Tank requirements for L129, Hypancistrus debilittera

[illumnae]

Hi, was thinking of procuring a single L129 as an inhabitant for my 1ft cube apisto tank, as i notice that the max size for this pleco is 7cm. is this ok, or should i be keeping these fish in bigger tanks?

filtration for this tank is currently an eden 501, but if i get the pleco i'll upgrade to either an eheim 2011 or a hydor prime 10 for more biofiltration

[Quixotic]

The 7 cm size is standard length (SL), i.e. length from the snout to the base of the caudal fin. So you need to add 3 to 4 cm more to the total length (TL).

In my humble opinion, housing them in a 1 foot tank is just okay, the more hiding places, the better it is. They like some current in the setup, but would be tolerant of slower flow. Good level of dissolved oxygen is more important.

There is a question for you though. Are you intending to keep it together with a pair of Apistogramma spp.? You mentioned it's an Apistogramma tank.

[illumnae]

yup i was thinking of housing it with a pair of apistogramma

[illumnae]

tankmates will be ember tetras and a reverse trio of wild dicrossus filamentosus. would the L129 be suitable in this tank?

[Quixotic]

Change of plans, illumnae? More D. filamentosus? If that is the case, I would leave the L129 out. Even with the original plans, it does feel like a little cramped. Space is a premium in a 1 foot tank with too many bottom (or near bottom) level fishes.

[illumnae]

i only ended up getting 2 more D. filamentosus though to make a total of 5. will it be too cramped? if so i will give it a miss this time

[illumnae]

I've decided to go with just 1 pair of D. filamentosus. With the reduction in fish, would an L129 be suitable?

[Panut]

Probably yes. For me, i'll just put it in, without asking for permission

[illumnae]

i don't keep fish in conditions i know to be detrimental to them. hence, i find out what i can first before making a decision to add a fish in. it's not asking for permission from anyone but being a responsible hobbyist

[ranmasatome]

Yes... this is a point i can't stress enough... not enough responsible hobbyist these days...good on ya mate..

i think it might be a little cramped.

[Savant]

these guys grow pretty slow so there is the opportunity to house them in a smaller tankfor 1-2 years before selling them off or transferring them to a bigger tank...

[illumnae]

Thanks for all the feedback Quixotic, ranma and Savant

i'll keep your advice in mind and see if i come across a small specimen that i can transfer to my 4ft when it starts getting cramped.

if not i guess i'll give it a pass till i have space for a pleco only cube. i'm interested to try out plecos but not willing to set up a larger tank for them (main interest is still S.A. cichlids), so this L129 is quite attractive for me

[Quixotic]

That's fine, just provide some hideouts. Be aware that they have the capacity to uproot plants when spooked.

L-numbers are an acquired taste.

[illumnae]

my fiancee hates L numbers, so it's never been an option for me to keep them

now that I have an office tank and a small enough L number inhabitant, i figured i'd give it a shot

[ranmasatome]

Maybe when she sees them mate and and observes their behaviour, her opinion may change? People still think these fishes eat shit....

[illumnae]

haha she doesn't think these fishes eat shit, but she finds them all ugly (even the L46 which i've repeatedly told her is actually very cute). in terms of character fish with interesting behaviour, i've got her facinated with apistos and discus so i don't foresee her looking to plecos in the near future

[illumnae]

i note from planetcatfish that it's aggressive towards other loricaides (however you spell it ). Does this include otos?

[celticfish]

I think oto's hang out a little higher up in the tank on DW and the glass.
Should not prove to be much a problem unless the oto hangs out on the gravel.

btw plecos usually stay in the cave when the tank is lighted.
So you can keep them in your tank as they stay out of her sight!
As for discus and apisto... I was once like that too!
So don't give up if you REALLY want them.

[illumnae]

Ok i've cleared the D. filamentosus out of the tank and upgraded to a Hydor Prime 10. Have some zebra otos and Corydoras pygmaeus as tankmates now though. Would my tank still be suitable for Hypancistrus? 1 is the most i should attempt right?

[illumnae]

The 2211 is installed and the flow is extremely strong (otos and pygmaeus are loving it!). Would the Hypancistrus (L129 or L333) be suitable as a showcase fish in this planted setup?