L046

[Cichlids_lover1010]

Planetcatfish says its temp ranges from 26 to 30
would i be pushing it by dropping that to 24? or should i stick to the temp range?
just curious as im doin some research on this species

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I have always kept mine between 27.8C and 31.1C. The only time I might let them get under 27C is when simulating the onset of the rainy season. But then this has been preceded by a dry season where the temps may reach as high as 32C.

Because these fish live in such warm water one needs to insure they get plenty of oxygen in the water.

 

[Cichlids_lover1010]

ok thanks for that will definately not try to drop the temp then !

 

[balraj_bangar]

I read in the rainy seaso. The temp drops low as 24. I got. My zebra pleco today.... Its in my tank at 25. I been watching the beauty. Its discovered the cave and been hinding since ;(

Also the breeder said they only keep the temp high to encourage them to breed. His water was dirty soo what you read isnt always true?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Hypancistrus like dirty water. It is actually a hallmark of the dry season. But that sort of dirty is not the kind of dirty most folks might think. It is more a function of conductivity/TDS. Readings were taken in the Xingu near Altamira (the start of the Big Bend) where the zebras live) take several years apart. They were taken during the height of the dry and rainy seasons in their respective years. The dry seacon had a TDS of about 85 ppm and the rainy season about 15 ppm. These are based on conductivity readings. When I am pressed for time and can not get to all the tanks, the ones I skip first are the Hypan tanks, and this includes zebras.
 
I have managed to get a few zebra fry in my tanks, so I think I have a some idea of how to keep them

 

 

[JenCliBee]

Stunning TTA, lovely healthy looking babies there

 

[balraj_bangar]

Beauties! I have been after some. They just so expensive.

 

[phantomlink]

They are great looking fish, if all those fry live your going to make alot of money

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Over the years (since May 2006) I have gotten and sold enough fry to pay for the original breeding colony I purchased and then to pay me back for every dollar I had spent to that point on the hobby in total and then for everything fishy I have purchased since.
 
But that is inconsequential in comparison to knowing I placed the offspring with people across the country who mostly intended to spawn them, some of whom have succeeded. These fish are likely to become extinct in the wild in the next few years as the Belo Monte dam system is put into place.
 
When I first began selling fry I had a waiting list all the time and rarely saw other folks selling them. Now almost 7 years later I can refer folks to local breeders or sites around the world that sell tank raised zebras. Things have gone from where their existence as a species on the planet was threatened to the point where there are now enough folks keeping and breeding the fish that they will likely persist for decades to come in aquariums across the world even if not in the wild.

 

[Rummage]

If you dont mind me asking how much do you charge for these and how many would you recommend to start trying for a breeding colony?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I have not been selling many of late. I have not been spawning things as avidly. I normally got between $125 and $150 depending on size, quantity and whether I had to ship or not. They are not hard to find in the states. I can normally find f1s, wilds and even proven breeders- mostly at reasonable prices. I know they are being bred in the UK and across Europe as well.
 
As to breeding them there are several schools of thought. At the heart of it, all you need to get fry is one male and one female. A better small setup would be 1m/2fm. In wild caught, fms are much rarer than males. The smallest colony I would suggest is 5 2m/3fm. It really is an issue of how much space you have. I had excellent result starting with 13 breeders in a 30B, but after 4 years I had lost 3 fish. I think a bigger tank might have prevented some of those losses. Also, too many females is almost as bad as too many males in terms of successful spawns.
 
I have always tried to get groups of 7-10 fish for spawning purposes. But I mostly get them unsexed and grow them out.