. Actually the worst is the stupid YoYo loach I can't catch.

I feed them every night. I always put cucumber, or frozen food (shrimp, mesquito larvae etc.), shrimp pellets, algae wafers in. I combine a veggie and a meat. Some are vegetarian and some are omnivores. Maybe your's were too hungry and were really rooting for food?

*Zapins*, thanks! He is "damn fine". I love these guys.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Hehe...

Just a thought, you can take it or leave it, just don't report me to PETA: why not.... crank up the CO2 until yo-yo takes a vacation to the sunny side of the tank? Then just resuscitate him in his new home 

Hehe...


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Zapins said:


> Hehe...
> 
> Just a thought, you can take it or leave it, just don't report me to PETA: why not.... crank up the CO2 until yo-yo takes a vacation to the sunny side of the tank? Then just resuscitate him in his new home
> 
> Hehe...


YOU are BAD!!..... (...how can I do it without getting the other guys...)


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

*Well* IF someone were to ACCIDENTALLY turn the CO2 up high, it might be a good idea if the tank was closely watched.

Plecos are catfish so their oxygen requirements are usually lower than other more active fish. They should take longer to pass out before the more active fish.

*Cough, cough, I do not recall*


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Zapins said:


> *Well* IF someone were to ACCIDENTALLY turn the CO2 up high, it might be a good idea if the tank was closely watched.
> 
> Plecos are catfish so their oxygen requirements are usually lower than other more active fish. They should take longer to pass out before the more active fish.
> 
> *Cough, cough, I do not recall*


I hear you, Hillary...... (I'll deny I said this....O, just call me Hillary..... )


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## nokturnalkid (Feb 27, 2007)

Tex Gal said:


> Thanks everybody. They all go in my 125g. I can't grow glosso because they won't let it root. Aside from that everybody will get along just fine!  These will go with my queen arabesque, Peckoltia sabaji and an unidentified guy. If I can ever get a px of my unidentified guy I'll post and you guys can help me with who he is.
> 
> The gold heterodon is really gold and black even though the px doesn't show it.


Great looking plecos. I've got the same problem with my bn pleco and my newly planted glosso. I only have one plec so I can just imagine the kind of problems you are having. I don't know if you feed sinking food alot, but I've found that if you stay away from feeding sinking tabs for a few days, the glosso will have an easier time to root.


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## Anafranil (Mar 15, 2005)

Have you noticed any aggresion between those species?How do they react when you throw a tablet in?


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Anafranil said:


> Have you noticed any aggression between those species?How do they react when you throw a tablet in?


No aggression. Everybody is very friendly. There does seem to be a pecking order in that my peckoltia sabaji seems to be king of the Plecos. (The YoYo is king of everybody. He's a bully!) But no one every hurts anyone. It's just about who gets to eat what, where, and when. I make sure I have enough food in there so that there are more pieces than plecos. Since I use smaller pieces I know they can eat it all. My other fish clean up any leftovers. Seems like no matter how long I wait after the lights are out all the fish try to get the food. The plecos mosey out at their leisure and take over to eat their fill.


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## Anafranil (Mar 15, 2005)

plecos are best known as solitary fishes especially males(at least this is what I know)I had a bad case when I had a peckoltia pulcher with a panaque nigrolineatus and a couple common plecos,the peckoltia was the bully of the tank.When the wafer was sinking at the bottom he established a territory around it and any attempt of other plecos to come close ended in a wild chase.Since then I am thinking twice before mixing plecos.The strange thing is that there is not much literature on books or on the net for these fishes despite the fact they are so popular.For example I have never read any suggestions on how to stock a tank with plecos except the classic breeding group of ancistrus..Is it just me?


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I think sometimes you just get a bully fish. I have had many plecos in tanks before (up to 6 or 7) and never had any issues. My son has kept 3 in a 60g with no issues. When I just bought my guys from Exotic Finds, they said I could keep up to 12 in there, although I don't think I'd do that many. While I know they sell them they also breed them and it wouldn't be good business to anger your customers by selling fish that won't get along. They have told me not to keep certain ones together before, resulting in a loss of a sale. 

It's just my experience...


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## Jessie (Apr 23, 2007)

I love them!!! I need to get some plecos for my tank. Darnit.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Jess, they'd love your tank with all the plants and driftwood!  Also if you go with the Marsilea mine aren't bothering it at all! It works!


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Sorry about resurrecting an old thread but....

*Anafranil*, all my plecos are fine together. I don't know how it would be if there was a huge variance in size. Since they all under 7", the smallest being 3" they do great together. My queen arabesque is the most shy. They are all so cool.

I have to say that I have had a few pieces of the glosso root and it is starting to spread in my tank. (I'm having to redo the soil so will end up up-rooting it my self! ha!) My plecos are my FAVORITE fish!


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

I missed this thread before, but they are indeed beautiful Tex Gal. 

I have a few of the different ones you have and have had no problems with plants either.

I also have some species mixed in my bigger tanks and they do fine as long as there's not more than one adult male of the same species without enough territory to call their own.
I'm sure part of the reason that we get by with it is because the tanks are big enough, but with a much smaller footprint, I'm sure there could be some dispute.


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## ranchwest (Jul 17, 2005)

Those are some mighty nice cats. Glad they are doing well for you!


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Jan - so glad you love yours too! I have no idea if I have males or females, but I do have just one of each type. Perhaps that saves me from any problems. I always get in trouble when I visit exoticfinds.net. Those fish are just to amazing.

Thanks Ranchwest - they are great guys. I see them laying around in my driftwood, under rocks. If I drop some shrimp or algae tabs in they all come out to feed. They are just so neat. Their colors are striking and they are just so peaceful.


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## apistomaster (May 24, 2008)

Zapins said:


> *Well* IF someone were to ACCIDENTALLY turn the CO2 up high, it might be a good idea if the tank was closely watched.
> 
> Plecos are catfish so their oxygen requirements are usually lower than other more active fish. They should take longer to pass out before the more active fish.
> 
> *Cough, cough, I do not recall*


Don't try this at home. None of the Hypancistrus spp. or Peckoltia spp. can tolerate low dissolved oxygen levels and or high CO2 levels. They will be among the first to die.
Peckoltia sp L134, leopard frogs are fine plecos. Among the most beautiful of them all including H. zebra.
I have over 100 L134 growing out and they are never as colorful as they are when they are still small.
L134 spawning tank. Three different age groups of juveniles present. Red Turquoise Discus at 4 weeks.








Beyond the water spots another view of young L134 and juvenile Sturisoma aureum aka Royal Farlowella which I also raise.


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

apistomaster said:


> Don't try this at home. None of the Hypancistrus spp. or Peckoltia spp. can tolerate low dissolved oxygen levels and or high CO2 levels. They will be among the first to die.
> Peckoltia sp L134, leopard frogs are fine plecos. Among the most beautiful of them all including H. zebra.
> I have over 100 L134 growing out and they are never as colorful as they are when they are still small.
> L134 spawning tank. Three different age groups of juveniles present. Red Turquoise Discus at 4 weeks.
> ...


how big do they get? do they eat plants?algae?


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

Tex Gal said:


> Got them from Exotic Finds. They have really healthy stock and can tell you what is compatible. I just love Plecos. I have 2 others in my tank.
> 
> L333 Hypancistrus Imperial King Tiger
> 
> ...


nice pictures. What is the max size for them? Do they eat algae?


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

milalic said:


> how big do they get? do they eat plants?algae?


I'm not apistomaster, but they stay fairly small - 3 - 4", I would say.
Mine doesn't eat plants and I'm not sure about the algae since there's also a Bristle in that tank.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

milalic said:


> nice pictures. What is the max size for them? Do they eat algae?


They range in size from 4"-7". Most are under 7". Some do eat algae and are vegetarians. Some require there to be driftwood. Some also need meat. I love these guys. They are great!

*apistomaster* Your plecos are wonderful! How amazing to be breeding them. I also understand that most of these guys come from fast moving streams. I do have them in a high tech tank with a lot of water movement. They do fine. The only one I have NEVER been able to keep is the gold nugget. I've tried several times. I don't know why?


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## Brilliant (Jun 25, 2006)

Your plecs are awesome. I have a few myself and consider getting more. Here is a picture I took of my newest the L205 I also have abn. I am just a beginner but these fish are great.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

He is really neat - spots and stripes!


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Tex Gal said:


> I feed them every night. I always put cucumber, or frozen food (shrimp, mesquito larvae etc.), shrimp pellets, algae wafers in. I combine a veggie and a meat. Some are vegetarian and some are omnivores.


So, which one's are vegetarians? And will they eat plants or just algae? I'd like to get a couple plecos but I don't want the 'common little guys that grow to be over a foot long'. I need something that will stay smaller, be happy with aglae/wafers (and could maybe do a little munching on the driftwood if they like).

-Dave


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

davemonkey said:


> So, which one's are vegetarians? And will they eat plants or just algae? I'd like to get a couple plecos but I don't want the 'common little guys that grow to be over a foot long'. I need something that will stay smaller, be happy with aglae/wafers (and could maybe do a little munching on the driftwood if they like).
> 
> -Dave


Hate to tell you this but I have forgotten. You can check here and it will tell you tons of info about each pleco. I also called exotic finds and spoke with them. I wanted to make sure I knew what I got and that I could supply all their needs. This link below is a great resource!

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/numbers.php


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