Hey everyone; I found this site after searching for information on Zebra pleco's. I'm a moderator over at Aquatic Plant Central (dedicated towards aquascaping with plants) and a regular at Planted Tank and Reef Central, but this is the first forum I joined which is dedicated specifically to one magnificent species! Great site!
PS: Why is this forum so 'dead'? I mean it is not as active as all of the other forums online. I don't mean to offend, I just wish it was more active.
A Fellow Zebra Pleco Lover
Hi Raul-7
Welcome to the forum!!! Yes it is a bit quiet today, but it does pick up. Plus the site is still in it's early days, although members are increasing at about 30 per month, so give us another 6 months or so.
Due to the fact that it is a specialist site, there is obviously a limited audience, but we're getting there.
Anyway, I'm one to talk, we recently had a wee Boy, so this is my first chance to visit the site in about a week!!
We have a couple members who are into their planted tanks. I must admit it is something I have never had a huge amount of luck with, so I may well end up picking your brains!!!!!
Well, enjoy the forum, and I will no doubt speak to you soon!!!
Rob
Welcome to the forum!!! Yes it is a bit quiet today, but it does pick up. Plus the site is still in it's early days, although members are increasing at about 30 per month, so give us another 6 months or so.
Due to the fact that it is a specialist site, there is obviously a limited audience, but we're getting there.
Anyway, I'm one to talk, we recently had a wee Boy, so this is my first chance to visit the site in about a week!!
We have a couple members who are into their planted tanks. I must admit it is something I have never had a huge amount of luck with, so I may well end up picking your brains!!!!!
Well, enjoy the forum, and I will no doubt speak to you soon!!!
Rob
The perfect white lie..."Of course I didn't pay that much for the fish honey"
Raul,
welcome to the forum glad you finally found your way into this small but growing site, to answer your question about why the site is so dead due to the fact that it is mostly dedicated to one specie maybe two or three but that is still questionable, not like planted tanks or reef where you have a vast array of species and equipments not to mention lighting water quality and tank set-up you almost have to be a rocket scientist just to get started. ZebraPleco.com has Just about answered all the basic questions if you just use the search feature, here are some of the basic question that you normally encounter:
1. How to sex the fish and or what is the gender of my fish.
2. What size and How old do they start breeding
3. What is the best tank set-up to breed the fish (tank size, water temp., Ph, Conductivity, TDS, Flow Rate and so on)
4. What tank mates can I mix them with
5. To leave or not to leave the fry with the parents
6. What food to feed adults and new born fry and when to start feeding the fry (live or prepared food)
7. How much do they cost and why they cost that much
8. are they listed in the CITES
9. how many and what sex ratio is best for breeding
10. Where can you buy them
11. will they cross with other species
12. what are the causes of snub nose fry
13. why do the male eat the eggs. "I still cant figure this one out"
14. sand or no sand and what color of sand
15. and the obvious, how to breed this little buggers
I am sure there are still a lot more questions. but so far this is just on top of my head maybe you and the other members can add more. good luck
welcome to the forum glad you finally found your way into this small but growing site, to answer your question about why the site is so dead due to the fact that it is mostly dedicated to one specie maybe two or three but that is still questionable, not like planted tanks or reef where you have a vast array of species and equipments not to mention lighting water quality and tank set-up you almost have to be a rocket scientist just to get started. ZebraPleco.com has Just about answered all the basic questions if you just use the search feature, here are some of the basic question that you normally encounter:
1. How to sex the fish and or what is the gender of my fish.
2. What size and How old do they start breeding
3. What is the best tank set-up to breed the fish (tank size, water temp., Ph, Conductivity, TDS, Flow Rate and so on)
4. What tank mates can I mix them with
5. To leave or not to leave the fry with the parents
6. What food to feed adults and new born fry and when to start feeding the fry (live or prepared food)
7. How much do they cost and why they cost that much
8. are they listed in the CITES
9. how many and what sex ratio is best for breeding
10. Where can you buy them
11. will they cross with other species
12. what are the causes of snub nose fry
13. why do the male eat the eggs. "I still cant figure this one out"
14. sand or no sand and what color of sand
15. and the obvious, how to breed this little buggers
I am sure there are still a lot more questions. but so far this is just on top of my head maybe you and the other members can add more. good luck
Thanks Zebra064! You have a great point there! But there's some that questions that aren't as clear; such as: How do you induce spawning (there are many methods, but is there one that always works)? How long do they live (I've never seen a mentioned lifespan)?
Rob; thanks for your warm welcome! Congrats on the little boy! Sure, I will be more than willing to help you with any questions regarding planted tanks. Just ask away!
Rob; thanks for your warm welcome! Congrats on the little boy! Sure, I will be more than willing to help you with any questions regarding planted tanks. Just ask away!
Hi Raul and welcome to the board.
I hope you enjoy your time here and that you find the information useful.
You're right it can be quiet here at times but things do pick up from time to time, perhaps everyone is busy caring for their zebra fry. Things do heat up sometimes when a contraversial topic comes up, questioning the current maket value of zebras usually does the trick.
The favoured trigger for inducing spawning is to simulate a rainy season, lowering tank temps with cool water changes. Unfortunately there isn't one thing in particular that can be done that guarantees spawning but simulating rainy seasons does seem to yield the most success. As for the life expectancy of zebras there's a thread somewhere of a group of zebras that are fifteen years old and still breeding.
It's great to have a plant expert onboard, I'm planning on setting up a planted tank at some point and I would appreciate some pointers. My previous attempts have been total flops.
Regards.
Adam
I hope you enjoy your time here and that you find the information useful.
You're right it can be quiet here at times but things do pick up from time to time, perhaps everyone is busy caring for their zebra fry. Things do heat up sometimes when a contraversial topic comes up, questioning the current maket value of zebras usually does the trick.
The favoured trigger for inducing spawning is to simulate a rainy season, lowering tank temps with cool water changes. Unfortunately there isn't one thing in particular that can be done that guarantees spawning but simulating rainy seasons does seem to yield the most success. As for the life expectancy of zebras there's a thread somewhere of a group of zebras that are fifteen years old and still breeding.
It's great to have a plant expert onboard, I'm planning on setting up a planted tank at some point and I would appreciate some pointers. My previous attempts have been total flops.
Regards.
Adam
- jerms55555
- Obsessed!!
- Posts: 360
- Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:50 pm
- Location: Los Angeles
Welcome to the board Raul-7!! I am also a member on the Aquatic Plant Central!!! (Great Site for any plant lover!)
ZP has alot of great members!! So dont worry too much about it being dead!! It will pick up!! We are from the same area, I live in glendale, Los Angeles! So do you have any zebras at the moment?
ZP has alot of great members!! So dont worry too much about it being dead!! It will pick up!! We are from the same area, I live in glendale, Los Angeles! So do you have any zebras at the moment?
Raul-7 considering that the fish was first discoverd in 1989 that is about 17 years ago and there are reports of a 15 year old group of fish that are still breeding not to mention that these are wild fish, it is then safe to say that they are about 16-17 years old, just about the time you would put your kids to college I would say that is a very long lived fish.
Once again Adam your right simulating rainy season works wonders but there are post in this forum of fish that never spawned simulating rainy season for months, but spawned when the fish where left alone.
One thing that really matter is the male he controls what the outcome would be, the male picks out the female he would not let a female in his cave if he is not ready or don't like the female, the best male picks out the right cave where the females prefers to spawn, fertility, inexperienced males tend to have more aborted spawns, its is the males who eats the eggs, the males are the onse that kill each other, males mature later.
as soon as you get your first spawn they tend to breed regularly w/out any trigger. Good Luck
Once again Adam your right simulating rainy season works wonders but there are post in this forum of fish that never spawned simulating rainy season for months, but spawned when the fish where left alone.
One thing that really matter is the male he controls what the outcome would be, the male picks out the female he would not let a female in his cave if he is not ready or don't like the female, the best male picks out the right cave where the females prefers to spawn, fertility, inexperienced males tend to have more aborted spawns, its is the males who eats the eggs, the males are the onse that kill each other, males mature later.
as soon as you get your first spawn they tend to breed regularly w/out any trigger. Good Luck
Thanks everyone! It's great that they do have long lifespans, especially when many argue about the initial costs of the fish.
Jerms, I don't have any at the moment. I'm getting ready to setup a 37G cube; but I would really like to have a trio in my empty 20G long. The problem is I can't find any sellers at the moment.
Jerms, I don't have any at the moment. I'm getting ready to setup a 37G cube; but I would really like to have a trio in my empty 20G long. The problem is I can't find any sellers at the moment.