hello from London...some help too please?

victorialondon · Post by **victorialondon** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 1:29 pm

Hi from North London all, Lovely site!
I am a fan of catfish generally, and since seeing a zebra pleco on the age of aquarium's galery section, I have been quite keen to aquire one!
Does anyone know of somewhere in London where I can purchase one of these beauties?! if you do would you know how much they are going for? I have spoken to a shop that occasionally have them in, but are selling them in excess of £300! I know they are not easy to come by but surely somewhere sells them for less?!
Even if I have to travel outside of london I don't mind, but I'm not really willing to pay quite that much for one!
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Plastic Mac · Post by **Plastic Mac** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 1:49 pm

Hi Victoria,

Welcome to the forums.

Are you loooking to breed them or just aquire one? With the problems that are facing L46 anyone looking to own one should really also be looking to breed them...(IMO)
If your serious about wanting to get hold of one the best thing to do is keep an eye out here...or check aquarists classifieds and ebay.
On ebay at the moment there are two for sale with a buy it now price of £250...could be worth a go?

Otherwise, frequent these boards and with a little patience and you'll probably be rewarded fairly soon.

Once again, welcome to the forums.

Dukerider.

Where abouts in London are you and which shop occassionally gets them in?...it wouldn't be Wildwoods would it?

snr69 · Post by **snr69** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 1:54 pm

Victoria,

Hi --- I agree --- just keep an eye out, they pop up in all sorts of places. I have picked up 14 over the past few months... some from people on here, some from local newpapers, ebay etc.... even one from an advert selling a complete aquarium setup that just happened to have one in

Simon
Good luck !

victorialondon · Post by **victorialondon** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 2:26 pm

Ah thanks for your replies people. Yes plastic mac it would be Wildwoods. Why do you ask?
I am located in 2 places lol, barnet and hornsey.
Yes, I suppose I would be interested in breeding them, but admittedly (sp?!) that wasn't my initial plan although I never have bred any type of catfish before, only live-bearers!
I am interested in conserving the species, so, if I do have success with rearing one, I would happily add to my collection and start breeding. I have already read one of the articles on it!

Plastic Mac · Post by **Plastic Mac** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 2:36 pm

I was just wondering as Wildwoods is the only place that I know that occassioanlly stocks L46...and they're asking outrageous prices. Last time I checked they were offering medium size ones for £395!

I'm located in St.Albans so I'm often down at Wildwoods and am always interested in knowing any other places that stock L46 in the area.

Well if your interested in breeding them then you'll also find here, other than a great source of info, more help than you'd ever require!
Everyone here is extremely helpful and knowledgable so if you decide to get into breeding them then help is never far away.

Good luck in finding some.

Dukerider.

victorialondon · Post by **victorialondon** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 2:41 pm

Drat I had hoped you were going to give me some priceless info there Plastic Mac!!
Are there any decent fish shops up near you? Big ones like wildwoods? Prob not! Can't seem to find anywhere decent in N London other than wildwoods, and they are expensive and specialise in African Cichlids, whereas I prefer South American cichlids. Anyhoo, Its not like I need any more fish really! Just want me a zebra or 10 lol.

Plastic Mac · Post by **Plastic Mac** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 2:54 pm

There are a couple of decent shops...there's a maidenhead aquatics in North London (near the bottom of the A1) which was a great shop....I say was as I haven't been in there since they stopped selling marines. Last time I checked they still had a large tropical section which was well worth a look.

There's also a new maidenhead aquatics opened up near me, in St.Albans which has a great selection of fish.

Both have pretty decent cichlids sections although I have no idea whether they are African or South American...cichlids aren't my thing really.

You could also try Wholesale tropicals (020 8297 4199) in Bethnal Green (220 Bethnal Green Road London E2 0AA). I don't know what their cichlid selection is like but they generally always have a good catfish selection...and it's also the only other shop in the area which occasssioanlly stock L46.

If your up for buying bulk L46, ie ten in one go, then it certainly gives you more chance of being able to find some..is that a possibility?

victorialondon · Post by **victorialondon** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 9:36 am

I wish! I don't have tank space for those kind of numbers right now! I think I would like 3-4 with one male and 2-3 females. But as they are very expensive I may have to add them as I go along. I mean, the holiday I am going on next week costs less than one of these fellas! I have got my heart set on them though, so where there is a will there is a way!

madmoroccan · Post by **madmoroccan** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 6:44 pm

Hi guys... I too am from the Hertfordshire area (Hatfield). Just thought I'd say hi, I am on the verge of buying some L46's though if I am honest I must really learn more about them, and raise the cash.

Speaking of which, I came across an L46 breeder in Stevenage in Aquarist classifieds... tho, the listing is quite old.

Let me know how you guys get on with the purchase and if you are willing to trade (later on) to prevent inbreeding (nothing worse than a plec that drinks moonshine, and sleeps with it's sister!)

Kind regards

Bader

Plastic Mac · Post by **Plastic Mac** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 9:36 am

Hey someone just up the road!

Hi Bader,

Welcome to the fourms. Incidentally, there's some juveniles L46's for sale at Wildwoods at the moment...no doubt expensive though.

Plastic Mac

madmoroccan · Post by **madmoroccan** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 2:23 pm

No doubt they will be extortionately expensive!

Oh well...

Maybe we should club together and buy a batch, just like I read somewhere else on this forum... Would create a saving, no?

Kind regards

Bader

Piper · Post by **Piper** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 9:15 pm

Hello all, just found this forum looks great.

I live in Enfield so wildwoods is my LFS. Went there on the weekend and im sure they had l046 priced up at £150. None in stock tho

Group buy would interest me looking for 3-6

Plastic Mac · Post by **Plastic Mac** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 10:20 am

Hi Piper,

Another one just down the road from me.

So it looks lieke they've finally sold the last few zebra's WildWoods had then. Last time I was in there, I spoke to someone staring into the zebra tank...and also noticed 5 (i think) had been reserved for someone. Turned out the person I was speaking to was the person who had reserved them and was just turning up to collect them for his newly built fish house...so it only left a couple in the tank and I'm not surprised they've been sold by now.

What do you mean by a group buy?..you want to buy a group of zebs or you want mutilple buyers to buy a group?
If it's the latter do you know where you want to buy from?

Welcome to the forums, you'll find everyone is very knowedgable and helpful, so anything you need to know just ask.

Plastic Mac

Piper · Post by **Piper** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 8:59 pm

Its the latter one Mac, was thinking if we did a large group buy (london area) area it coudld save us all some money.

No idea on where to get them from though, i've only just started to look into zebras as a viable purchase. Although if we could find a seller willing to part with 20+ young ones im sure we could get a good price.

Plastic Mac · Post by **Plastic Mac** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 9:26 am

Hi Piper,

I'm not sure there are any sellers in the London area with 20+ young for sale. If your serious about it you could try bluectriscal, he's a member of this site and often has ones for sale in the 'commercial' forum. Only downside is he is in Germany, but it's not too mcuh of a problem. I had a couple shipped over form him last year and they arrived fine, still doing well. Only a couple of weeks ago he had 26 for sale on ebay, he could be worth a try?

Plastic