who has experience with l239 in groups?

[alleykat]

hi everybody,


who would like to share their experiences with keeping multiple l239's ('baryancistrus' beggini) together?
considering adding some more to my 4 foot tank. currently have two (presumed) males, but they do skirmish
frequently. will adding some females disperse the violence? i've seen pics online of whole bunches of them,
but i'd like some personal opinions.
cheers!

alleykat

[krazyGeoff]

Hi,
What sort of decorations etc do you have in the tank, and are there any other fish in the tank?

I find that 2/3 wood and 1/3 overhanging rock type structures will work best, with the fish spending the majority of the time in the wood.

Females appear to have an inclination towards the rocks, males are more panaqualos in their behaviour.

I have 7 in a species tank, and have never really seen any fighting.

Cheers

[alleykat]

hi geoff,

thanks for your reply! there will be a shoal of bentosi's in the tank, and some c. sterbai.
as of now there is plenty of woodwork, with a lot of stone caves as well. I try to make as
many hideouts as possible, so that there will be more caves than fish. there is quite a lot
of structure in the tank. btw, do you find them to thrive better at slightly higher
temperatures? e.g. 28 celcius? thanks!

[krazyGeoff]

Hi,
Yes 28C is a good temperature.

I find that these are slow to come to the food and that would be my only concern with other bottom species in the same tank.

Cheers

[alleykat]

hi geoff,

thanks again. would you say these guys are quite shy in general? (compared to other pleco's?)
or do they thrive more when in a group? getting them to the food was one of my worries as well,
although the sterbai's can hardly be described as pushy. so far it has been fine, and they have
been able to get their share. loved your article on them!

[krazyGeoff]

Hi,
I have found them to be more shy when in a species only tank.

Perhaps that is their natural behaviour ?

One of the reasons that I like the JBL Novo Fect is that it breaks up and goes all around the tank, so they find it as they are looking around. Also it kind of acts like a burley trail, as people would use when fishing.

They also like the skin of zucchini

Cheers