20 gallon Zebra pleco L46 breeding tanks

Tom Barr

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I have two 20 gallon tanks, T5's lights, stack metal stand, HOT magnum filters, sand sediment. I have 10 fish. No, it was not cheap, but it's been on my mind longer than the 60 gal Reef, so the 60 cubes goes to storage and I did not want more noise or heat or add a chiller(it gets well over 100F here) where I live. Maybe in my next home etc.

So the Zebras are one of those fish I've loved for several decades.
I love rare plecos in general.
Always have, always will.

For now, I removed the Altums and might come back to those later. Someone offered me a lot for them, so.............now I can afford these little guys:)

They use to be somewhat cheap, but got banned along with blue eyes and a number of other cats. Blue eyes use to sell for about 15-20$. Now? 10,000-20,000$ even.

Nuts.

Zebras are nice and small. My tap is perfect, I'm good about food, current etc.
Got all that down well and breeding caves/sizing etc. It takes a while, it's not something to make $ at, plants are much better for me there:)
But I love these fish and know I have buyers for any and all fry.

Right now I'm trying to think how I want to set up these two tanks for them.
I have tonnes of manzanita wood, rocks etc, but I need to also have good caves set up for them. These will be man made, or I might spend some time drilling into so wood to hollow them and them stack together for a more natural look.

I'm not sure, but CRS's might make it together with zebras.
I'll likely have Xmas moss rocks/branchy sticks etc.
Suppose I could do Fissidens as well, but I'd rather have easy to grow weeds.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 

Tom Barr

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Should be nice.

Note, I decided against the 20 gallons and will convert the 60 gallon cube Reef back into a FW. I already have everything and will raise the smaller fish in a 10 gallon under a stand instead.

I like the 60 Cube and have everything I could ever want for that already, so it cost virtually nothing to do. I think I'll use natural sand, might go with the white dolomite still. Not sure yet. I have some Black flourite sand also.

I have lots of Manazanita sitting here and am thinking of a mossy branch tank, but want something different from my other African 60 Cube(other than theme fish/plants).

Manzy is easier to drill into than some woods, but still, it's not easy.
Drilling the caves will take some time and effort. But a nice high flow(higher than the African tank) river SA dense Zebra pleco tank might be interesting.

Need to consider the concept more still.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 

Tom Barr

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For Habitat descriptions:

Google Image Result for http://www.hypancistrus-zebra.com/images/xingu.GIF

Note, water changes quite a bit, but my tap is pretty close.
Black or white gravel does not matter, these guys live in 20-30 meter deep water so there's not much light to begin with, you can keep them in the dark closet with 10 Gal without issue.

Still, would the colors look better against a natural tan/light gravel or a black sand?
Black flourite seems pretty good for the sediment, I have 200lbs sitting here.
Dramatic fish as well.

Xmas moss is native Brazil.
Swords obviously.
Sag's, most floating weeds.

Well, after looking at my other tank with white gravel and dark plants etc, I think I'll do the opposite here.

Okay, I'll use the Black flourite sand.
Dark wood with moss, but brighter plants, perhaps Riccia even, this will contrast well.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 

Tom Barr

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Changed back to the 60 Cube and a 10 gallon support tank under.

See new thread.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 

Tom Barr

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ADA 60 p for L046 Zebra plecos(8 in here), non CO2, no excel dosing.
Tank has not grown in obviously, but shall over time. The emergent growth has the benefits of plants, without algae, or CO2/dosing nutrient requirements.

The Bolbitus has done well, I did not think it would make it, but it has grown from small stumps and has 6 cm long leaves now. With time, this aquarium will blossom and fill in well. Trimming it a bit different. Water sprite grows very fast and is the main nutrient export. I also change the water weekly at about 40%. This unlike submersed planted non CO2 aquariums however.

The goal was more to have an aesthetic look, plants, large water changes for the rare $$$ fish, without any trade offs for the fish environment.

I can still see the fish under the wood, plants are very easy to care for.
When I have gone around looking at wood in natural places often, snags of wood sticking up would catch floating plants and grow out of the water just like this.

frontADADEc092.jpg


And

resizedADADec091.jpg


Fish are in there but hide.
100? CRS are also in there.
Bolbitus is growing without any CO2/Excel etc.


Regards,
Tom Barr
 

dutchy

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Nice, especially the top with the emergent plants looks good.

You could start a "Tom's Gallery" chapter in the forum to collect all related topics about your (clïent) tanks.