Zebra Plec

[Leonwillow]

Hi - this is my first post. I live in the north west of the UK and I have returned to keeping an aquarium after a 10 year gap. My favourite fish are plecs and I am desperate to get a zebra plec. When I last had a tank these were available for £30.

I am now having great difficulty buying one but have managed to find one for 100.00. Is this a reasonable price? The fish is a youngster about 1 and a half inch in length.


Your views would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[ExoticStripes]

Yeah thats not a bad price even for one that small. You would be lucky to get a Female Zebra for less than £250 now a days

 

[Bex]

Yep, I'd say it's a pretty good price. My LFS has them for £180 and they are probably the same size! It's a shame because they are so stunning.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yup, they're v expensive fish

 

[jarmado]

i saw some juvies in aquarist-classifieds that are going for £95.
i believe he is the same person selling the same size zebras for £80 a few months back.
the demand he got previously might have made him to increase the price..
tssk...tsskkk..money...money...

 

[dwarfgourami]

The reason is that they are threatened by extinction in the wild so the Brazilian government has put a ban on export. The only ones now available for sale are ones bred in hobbyists tanks- so ideally you should buy a group and spawn them If you can't afford this, there are several other fancy plecs that look just as nice but don't have the same problems. The same money you would need for a tiny zebra, would buy you a whole group of leopard frogs that you could then spawn....

 

[Leonwillow]

Thanks for all the advice.

I'm not really looking to spawn. Can anyone recomend a great looking plec that stays pretty small.

Thanks

 

[Cultasso]

I like Flas Plecs L204 and opal dot Plec L82

I think opal dots dont grow too big, bout 30 cm I think

 

[Bex]

Queen Arabesque L260 or Snowball L102 if your looking for something black and white. They stay small, I think max for either is about 6".

The L260's do seem to be fairly shy but are great looking - black with thin white stripes and small spots or the L102 which is more active (mine is anyway) and it's black with big white spots.

Or if you want to splash a little more cash (approxe £40 -£60 depending on size) the L200 Green Phantom is absolutely stunning - green/yellow with yellow spots gets to about 8 or 9" I think. I had one but he died and I was gutted because he was so active and just stunning!

Check out planetcatfish.com - it lists all of them and approx size with pics

 

[dwarfgourami]

Leopard frogs look great- L134 I think. Or flash peckoltias L15/L80. And both stay small. If I did not have my time taken up with my 20 odd little bristlenoses, I would go for one of these.

 

[Leonwillow]

Thanks for the advice. Think I will leave the zebra.

I have been to pier aquatics today and got the following

L134 Leopard Frog
L201 Hypancistras Inspector
L368 Tapajos Scobyancistrus ( I realise this gets a bit bigger than the others)

Am going to get a Gold nugget next week.

Never been to Pier Aqautics before - I was completely spoilt for choice!!!!

 

[xXMrBonesXx]

L-02 Tiger Pleco

 

[Leonwillow]

L-02 Tiger Pleco

I like that. Is that one yours? Nice fish.

I may get that instead of the nugget. I think they had them in stock. There were so many I couldn't decide.

I'll try and post some pics of the ones I got.

 

[Leonwillow]

Here are the 368 and the 201.

My fave is the 134 but I can't get a pic of him.

 

[xXMrBonesXx]

L-02 Tiger Pleco

I like that. Is that one yours? Nice fish.

I may get that instead of the nugget. I think they had them in stock. There were so many I couldn't decide.

I'll try and post some pics of the ones I got.

yeah he/she is mine, i wouldnt mind getting more to see if i can get them to breed, considering that one cost me 50 bucks canadian