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i found a very beautiful L091 in my lfs today. i put him on hold for 24 hours so that i could decide if i want to get him, but i'm leaning towards yes. but i want to ask for everyone's advice and experience with them before i do.

he's about 4-5" right now. he's been in the store for about three weeks. the clerk did not know if he's been eating, he's never fed it personally. we moved his house to check his belly if he'd eaten, but his stomach was flat. not sunken, just flat.

so what's everyone's experience with these plecs? i'm very frightened to get him since i just lost my L128 because he wouldn't eat when i brought him home. this one looks good, with no stress coloration and clear eyes, with a flat belly. but i'm concered that no one's seen him eat. he clerk said that he would watch him tonight at feeding to see if he's eaten.

what's been other's experience with this plec? does it aclimate well to captivity? i know feeding is veggies, algae and spriulina tabs, bloodworms, etc. right? is there a prefered food to help them eat when they're first brought home?

also, can this plec be happy in a tank that's at 83 degrees with discus as tankmates?

they're asking $50 US for him, is that a fair price?

thanks!!!

amy

Hi there!

I just bought an L091 Three-Beacon Pleco exactly a month ago. Its the same size as that you are describing. but my L091 is very active when it comes to feeding time. Often I would see its belly full. As for its colouration, it could turn black or very light brown easily, depending upon its mood.

I guess it would be safe to wait and see if it would feed regularly. It isn't as shy as other plecos, so maybe it is still trying to adapt to its new environment.

I think the price is quite good. Here they are much more expensive.

hi L91 are very beautiful and that they are always exported to japan

Amy,
I would say that L 91 is a pretty easy fish to maintain. The only negative characteristic about the species is that they can be aggressive. I placed four L 91, each aboout 4 inches SL, with three L 200, each about 7 inches SL, and the L 91 really beat the L 200s up bad. They jump on the L 200's sides with those fang teeth and "bite." There is no real damage, but the L 200 are stressed and scratched up after a week in the same tank. You should have no problem maintaining L 91 with Discus as L 91 comes from the upper Orinoco. I also do not think that this pleco would bother Discus since they are not fighting for the same niche in the aquarium.
-Shane

thanks for all the responses! this will be the only plec in the tank, so i don't think that there will be an aggression issue. there is a shoal of 6 clown loaches in there, would they cause a problem?

also, what is the best diet for them?

But said to me that, panaque is the easy fish.

I have several kind of panaque, in five years time, I has not lost any Panaque.

My country had in three years ago imports the about 15 centimeter L191, at that time I to buy it, approximately current had 23 centimeters, at that time his tail still has the white half moon shape color, but faded along with the growth, he now was the growth gradually pacifies slowly.

Under is his about two years ago the picture.

http://eheim-uk.com/planetcatfish/galle ... 66?&page=2

Sorry, I have not paid attention to this article discuss L091, is not L191.

Really very much was sorry.

well i gave in and couldn't help myself. i got him for $42 US...



he's about 9cm, i just measured him. he's the oddest plec i've ever had. he couldn't care less that i'm around. he goes in and out of stress coloration, although that's a bit expected this early in his habituation. but he really couldn't care if i go near the tank, or even if i rub his side. he just raises his fins and looks annoyed, but doesn't seem to be bothered enough to move. i gave him some cucumber for tonight, but i'm not sure if he'll eat it. i checked his belly before i got him, and it was round, he'd eaten an algae tab last night.

okay another question about this guy...

i gave him a piece of cucumber, but he wasn't interested. so i tried a spirulina disk, and he ate the whole thing! so at least i know that he's eating.

but his color is still very off. he's almost a gray color rather than the black. he seems to go back and forth between the two colorations. is this normal or should i be concerned?

he also doesn't seem to like the cave in there, but i don't have anything extra lying around that he would fit in. in his permanent home there's plenty of places for him to hide. he doesn't really move all that much, he just sits there and looks around. is this normal behavior for this species? he's so odd in that he doesn't move at all!

hi I think u should give your plec some tym to settle down, maybe its just a little stressed out thats the reason that its true color isnt out yet

Pooks,

My L091 does not move much in the tank either. When I first put him in, he ravaged the entire tank kicking other plecos out of their caves and finally settling on digging under a flat rock that was leaning on a round one. I only see his tail, all day, every day, I am sure that it is fine! Mine does not, however stay in the open and takes off like a wild one if he sees you.

Very aggressive, fiesty fish!!

Here are some pictures of my L-091 when it is SPOOKED!
Normally it has a charcoal black colouration...

Ena, your L091 looks like it has seen a ghost! (Just kidding)

There's a variant of L091 with more red colouration on its dorsal fin, known commonly as the dragon fin. Its very nice and rare!

hi is this a morph of the true L91? the redder fins?

The pictures at http://keruzou.hp.infoseek.co.jp/pineapple/l.html