How to breed L168's?

[genie]

Has anyone had any success breeding L168?
I'm trying to find out how to set up the tank, what conditions they need and how to raise the fry?
Any web links would also be appreciated.
Thanks
Jeannie

[Alan Caboolture]

Just treat them like bristle nose or any other small pleco and fatten them up for the next 12 months or so.

Actually I have not seen any real L168 for sale here,,,,plenty of L104, just about every LFS has or had L104,,,,what ever lable they had on them.

Regardless what you bought them as, If you have clown plecos, L104, Panaqolus maccus, then they will be mature and breedable at 10 cm or 4 inches SL.   Cave spawners, like most small plecos.  Willing breeders in small, tight caves.

If you do have real L168, Butterfy pleco,  Zonancistrus pulcher, then they will not be mature till they are 15 cm, 6 inches SL.    Require a bit bigger cave for breeding, not quite so easy to spawn and not over prolific.

Though they will happily live in most water,  for breeding, pH 6.8 to 7 and hardness less than 100 ppm Ca.

Alan.

[jamosfish]

Alan,

There are real L168s now in qld.......
I have got some myself now and can say with 100% certainty that they are the real deal!

jamos

[genie]

Although I am still struggling to tell the difference 100%..
I am 'fairly' confident that these are L168's. They look like the L168 pictures not L104 pictures in Planet Catfish.
The main feature I've notice is that the white stripe are much wider than any of the L104's I've commonly seen in QLD.
I paid enough so I sure hope they are!!!

[ndoboi]

L168s are a lot paler and flater than the L104. Not sure how the poor guys at AQIS got it wrong, other than they should have been expecting the right fish to come through.

[Alan Caboolture]

Yes Jamos, there are.

I managed to corner 10 of the little cuties, but they were not purchased locally.

But I am kicking my self that I didn't get any L104 when there were so many around and at a very reasonable price.

Alan.

[Clarkii]

Is it possible to sex L168 at about 6cm to 8cm?, what should I look for? finances wont allow the buy half a dozen caper. :wink:  :wink: .

[Alan Caboolture]

I have got some up to about 8cm SL but I can't dicern any definative sex differences yet.     Can make a couple of guesstimates,,but I don't anticipate makeing  any real possative ID untill they are about 12cm.

Alan

[Clarkii]

Thanks Allan,
The ones I saw today were about the 8cm mark & they all looked pretty much the same. I have been told that some 12cm to 14cm ones may be available $$$$ what would be the differences between male & female at this size to look for?.

[nem7902]

as far as i no it has something to do with the spikes on the side fins...the males have HEAPS of big spikes compared to females which have smaller and less spikes hth

cheers luke!!

[likesfish]

Males tend to have a hairy body i.e. fine hairs on back. Also check out the vent area.

[Clarkii]

Thanks for the info guys I will try & get some of them regardless of their size, they are really nice fish.

[Schmuck]

Even if you get a pair which later turn out to be both of the same sex, I'm sure you could swap with someone  :wink:

[Hypancistrus Zebra]

Only if you end up with 2 females. Not many people give up female catfish for males.

[Alan Caboolture]

Two females is about as usefull as two males !!!   :(