What to do with my wild caught L046!?

**blackBRUSHalgae** · 10th Aug 2007, 12:55

Hi guys!

I have this baby for 5 years already, bought it from petmart as a juvenile. Now she is roughly about 3inch in size. I feed her regularly either with blood worms or hikari carnivore.

Now here is my dilemma, should I continue to keep it, loan it someone to breed or sell her away? I absolutely love her but I think she deserves better...

as most of my time were spent on my planted tanks and work. The only time I could spent on this tank is only water change and vac her poo once a week, oh yes, she poops a lot!

she is alone in her cave in my crypt tank with only a small nerite snail and an internal filter. This tank only receives stray light from my main tank.

Any suggestions?

**elmike** · 10th Aug 2007, 15:06

How about letting me adopt him?

I’m a pleco lover and I promise utmost TLC.

**benny** · 10th Aug 2007, 19:46

If it's eating well, then it's probably happy with the current setup. But if you should decided to let it go, then there's plenty of hobbyists who are willing to give it a good home and at the same time, make it worth your while. I know one of our member, Gecko, is definitely able to make space for it in his L046 only setup. You can read about it in this month's Practical Fish Keeping from UK.

ALL FURTHER POSTS THAT CONTRIBUTES NOTHING TO THE THREAD EXCEPT TELLING blackBRUSHagae TO SELL THE PLECO CHEAP WILL BE DELETED.

Cheers,

**Gecko** · 10th Aug 2007, 20:40

Thanks Benny, I have pm'ed him. Alternatively, you could pick up the female and form a breeding colony...you still have your 2 males? I can spare a cave if you need. Would be a pity not to try breeding a healthy female...

**blackBRUSHalgae** · 15th Aug 2007, 12:41

Thanks Gecko and benny for your inputs. I know that it is a she because she has little or almost no hair or odontodes on her pectoral fins. But I could be wrong. I would take a picture when I have time.

She is very alert and has very good eyesight, and she could spot and react to any movement as far as 2~3 meters away. I love to watch the way she cleans her cave. Sometimes she would be more adventurous and swims curiously around the tank, but once she spots any movement, she would immediately darts back to her cave. So interesting just to watch her.

Gecko I never have 2 males L046, but only 1 L046.

**Gecko** · 15th Aug 2007, 14:08

Originally Posted by blackBRUSHalgae

Gecko I never have 2 males L046, but only 1 L046.

bBa,

The 2 males was referring to Benny's collection, actually he just clarified that he has 4 x L46.

**blackBRUSHalgae** · 15th Aug 2007, 14:39

Dang... makes me want to keep her even more ~_~

**Quixotic** · 15th Aug 2007, 15:20

Either get a male and try to breed them, or loan the female to someone for breeding and get a share of the babies.

Being in danger of overfishing in the wild, it seems to be a pity not to try breed them.

**benny** · 16th Aug 2007, 01:00

blackBRUSHalgae,

You can always drop by to Neo Kim Suey at Hougang to get more if you feel like trying. These fishes are still available for sale in the market.

Cheers,

**blackBRUSHalgae** · 16th Aug 2007, 14:43

hahahaha yeah, but they are no longer at the price that I paid for initially.

**benny** · 16th Aug 2007, 15:00

No point bitching about the price. If they are S$1 now, nobody will complain or give two hoots about them.

Take good care of your zebra pleco. Hope to see some pictures.

Cheers,

**blackBRUSHalgae** · 19th Aug 2007, 22:43

sorry for the blur picture.

**benny** · 19th Aug 2007, 23:37

Very likely to be a female specimen. Males are still available at Neo Kim Suey if you are keen. Do consider since this fellow has settled down well. For all you know, you'll be reporting spawns shortly!!

Cheers,

**Gecko** · 26th Aug 2007, 18:24

Agree that it's most likely a female. So blackBRUSHalgae, have you decided what to do...my offer stands.

**blackBRUSHalgae** · 3rd Sep 2007, 11:45

Hi guys, I'm very sad to say that my zebra has died due to water contamination. I was supposed to pass her to celticfish last saturday as I had decided to donate her to him. It happened on last Thursday when I decided to do a water change in the morning.

I was doing water change with water going through a 5 micron carbon cartridge and followed by a 0.5 micron carbon cartridge. The latter cartridge is about one month old while the other is brand new (used to be a 5 micron sediment). Having two carbon cartridges, I decided not to add anti-chlorine/chloramine. But that shouldn't be the prime suspect for the death of my zebra. I suspect the killer would be the new Amdus 5 micron carbon cartridge that I bought brand new from C328. Just after one usage, rust like substances started to appear on the surface of the cartridge. It is probably contaminated and leaking toxic. 5 years with her and it has never ever came across my mind that it has to end this way and at this moment when I decided to donate her away, thinking she is going to have a better life. I'm so sorry celticfish.