L46 Zebra pleco

TwoTankAmin · Aug 20, 2025

It would be nice to get the facts straight.

Bellenz Farms in Indonesia are world renown breeders of fish in quantity.

The IctioXingu Project is Leandros baby. So it was not to German breeder he turned for advice.

Since 2014 Julia and Rajanta from Bellenz Fish Farm, Indonesia, are helping our project, sharing valuable knowledge on how to keep and breed Hypancistrus zebra in captivity. A great part of our success is due to their help. Now they propose a fantastic new way to help our project even more: For every captive bred Hypancistrus zebra they sell, $1 will be donated to the IctioXingu project! This will help us to maintain the breeding project in Altamira, raising awareness locally for conservation of L46 and the importance to preserve the species in nature. Thank you very much, Julia and Rajanta! Your help really makes a difference! #hypancistrus #hypancistruszebra @ UFPA - Campus de Altamira

from https://www.facebook.com/ictioxingu...esia-are-helping-our-pr/557651041677217/?_rdr

So, Jorge and I donated $328 to IctioXingu in 2020 with our purchase in 2020. Since then I have donated a couple of times as well directly.

Incidentally, the method they are using is the 3rd one I mention in my post at the start of this thread. Thinks about this. one can expect to get at least a dozen suriving zebras from a spawn. Often it will be more. But with 100 pairs spawning every two weeks one can produce 12 x 26 x 100 or 31,200 zebra/year. But it is not reasonable to expect then to spawn every 2 weeks year round. My group would go for about 9.5 months regularly and then hiatus for about 3.5 months before resuming. They were on more like a 13 month year . So of we modify the math so that it is only 3/4 of a year any pair will spawn, the total is reduced to 23,400 sabras born a year. That would be 450 a week.

From the Google AI re the IctioXingu project:
Google AI on the IctioXingu Project

2. Key activities

Scientific Research: Dr. Sousa uses SCUBA diving to register fish species, characterize their habitats, and document local fishing practices. The project also conducts studies on fish breeding and the local ethnoknowledge of fishing communities.

Conservation Breeding: A key part of the project involves a conservation breeding program for endangered Xingu species, aiming to maintain populations, particularly of the Zebra Pleco (L46).

Public Awareness: The IctioXingu Project utilizes social media to raise public awareness about native ornamental fish and the importance of conservation. Dr. Sousa also gives presentations and shares his research with a wider audience.

Collaboration: The project involves collaboration with other researchers and organizations. Notably, Dr. Sousa teamed with Oliver Lucanus to release the book "Xingu – Below Water," featuring underwater photographs of Xingu fishes in their natural habitats.

3. Funding

The IctioXingu project has received support from various sources, including the GUYAMAZ Program, the IctioXingu CNPq Research Group, NSF DEB-1257813 (iXingu Project), CAPES, CNPq, and FAPESPA. It also receives support through donations associated with the sale of captive-bred fish, such as those from Bellenz Fish Farm.

Helina · Oct 13, 2026

Hello fellows!
I have been long wanting to have and breed Zebra Plecos. But at the moment I am receiving a bigger tank with 6 Yellow Labs (Labidochromis caeruleus) and 1xRusty Cichlid (Iodotropheus sprengerae) which are Lake Malawi Cichlids. I thought these two fish don't match with L046.

Recently I saw a planted Malawi Cichlid video by George Farmer from Tropica, where he kept a Bristlenose Pleco with them ciclids. That got me thinking could this be done with Zebra plecos L046 as well and yet manage to breed them as well.

Any ideas? Just wondering here.
Thanks!

EDIT: for example Temp 28c, 10 GH, 7,5-7,8 pH.
One aquarium shop said definitely not, with any plecos, but I've seen now 2 fishkeepers in youtube doing it.
EDIT2: Found an interesting article stating:

In our experience the fish grow quicker in neutral to slightly alcaline water. The soft, acidic water of Manchester resulted in slower growth of different batches of fry while fry from the same batch who were taken to Athens by George J. Reclos and were brought up in medium hard, neutral water, manifested considerably better growth rates (temperature and food were the same in both cases).

Keeping and Breeding Hypancistrus Zebra (L46) Part 1: Keeping L046 – AquaInfo

Keeping and breeding Hypancistrus zebra - L046 isn't always easy. Here you can read the report of an experienced aquarist. Part 1 - keeping and breeding Hypancistris zebra.

aquainfo.nl