Question about Zebra Peckoltia

[andywatkins]

Hi,

My wife and I are very new to tropical fish, we have been buying a few Gouramis and Guppys and wanted a catfish because a) they look nice and are different, and B) will eat the algae at the bottom of tank etc.

Tank is only 25 gallons so don't want a giant catfish.

Went to the goldfish bowl in oxford today and explained what we needed, after lots of ruling fish out because they would grow too large we bought what was described as a Columbian Zebra Peckoltia, about 4 inches long for approx £20.00.

There appears to be nothing wrong with the fish at all, but on checking through the internet to find out more about it, make sure what to feed it etc we have become very confused, there seem to be a lot of similar sounding species and we can't really find ours!

Can anyone assist by specifically identifying our Peckoltia, suggesting other names it may be known as so we can look it up on the internet, and most important any suggestions on feeding etc. Would it be a day fish or a night fish? do I need to feed it at other times of day than the others.

I have aquarian catfish pellets, hopefully these are OK?

Hope someone can help

Thanks

Andy & Jill Watkins

 

[smithrc]

from what i can see the Columbian Zebra Peckoltia is an L129...

Have a look a this fow some info PlanetCatFish.com

BUT it says they only get to 2.8" (althught they have been known to be a little reserved with their sizes)

If thats them - They are a nice looking plec

 

[andywatkins]

Hi again,

Thanks for the feeback, our catfish does look quite like the one you suggested, not exactly, but quite simillar, I suspect he is either the one you suggest or a very simillar species.

He is a very pretty fish, that was one of the reasons we got him!

Would you be able to suggest what time of day I feed him? I feed the other fish first thing in the morning and then normally early evening. Only had him a few hours but he doesn't seem interested.

Thanks

Andy & Jill

 

[andywatkins]

Hi again,

Our Catfish looks exactly like an L270 Choclate Zebra, which is not exactly what it was sold as!

I'm gonna guess feeding etc for a L129 and a L270 is basically the same

Thanks

 

[smithrc]

I was going to suggest that

We bought 3 of them cute little buggers on saturday

Have you got ant piccys ?? ours are still at the fish shop (untill we get back from holiday) (see sig)

 

[smithrc]

right...

as for feeding - these little buggers arnt really a begginers fish and do need a bit of a special diet (more than flake or algae tablets). And if you were told they will eat algae, i've got bad news... they wont.

They prefer a meaty diet - I'm raising brine shrimp at the moment and will see if they like that. If not it'll be frozen bloodworm and lavaes for a while, until I can get some live foods growing for them. Frozen prawns might go down well too (and if not you can have some in a salad )

they like fast flowing water too and need good filtration.

As with most plecs they are a night fish in the wild BUT can be turned into an evening fish by feeding them in the evening.

To start with - feed him just after lights out - hopefully he'll get to the food before other realise there is food in there.

Make sure he has bogwood in the tank too as its used to aid their digestion. It also provides a shealter to hide under

Pics Pics Pics.... I'm missing ours already and they havent even been bought home yet

 

[andywatkins]

Thanks for all the advice, he is very cute though I am not at all sure he is really what I sghould have got!

I am worried about food, had him 24 hours now and seen no evidence he has eaten a thing..... I have catfood pellets but he doesn't seem interested.

I knew catfish liked bogwood so got a nice large piece, like an upturned funnel and hollow in the middle, he loves it, in fact he wont come out of it!!

I had wanted a catfish that would eat the algae and be pretty to look at, rather than one that doesn't eat algae and hides all day!!

Never mind the main issue today is totry and buy him some food he will like.

If he comes out I will take a picture of him!

Andy

 

[smithrc]

If you need some anti algae fish Oto's are great!

in a 25gal 4/5 would be good. they only get to about an inch too

that way the algae is kept under control and you get to keep the cool cat

He should settlte in after a few days. he's probubly had enough of being moved from one place to another!

one other thing - they prefer higher temps (high 20's)



Where abouts are you (add it to your profile)

If you visited the fish bowl you may be close to me...

anyway see how you get on - if things dont get better - drop me a line before you return him

 

[andywatkins]

Many thanks for all the help,

I have changed my profile it MAY now say what fish I have and that I live near Reading in the UK.

I don't want to take the choclate zebra back, oxford is a bit of a treck!

I have been looking for top notch shops, my favourite 2 so far are the goldfish bowl at Oxford and my personal favourite the maiden aquatics at Iver which is very near where I work, they are an excellent shop, IMHO.

I may up the temperature a little, it is a bout 25-26 degrees at present.

Sure he will settle down. The new red indian gourami is being very shy as well.

Most worried about feeding him really, I will give him half a catfish pellet tonight and try and find something else to buy him tomorrow

All assistance is gratefully accepted, I have a great deal to learn!!

Andy

 

[cryosi]

more L270 chocolate zebra lovers, great little plecs these, got 3 of them had them for over 2 years now fully grown and great to watch. These where relcassified as L307 i think it was a short time ago. if any one wants help with these just shout.

as for food, try carnivore pellets the sinking ones
bloodworm
prawns
meaty algae wafers new tetras ones comes in pack with small algae wafers
shrimp
should you a start as these are wild stock be carefull with them, I still dont know of anyone breeding choco's as of yet.

 

[andywatkins]

Thanks,

He still seems VERY shy, just hides and wont come out.

I am feeding him cat food pellets and some frozen bloodworm. Not sure how much of it he is eating....

Andy

 

[cryosi]

You have to remember all stocks of L307 (L270) are wild stocks. These hypan's are very shy, they are nocturnal, very reraely do mine come out during the day, but see plenty of them at nite, they start venturing out when the blue moon light has been on a while at nite time, peacefull fish, best kept as a species tank, but will do ok in a community tank as long as no aggressive fish.
If he's eating ok, wiat till you see him on the glass and check his stomach, should be nice and plump, not hollow ( sign of disease/distress etc if hollow)

happy fish keeping

 

[smithrc]

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed on the breeding front cryosi..

I'm picking mine up on friday (didn't want to pick them up and then go on holiday)

We've bought 3 so hopefully we might have some luck

Our tank is going to be setup for them (fast flowing sand and rock) with native fish (tetras and a few small corrys)

I'll definatly hold you to the advice promise