Keep looking yearningly at these in the lfs. Have googled/checked out PlanetCatfish, but would be grateful for anyone's personal experiences, particularly:

how territorial did you find them?

how hardy?

what water params do you think they can cope with?

what would be the minimum size tank if sharing with a bristlenose?

how much filtration/water movement would you need? (have only got the standard 240 Juwel atm, but something could be done)

I had one, the bary as opposed to the hemi (if you didn't know, there are two different fish classed as L200).

It wasn't territorial at all, happily lived with quite a few other sp.

To share a tank with a bn probably go for a 2.5-3 foot tank, the bigger the better.

I massively overfiltered, but was heavily stocked.

Thanks, it's a 4 foot tank, with lots of bogwood, so all right on that score.

What about the water, being in the hard alkaline south?

(will go back to googling ways of telling the bary from the hemi)

Hi I've got a hi fin one. I've had him about 6 weeks. so far so good although I rarely see him venture from the bogwood that he lives on. Hes about 4 inches so not a bad size I've checked his stomach and he mus be eating. No teritorial issues his fins are all perfect which is good as I have 9 plecs in there including 3 Bristle noses which are quite teritorial.

Great fish just wish he was more active but that is a personal trait of my plec I think as people I know with them don;t have same issue. I have a blue phatom and hes out all the time

get him they are worth it

I do nothing special to water just do regular changes although our water in north west is quite neutral

They're great! I've had a couple (only have one now) and not found them territorial with my other catfish at all (see profile info for plec list). Very active / not shy at all. Stunning addition to a suitable tank - and by the sounds of it, yours would be.
I heavily over filter as well but not because I'm overstocked. Being in London my water is pretty horrid - very hard and high tap pH though in the tank my pH is around 7 with all the bogwood. They certainly seem to be doing well over the years. Mine seems to enjoy haning around the very strong outflow of the one filter.

Thanks, that sounds promising. Haven't made my mind up 100% yet, but am very tempted.

I'd definitely get one, you won't regret it!
Mine lives with 10 other Plecs in a 5ft tank and there have been no territory issues, in fact mine will quite happily sit with a couple of the others at feeding time.
Our tank is heavily filtered with airstones and a powerhead and the Ph is about 6.8.

The one thing that worries me is the water flow/filtration. I don't want too much of a water flow, as I want a nice comfy home for my Indian gourami, and am also rearing livebearer fry in there, so don't want them tossed about too much.

Would he be all right with just the standard Juwel (not too bad on the 240 tanks)? Tank would still be lightly stocked.

im keeping one in a 5 foot tank with not a lot of water flow. hes sharing with two magnum plecs, an L300 and an L018 and they dont quarrel at all, as such i can highly recommend them

what other plecs you got Stang? I got a 5ft with 9 in. maybe I got room for one more!! lol