Top Ten things not to do with a Zebra Pleco.

Everything you ever wanted to say about "Zebra luvin", but didn't because you thought everyone would take the mickey! Plus general topics for discussion including everything from what you feed them to your personal experiences.

Post Reply
User avatar
Rob
Hypan-guru!
Posts: 1568
Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2004 11:50 am
Location: Southwest Scotland
Contact:

Top Ten things not to do with a Zebra Pleco.

Post by Rob »

Hi Everyone

har_eh has come with this idea so full credit goes there. We are going to create a simple post that is attached to the top of the General Care & Breeding Forum as a sticky, stating the 10 things you shouldn't do with a zebra.

I would suggest that anyone who has an idea, should reply to this post with a one line suggestion.

These will then be put into a poll to get the top 10.

:-) Lets have one serious suggestion, and one, just for a laugh! That said, obviously keep it clean :-)

Rob
The perfect white lie..."Of course I didn't pay that much for the fish honey"
User avatar
Rob
Hypan-guru!
Posts: 1568
Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2004 11:50 am
Location: Southwest Scotland
Contact:

Re: Top Ten things not to do with a Zebra Pleco.

Post by Rob »

I will start it off.

1. Try not to feed fry under 1" (2.5cm) in length blood worm.

:-)
The perfect white lie..."Of course I didn't pay that much for the fish honey"
User avatar
John
Moderator
Posts: 1612
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:58 pm
Location: Hellevoetsluis / Holland
Contact:

Re: Top Ten things not to do with a Zebra Pleco.

Post by John »

Don't feed beefheartmix, it can cause indigestion problems.

Don't try to ride your zebrapleco, use a regular zebra for that purpose.
Greetings,
John
[img]http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x276/hypancistrus-zebra/half.gif[/img]
Jacqueline
Groupie
Posts: 85
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2010 2:31 pm
Location: Ede, Holland

Re: Top Ten things not to do with a Zebra Pleco.

Post by Jacqueline »

Don't let the water cool down to low, they don't like that!
Zebra's like warm waters :luw:

And don't try to make a zebra eat cucumber.....they're not vegetarians....
har_eh
Moderator
Posts: 176
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2008 6:35 pm
Location: Antwerp, Belgium

Re: Top Ten things not to do with a Zebra Pleco.

Post by har_eh »

Great that this is actually being made :)

- Don't keep zebras with loaches
User avatar
Rob
Hypan-guru!
Posts: 1568
Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2004 11:50 am
Location: Southwest Scotland
Contact:

Re: Top Ten things not to do with a Zebra Pleco.

Post by Rob »

Just for a laugh:

Don't tell your 4 year old son that you would need at least 10 of them to make a decent sized fish finger!!
The perfect white lie..."Of course I didn't pay that much for the fish honey"
mikeyboy
Obsessed!!
Posts: 135
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 10:23 pm
Location: skelmersdale

Re: Top Ten things not to do with a Zebra Pleco.

Post by mikeyboy »

:loldude: expencive fish finger rob :lol:
never breed with snub nose our deformaties
Last edited by mikeyboy on Tue Oct 12, 2010 12:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Joby
Mentally Certified!
Posts: 466
Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2008 10:22 am
Location: Wolverhampton UK

Re: Top Ten things not to do with a Zebra Pleco.

Post by Joby »

Don't just have one, they are better in a group :)
Stevie.K
Mentally Certified!
Posts: 539
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:17 pm
Location: East Yorkshire

Re: Top Ten things not to do with a Zebra Pleco.

Post by Stevie.K »

Don't keep Zebras in sluggish water, they need very clean, fast flowing & well oxygenated water.

Remember to feed your Zebra plecos. :lol:
har_eh
Moderator
Posts: 176
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2008 6:35 pm
Location: Antwerp, Belgium

Re: Top Ten things not to do with a Zebra Pleco.

Post by har_eh »

don't keep em for the wrong reasons (cuz you want to make easy money) ;)
User avatar
TwoTankAmin
Moderator
Posts: 1252
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 2:16 am
Location: Westchester Co., NY

Re: Top Ten things not to do with a Zebra Pleco.

Post by TwoTankAmin »

Don't keep Zebras in sluggish water, they need very clean, fast flowing & well oxygenated water.
I do not agree with 2 out of 3 things stated here. Yes zebras do need well oxygenated water, however they actually thrive in dirty water and only a lower flow is really needed. During the dry season the water is not so clean and zebras do just fine. Fry start out in the cleaner water of the rainy season but that is soon followed by the next dry one. As for high flow, plecos are well adapted to live in it, however, this does not mean they need it. Plecos spawn in caves for a number of reasons, one of which is the shelter it provides from the fast flowing water.

One of the most experienced breeders of hypancistrus I have talked with, one who has spawned more of them than anybody else I have met, runs mostly sponge filters in his tanks. Sponges will never generate high flow rates.


There are two types of zebras. One is white with black stripes while the other is black with white stripes. :wink:
What makes the common person uncommon is common sense.
User avatar
John
Moderator
Posts: 1612
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:58 pm
Location: Hellevoetsluis / Holland
Contact:

Re: Top Ten things not to do with a Zebra Pleco.

Post by John »

TwoTankAmin wrote: There are two types of zebras. One is white with black stripes while the other is black with white stripes. :wink:
I wonder if a checkerboard hybrid would be a possibility crossbreeding those 2 species :mrgreen:
Greetings,
John
[img]http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x276/hypancistrus-zebra/half.gif[/img]
User avatar
Rob
Hypan-guru!
Posts: 1568
Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2004 11:50 am
Location: Southwest Scotland
Contact:

Re: Top Ten things not to do with a Zebra Pleco.

Post by Rob »

Hi everyone, Just thought I would add in another to bump this back up :-)

"Use a turkey baster to suck up stray eggs"

"Don't put the turkey baster back in the drawer without first giving it a bit of a rinse" :-)

Rob
The perfect white lie..."Of course I didn't pay that much for the fish honey"
User avatar
Jools
Site Admin
Posts: 167
Joined: Sun Jul 17, 2005 9:57 pm
Location: Bathgate, Scotland, UK

Re: Top Ten things not to do with a Zebra Pleco.

Post by Jools »

Serious:
  • Buy illegally imported ones.
    Keep them with other plecos, catfishes (mostly) and loaches (it can be done, but it doesn't benefit the zebra and, well, just why!).
    Give more than one thing not to do with them.
Not Serious:
  • Expect to see them
    Agree with any other keeper on how to keep them
    Wonder how much an albino one is worth and get out the tippex.
Post Reply