ZebraPleco.com • The complete Hypancistrus zebra resource

Hello everyone,

My first post, great site by the way!

I have recently gone from being self employed, importing and selling South American fish (Piranha) via a website, to looking for a job again. Didn't really like the unpredictable wage! I have sold most of my holding tanks but my fish house is staying put. I would like to still use it as a hobby in my own time. So rather than having to regularly go to airports I decided I will start breeding. No prizes for guessing what species! I have never owned/imported or even "in the flesh" seen one. But they are a great looking fish and with the dwindling numbers maybe I can help somewhat.

I am hoping some suggestions maybe thrown my way as to what I should do for their setup. How maybe I should decorate and how to divide the new recruits up. It may be a few months before I am hunting the fish.

At the moment the fish house I have is as so.

4 of 5'x2'x18" tanks either side of the fish house. Two tanks share the same filter. Making 4 tanks but only 2 filters. They are homemade sump filters and have around 8x turnover. These tanks are quite large for Zeb's so what would you do? Grow out tanks? Or a whole load of Zeb's in in the hope they may breed?

Then there are 12 30"x1'x15". These are all centralised to one homemade filter again. These tanks are all divided, by glass in half. I was thinking of cutting the divides away and having 12 larger tanks. Then trying to pair them off into each of them. the good news I guess is it makes it easier to simulate rainy seasons and such when their is 16 tanks (total in fish house) but 3 filters/systems.

As I say it is a while off getting everything sorted but I guess I need a plan. I know a good amount about water chemistry and fishkeeping in general. And I am learning tons about the fish from this site. I would be interested to know, if you had the same setup say, what you would do.

Thanks for the welcome, profile updated.

Not sure on the size of the fish I will get, younger being cheaper. I don't suppose there is much rush to start breeding or anything. Before the fish house was all bare tanks and just holding stock really. I would like to make it a more relaxing little place. Decorate the tanks and make them look ok/more natural. Also Zeb's look a lot nicer than powerful toothy tetras. Although I would prefer some adults so I can at least start on a smaller scale. I have lingered around the forum for a while reading posts before joining.

I did plan on spending approximately £1500 on the fish. Probably over a period unless I can get a whole box from a wholesaler. I will keep the filters going with pure ammonia but wouldn't want to overload with all fish at once. Although I guess a load of babies and a few adults may workout cheaper. Sourcing them may be more difficult, although Aquarium Glaser in Germany has stock at times.

What would you do with the larger tanks, just a lot of Zeb's in together with loads of caves or somehow divide them up?

Thanks for the reply