Greetings from the colonies.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 8:23 pm

Rob!
congratulations on the site, it was only a matter of time . I'm just surprised it took me this long to find- well Barbie pointed me in the right direction with a stick

You certainly have a diverse group here from many places and hopefully it will spark the supply of captiveraised zebras.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 8:27 pm

Oh , I'm on the east side and for some reason I got the username "Guest" ?? Really surprised since I thought it was already taken.

Trying to breed the L-046s - at the "cold RO showers" stage right now (not that I have any idea how it is going to provoke any romantic feelings)

No success yet but I can tell that there are plenty of people in the same boat here so I am happy to have found this support group.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 8:46 pm

Hi "Guest"

Glad you found us! Hope you find the site useful, and yes, you're right there is quite a diverse bunch here. It's a really friendly forum, so I'm sure you'll love it!

As for your username, if you didn't already register one, then you must put it in your profile.

Also, if you didn't log on when you made the post it will come up as guest. If this is the case, click the "log me in" box when you sign in.

cheers

rob

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 4:13 am

Actually I love to be a guest - can I have some more scones and jam?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 4:17 am

I actually had a trying night as my last pleco order didn't contain what I ordered at all and another one didn't even get shipped - just cancelled.

Does there appear to be a shortage of plecos regulated by the PPEC?

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 8:58 am

Not sure mate

L46 is certainly restricted at the moment, but not sure about the others. but I wouldn't have thought so,.

From the members list I take you are either inxs or anders!!

rob

INXS · Post by **INXS** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:35 pm

OK - finally figured out how to log on.

Yes - they are restricted , however it was an order placed and paid for about 3 months ago. At least I don't have to worry about finding more tankspace.

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:58 pm

Welcome INXS,

Nice to see another new member join us.

Sorry to hear that you're having problems getting L46s, it would appear that supplies are drying up. I've been let down a couple of times, cancelled orders, orders that don't arrive etc. Good luck with your hunt for L46.

Adam

Post by **Barbie** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 4:20 pm

A wholesaler I've used for years emailed me a few days ago to say that Brazil has stopped all exports of zebras now. There will be no more wild caught ones. I hadn't asked him about the rumors, he was just wanting to make sure he got in line for fry, I think. Really would be nice if there was a way to confirm all this. I bought my first zebras from them years ago, and they've been managing to carry them all the way through all the gossip about it, but they were definitely not on their list now.

Oh yeah, welcome to the board INXS *grin*. Glad to see you figured out how to log on finally! *ducks*

Barbie

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 5:10 pm

Barbie,
You are just all over the boards this morning huh.

You liked the one about the "new part of the river" on PC

They do look like L-253s though - problem is that sending them back would cost more then buing new ones.

SO this morning I broke a 100 TDS on the spawning tanks - well almost.
Albino ancistrus are at 87 with the female looking like a baloon, 90 on the QAs at least two males are hanging their butts out and doing the "come and get it wiggle" while the plump looking females are circling and finally the zebras are down to 105 . I added both groups together so there are now 13 in there . Also added yet another powerhead (4 total) and a number of caves and logs - if they don't get it together now they never will. And yes - I did drop the temp about 7 degrees.

Question - how long do I maintain the tanks like this (low TDS)? - when should I look to do the next waterchange ? What hardness water should I use?
Also , Barbie since you have both the L-260s and L-046s spawning, though females of both species seem ripe with eggs the QAs look much more plump or fat then the zebra girls. Is that normal or should they have basically the same shape?

Thanks

INXS · Post by **INXS** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 5:12 pm

Damn - I'm back to being a guest. Usually you can't post on boards unless you log in - I have to remember that.

Post by **Barbie** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 2:53 am

Just set the board to remember you each time, POOF, end of problem

Stop doing the RO changes. What I do, is test the pH every 2 or 3 days. If it starts to fall, I do a tap water 20% water change. Then 4 or 5 days later I do another one. You'll be amazed to find how that will creep the TDS back up. I think I was doing them too often for the L260 when I started. You can go as long as a week usually without any noticable change, and if the pH isn't getting below 6.5, the fish usually won't even act like they noticed.

I now do primarily tap water changes, unless I know the females look prime to spawn and the male has fattened back up again. Then I do a couple big, cold, soft water changes and POOF, in a few days they spawn. I think the 7 day long rainy season was definitely necessary to get them going in the beginning though.

You've seen the pics of my zebras. Hell Janne said all mine were female they were so fat, if you remember. Hard for me to say if the females HAVE to look that way though. Mine tend to be hard to tell which one just spawned at times. I've actually stopped feeding them quite as well, but they're still maintaining their condition.

Barbie