first-timer, making an introduction & seeking some advice

[DKcincy]

I'm getting back into fish-keeping after a long time away. I'm amazed by all the changes in the hobby since I was last involved. Back then I was trying to spawn L-47's (mango pleco). So I do have some experience with oddball plecos, but I'm definitely rusty. I also raised clown plecos and rhino plecos.

My tank is (I think) 55g hex and is newly set up and cycling. It has no fish yet... just plants (hornwort). I really want to try breeding fancy plecos... successfully this time!

I never liked bristle-nosed plecos. I'm thinking something small like a Peckoltia, Hypancistrus, or Dekeyseria. But the local pet stores have nothing of the sort in stock. And I'm nervous about using Aquabid in the winter (it's soooo cold here now).

I used to keep kuhli loaches too. Would it be a big no-no having kuhli loaches in a tank where I'm encouraging plecos to spawn? Are there any acceptable tankmates for amorous Loricariids? Can I mix groups of Peckoltia & Hypancistrus and excpect them to spawn (within their own groups) or is that a horrible idea?

I kind of love the idea of watching kuhli loaches drive my cats (the "meow, meow" kind) crazy.

[DKcincy]

Umm... totally forgot to mention Otocinclus. I raised several of those, and would LOVE to try spawning O. cocama. They're so cute!

[Linus_Cello]

Welcome to the forum.

Hypancistrus and Dekeyseria would be some good candidates (like L333 and L52).

Maybe you can find local plecos when they are posted on the "for sale" folder?
http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=24

Is there a fish club in Cincinnatti? A couple ideas. Maybe your fish club invites speakers who may have these plecos you're interested in breeding. Conversely, maybe your fish club could do a "shopping trip" on a bus or carpool to LFS that sell these fish. Some vendor/speaker ideas in Pennsylvania:

All Oddball Aquatics (Eric Bodrock, Pittsburgh) http://www.alloddballaquatics.com/

Invertebrates by MsJinkzd(Rachel O'leary; I think she had L52 in the past but don't see any on the current stocklist, she's near ThatPetPlace in Lancaster); http://msjinkzd.com/stocklist/

ThatPetPlace: thatpetplace.com

The Amazon Basement (York PA): (can't find a website for them; they come to our fishclub meetings regularly)

(too bad you didn't ask this question last month, you could have come to the catfishconvention to buy plecos. The next one is in 2014: http://catfishcon.com/#)

[Richard B]

what are the dimensions of the tank (approx: like how tall & bottom area distance across the 2 opposite sides).

What decor so you have?

[DKcincy]

wow. i'm shocked. i thought this was a 55g tank, but i just measured the size and ran the calculations, and it's just 35g. the sides are 11.5 inches and height is about 24 inches.

[pleco_breeder]

What's the length? That would be approximately 57 gallons on a 48 inch tank, although unusual dimensions. If 36 inches, it's approximately 43 gallons. If 30 inches, it's a 35. I ask because this just seems like odd dimensions for a tank, almost a square and very narrow footprint.

Larry

[Richard B]

Hexagons are a poor choice of tank for bottom feeders as they don't offer as much bottom area (footprint) territory.

If each side is 11.5 inches that means you can have fish totalling up to 34" - ie 34 fish each 1" long or 17 fish 2" long etc. The footprint of your tank is pretty small for a lot of plecos. Only a single pair of Hypancistrus or a pair of Peckoltia could be kept. Perhaps sturisoma or farlowella might be a better bet, particulalrly due to the height. A nice shoal of otos (or similar) would be a good choice.