The big problem with a fishless cycle is that it gives you time to stock your tank many times over

I have been thinking for a while that round about Christmas time, when the tank is nicely mature, I might round it off with a pretty loricariid of the smaller kind- it's a 63 gallon, so there should be plenty of room. I'm not one of those people who hanker for zebra plecs: a Leopard Frog or Queen Arabesque would do me very nicely.
Or, my last thought has been a Flash Peckoltia (L204). I would want to hear the forum's experiences of these, though.

On PlanetCatfish (my first port of call) it says that these are wildcaught, as they are difficult to breed. Which leads me to question no 1- have you found them sensitive to water parameters?
I was not planning to do either RO or blackwater extract; I think I'd rather just settle for a fish that can cope with my water.

Question no 2- I read lots of conflicting stories about their temerament: some people say you never see them, others that they are out all over the tank. What has been your experience? And if they do come out, is this a bad sign, meaning they are desperately hungry? I know they need wood- I'd be happy to supply that.

Noone seen an L204?

Hi,

Paul_mts had one up for sale at the same time as most of his other plecs, when i read up on them a few places said they were territorial with similar looking fish so i gave it a miss as i also bought a clown plec, a LDA01 and an L15. The L15 and clown are out and about most of the time but its very rare i see the LDA01.

Emma

Thanks. Well, that shouldn't be too much of a problem, bristlies aren't that alike, and if they did come to blows I could always move him.