Leporacanthicus cf. galaxias size at maturity?

kkorotev · Post by **kkorotev** » 15 Oct 2005, 21:30

I recently found a nearly dead 6" Leporacanthicus cf. galaxias in a tank with 5 others. It had been brutalized by one of the other inhabitants. I am suspecting this as a sexual/territorial dispute among fish I thought a bit too small and immature to fight.
Does anyone have experience with this fish and know the size at which they might be big enough to "set-up" for spawning? Yes, I have already read the decription in the Cat-elog.

Kevin Korotev
Milwaukee, WI
USA

Post by **Shane** » 15 Oct 2005, 21:57

Kevin,
It may depend on the sp. DATZ lists 25 cm for both L 240 and L 241. Some loricariids are sexually mature at just over 50 percent grown. I can only say that I saw 100s of these pass through exporters in Bogota and never saw one close to 25 cm. I am not saying they can not get that big. I have just never seen a wild caught specimen that big. I would suspect them to be very capable of reproducing at 16 cm or 6 inches.
Just to point this out, I caught 100s of Ancistrus brevifilis in Venezuela and spawned them in my fishroom. My largest males were around 5 in. TL and the females slightly smaller. I was sure this was about the maximum adult size. Towards the end of my time in Venezuela I walked into a pet store that was selling some local fishes someone had brought in. There was a 9 inch TL male A. brevifilis among them. I had thought mine were large adult males because they were spawning away but it turned out they were only just over half grown.
-Shane

kkorotev · Post by **kkorotev** » 19 Oct 2005, 00:43

Thanks, Shane. Your response encourages me.

Anders · Post by **Anders** » 23 Oct 2005, 12:42

Your 6" Galaxia may most certainly be mature.
At a local fish shop there is a pair frequently breeding in a 25 gallon tank. The male is about 5-6" and the female
about 4-5". But of course, the size when they mature, depends on their natural full grown size, but also on
their living conditions, such as food and space etc.

/Anders

YouTube · Post by **Jools** » 23 Oct 2005, 12:56

I'm just about to post another pic of the juvenile L240 at 11 months old. The parents are also pictured on the page.

Jools

LDA19 · Post by **LDA19** » 24 Oct 2005, 02:16

Hi Kevin. I am sorry to hear about your loss! Just out of curiosity what size tank do you keep them in? Dimensions and Gallons.