Top Ten things not to do with a Zebra Pleco.

[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

[Rob]

I will start it off.

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

[John]

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

Don't try to ride your zebrapleco, use a regular zebra for that purpose.

[Jacqueline]

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

And don't try to make a zebra eat cucumber.....they're not vegetarians....

[har_eh]

Great that this is actually being made

- Don't keep zebras with loaches

[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!!

[mikeyboy]

expencive fish finger rob
never breed with snub nose our deformaties

[Joby]

Don't just have one, they are better in a group

[Stevie.K]

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

Remember to feed your Zebra plecos.

[har_eh]

don't keep em for the wrong reasons (cuz you want to make easy money)

[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.

[John]

There are two types of zebras. One is white with black stripes while the other is black with white stripes.

I wonder if a checkerboard hybrid would be a possibility crossbreeding those 2 species

[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

[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.