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Just got these guys from a local supplier:

3x L264


Same fish closer up


L226 - not coming out from hiding yet



The L226 is the first panaque that I've owned and the local supplier has plenty, so if it works out, I might pick up a few more. With the L264, I understood that they are more social and have been bred, so I was hoping to see if I could try my hand at breeding, but so far, they don't even hang out with each other. Everyone is in his/her own corner so to speak. But still, very cool fish.

Hey, some nice photos of some good lookin' fish

Thanks. I'm trying to get beyond Bristlenose and Gibbiceps and into more exotic ones.

Currently, in mixed tanks (I don't have any catfish only tanks -yet), I have L128, L129, L201, and now the L226 and L264.

Very nice looking fish, I hope they settle without any problems.

The L264 were a breeze. I know for sure 2 of them are eating. The third one I am keeping an eye on. The L226 tore up his tail a bit when I was getting him into the tank, but is now eating a nice chunk of Yam.

beautiful! very nice picture taking skills also!

Nice fish.

--
Mats

Absolutely beautiful!!

Nice fish is right. Nice pics too. What camera did you use?

Pat

Nikon D5000 with the 28-55 kit lens. No flash at ISO2500.

I've been really impressed with this camera. The more I learn, the better the camera gets (obviously, my skill is the limiting factor so far).

That L264 is pretty stunning. Do they really have a bluish tint, or is that just lighting?

I don't know if they normally have a bluish tint, but in my tank with 10000k and full spectrum lighting, they have a light blue tinge. I think the fact that the tank is full planted and has overhangs and lots of nooks and crannies make them more comfortable and colour up more too. I know they look a lot better than at the seller's house which was barebottomed with driftwood.

Here is the tank I have them in:

Ok, thanks, I have sunpac 10k full spectrum, so would probably look the same... hmmn, they're lovely. Need more room.

Yep, they would definitely look about the same with a 10000K bulb. Make some room. You'll love them.

I love ANY kind of Royal. I have never seen the ones you have now. I really wish we could have some type of mini royal so I could put one in my nano.

Yes, I've been lusting after a Royal for some time also. The seller has a couple of L418's right now that are about 5 inches and I was thinking of getting one. I was really keen on getting an L191 though.

Dude. Nice tank.

Thanks. But after seeing Haavard's build, I'm humbled and now I want to start a new tank.

The L226 is finally starting to come out to "play". Here's a full body shot of him upside down:



I'm really starting to like this guy. They're really interesting fish.

glad you like them.

I think you are waiting for a L191 dull eye royal. L91 is three beacon; not a panaque.

charles wrote:glad you like them.

I think you are waiting for a L191 dull eye royal. L91 is three beacon; not a panaque.

Yep. I am. You misread. L191 is the one I want.

i need my glass or you edit it

Great looking new fish and against that rock work they look like they belong there.
Colourful tank and it's good to see dollars in with all that greenery. Is that just a mas of java fern? How long you had that set up? Did it all root well to wood and rock?

Flyfisher wrote:Great looking new fish and against that rock work they look like they belong there.
Colourful tank and it's good to see dollars in with all that greenery. Is that just a mas of java fern? How long you had that set up? Did it all root well to wood and rock?

Yeah, the only way for the greens to survive is for it to grow faster then the SD's can rip it up. You can't see it well, but I have 2 types of Java Fern and 2 type of Anubias attached to wood, rocks, and in one case, that ceramic stump on the right. I found very quickly which plants can survive the onslaught of the SD's and which could not. Some plants were stripped bare overnight. I have have a couple of Echinodorus in the back, some jungle and corkscrew val on the left, but you can't tell very well, since in the lower light at the bottom of tank, the growth is slow enough that they are like dwarf plants.

This tank is about 4 years old now. The growth was adequate, but not lush like this, until I injected CO2 via a 20 lb cylinder, starting about 3 years ago. There are 4 x 36" Coralife T5 lighting running as two sets (front and back)) on two timers (full lights for 6 hours, twilight for about 3 hours).

The only problem with the rockwork is that there are plenty of hiding places in the back so sometimes I don't see the catfish for days when the lights are on.

I have added some Javas to my tank and theyve been in for about 3 or 4 weeks now. So far, the dollars don't seem to want them, infact they've not showed interest in another soft leaf plant i put in, that a guy in the LFS said they'd eat straight away. They did nibble for a day or two, then nothing. Maybe the Black Bar variety don't eat greens as much as the others? I don't know, but i like the look of the ferns and i'd be hoping to put some huge ones in my next tank as well as a plant called onion plant which apparently dollars don't eat.
I know what you mean about rock work and the catfish. I only have one plec and she pokes her head out occasionally and comes out to feed, but not every time. I've often though about cutting rocks so that they have a perfectly flat side and perhaps glueing them to to the back of the tank and piling them up so that all the cracks and crevices are open to the front looking in.
Do the dolars touch the Jungle and corkscrew valis?

These plants are recommended for a cichlid tank as they are supposed to taste horribly to them. I would assume that they would have the same taste to all plant eating fish.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/plants_102.php You may have to enter the link manually as it doesnt work without the word cichlid in it.

hth,
Patrick

Flyfisher wrote:I've often though about cutting rocks so that they have a perfectly flat side and perhaps glueing them to to the back of the tank and piling them up so that all the cracks and crevices are open to the front looking in.
Do the dolars touch the Jungle and corkscrew valis?

See the thread in Tank Talk about the 1320 L tank build. That thing is a work of art! He did exactly that.

The SD's do eat the Jungle and corkscrew vals, but with CO2 injecting, they grow so fast it doesn't matter. In my high light, CO2 20 gallon, the Jungle Vals grow > 1 inch per day, so I just keep harvesting them and putting them in my 125 gallon.

As for the java fern and anubias tasting bad, don't count on it. If there is not enough greens, my SD's will eat both. To prevent it, you can always put in Romaine lettuce and spinach. They seem to love those and fill up on them.

Added a few more to my collection lately:

2 of these (he didn't have any more available - will definitely get more when they're available):


2 of these (may or may not add more):



Just added 5 of these guys today, so the colours are not great, but they have full tummy's from the seller and the finnage will heal (they were squabbling in the holding tank):



I'm hoping the colour will improve as my 2 incher did, day by day, once they are acclimatized.

Nice set of new fishes. The Baryancistrus in the first picture looks really nice. Expensive?

--
Mats

Great purchase! L200 are one of my fave looking plecs. The one in the second pic is a
stunner! Is that a high fin version of this fish? And was it labelled and priced accordingly? From what I've read, these fish vary so much in colour, but I'm not sure how much they colour up As they reach a certain size, but hopefully you'll notice a colour change more relating to acclimatising to their new home soon anyway. As you're probably aware these and L128 seem to be thought of as the same breed, where colour difference comes from whereabouts on the river system they originally came from. Blues from northern and colder water, yellowy greens from southern warmer water. All inbetween offers us just about every shade of yellow/green/blue available. I'm intersted to hear how these fish settle in and how they behave compared to your other plecs.
Once again, great photos!
I checked out that tank build and yes that's exactly what I'd had in mind for rockwork. I was even more impressed with his caves and his twigs coming in from above. Very cool and imaginitive set up!