Advice Needed For Breeding Plecs

[fishmansam]

Hi all im just about to set up a new 3 ft tank and I want to start breeding plecs ive done some research on the internet but struggling to find a very detailed description how to get one with things like sexing ect. So far ive had great success breeding things like guppy's, molly's, swordtails and the least being anglefish which are my fav. So ive got a tank being set up as we speak and ive decided I want to breed golden nugget plecs the L018 with the smaller spots. my questions I have so far are
 
1, would any cave be a suitable breeding environment?
2,Ive have a massive algea breakout it another tank would It be ok to put it in the plecs tank as food also try and grow it for them?
3, How to tell the sex of them?
4, How old roughly do they need to be befor they will breed?
5, would it be ok to have a breeding pair of plecs in the 3 ft tank and put some anglefish fry (not tiny babies but 10p size) in with them?

I'm sure ive missed loads of questions but im not rushing into it and it will be around a month or 2 until ill probably be ready to buy them. Any advice is greatfully received

 

[Ludwig Venter]

I think the jump from breeding Guppies and other livebearers.... and even Angelfish is a huge jump into attempting to breed Pleccos..... unless you're talking about BN's.... My honest suggestion is to try to progressively build up to the more difficult species.... atm... Pleccos are out of league fish for the not so experienced breeder.... they are specialist class.... and even so..... chance breeders which even the specialists achieves on occassion rather than the rule....... Try BN's.... they are fun to watch and less likely to fail.......

 

[fishmansam]

Hi thanks for quick reply. Whats makes them so hard to breed? Tbh i dont mind having a pair just for the tank as it was just going to be a angelfish growing tank and i was going to get one to help keep my algea out burst down. I cant do BN plecs because ill end up with no room at a later date as i dont think anyone would buy the adults off me. Ive bred convicts and neons aswell i was planning to try corys next.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Don't quote me on this, but I often shoot from the hip and..... my personal opinion is that they only breed when wheather permits....... it HAS to be the correct outside barrometric pressures...... and it HAS to be the absolute water conditions and that has to coincide to perfection before they are induced to spawn..... and... to create those ideal conditions in an artificial environment.... is very difficult if not impossible....... I advise very little from what I read on the net or from any publication....(as that is allways very contradictory). I only advise from personal experience... or gutt-feel.....and have been proven wrong on many occassions..... but.... unless anyone proves me wrong on this..... that is my preliminary conclussion......

 

[fishmansam]

Oh right very interesting. I will look into that futher has anyone on here actually bred golden nuggets?

 

[Sophie]

As far as I was aware, the majority and I mean, 90%+ of Gold Nuggets are wild caught because of their breeding difficulty.
Plus you go on A LOT about feeding them algae, Gold Nuggets are omnivores and as far as I've heard prefer to lean towards the meaty side of things anyway. I know mine prefers bloodworm anyday over the plec pellets I feed.
If you want to be breeding Plecs, you're looking at talking to TwoTankAmin - http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/user/10841-twotankamin/
 
IMO he is the first that comes to mind when it comes to knowing what the hell he's talking about.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Here is what Planetcatfish says about the first pleco you think you should try to breed. It lists 244 registered keepers on the site for this fish, some of whom I know personally as accomplished pleco keepers and breeders.

 
Although strong currents are needed for breeding attempts, only good water quality and a high temperature are required for this fishes successful onward maintenance.......
 
Well documented breeding in captivity has been accomplished once. The fishes had a very specialised diet of blended meat, fish and vegetables and were kept in a large aquarium with lots of current, high DO and spawned at 30°C. The free swimming fry were fed the same food to raise them.

 

[Sophie]

There he is