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So in about 5 or 6 hours I will be receiving my first shipment from a wholesaler that was placed primarily to get the L168 Butterfly's (Dekeyseria brachyura/Zonancistrus brachyura) since I couldn't find any available anywhere else. The L052's were available if I searched hard enough but not the L168 so the wife in her infinite insanity said we could buy a used tank and stand and eventually set it up as a planted tank after we get rid of the excess Butterfly's (had to make a minimum order cost).

So we saved out the old aged water from the 55g that we had setup that was mainly tetras, mollies and guppies and used some of it to jumpstart the new tank. We also switched from the blue gravel that I loved so much when we setup the 55g to a more naturalistic small gravel base with fine gravel/large sand (I say it looks like fine gravel, the wife says it looks like large sand LOL). Large piece of bogwood in the middle and a nice piece of lavarock with Java Moss banded to it to give the Cherry Shrimp a place to hide and breed (which they do well) on the right side. We have more plants on the way to build it up aesthetically and give the schoolers more security but the eventual plan is to have the left side of the tank built up more with larger rocks and wood and hiding places for the 2-3 L168's we intend to keep as well as more places for the shrimp to hide.

My question is what the best temporary hiding places would be for these guys that can be put in quick. I have seen the pics on the species page that show what looks like terra cotta tiles or pipe sections (maybe they are plant pot pieces) but would imagine they need to be sealed or they turn to mush. My current thought is PVC pipe but I am unsure if this would cause any problems to the water and am not really thinking of much else.

Any help? We have a dozen of them coming and plan to split them up between the new and old tank for now. Probably 4 in the new 29g and 8 in the 55g.

Personally I would like to keep a larger group (6ish) and try to breed them (especially with the new Brazil rules that look like it would seek to eliminate L052 exports since they are Dekeyseria sp.) but as understanding as she is, the wife isn't THAT understanding.

Anyways, any good suggestions?

Thanks

Todd, Puget Sound, WA

You can decorate and use pot shards large enough to make more caves, a piece of drift wood,too than there are plecos but make this an otherwise bare tank, provide pre-aged sponge filter, small powerhead and an air stone. Add only the fish to the prepared tank, not any of the water in the shipping bags. Dot not acclimate anything except to approximately the same temperatures. Then net each fish and drop it in this tank.
Watch them for 24 hours and treat for emerging diseases like Ich. Then treat them with the recommend does of metroniadzol, prazaquantel and 5% fubendazol. This is a parasite eradication procedure for all internal and external multicelluar parasites. This parascide purge removes a huge physical stressor when the fish are at their weakest.

Set this quarantine tank first. After 4 weeks, if the fish are eating well and show no signs of disease, plop them into their final home.

If you want quick & easy caves - ordinary crock (terracota) flowerpots from a garden centre. A quick rinse in hot water (remove any sticky label residue) & you're away! You can get 'em in a variety of sizes & they can be kept whole or broken into halves or have entrances put into the sides - whatever you like best.

You can change these to what you really want when you get them at a later date.

Terracotta pots or tiles do not need to be sealed in any way. They won't turn into mush in your tank, ever.

pLaurent1251 wrote:... They won't turn into mush in your tank, ever.

If they spent enough time in the proper oven