L260 - Queen Arabesque

[AlexAndCarmen]

I took a few pics of one of the Arabesques today. Came back from picking the kids up from school, and Arabella was up the glass, swimming around the tank like this was a normal thing for her. She's still swimming around which is unusual as she normally only comes out for dinner.

How fat is she?!?! She did go over to Arry a few times, but he just totally ignored her. I wonder if she's trying to get his attention!!

Hope you like the pics.

 

[jarmado]

very nice

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

what a sexy lil gurl!

 

[~T~]

A bloated pl*co that is suddenly more active than usual can be a bad sign.

Good looking fish though

 

[Bloo]

What a little porky podger ! Stunning though she

In my opinion they are even more beautiful than zebs !

 

[vix]

Shes gorgeous

Whats that cory in the pic, i have one just the same.

 

[AlexAndCarmen]

Thanks iJay and DiscusLova
I have two, but the male doesn't come out too much and if there is a camera pointed, he swims for the hills .

~T~
Do you think she's bloated?? I thought it was just normal female shape. She eats plenty veggies, especially loves courgette. She does swim around every day, just today she's been out longer and moving around the whole time.

Bloo
Didn't you also get yourself a L260 or 2 the other day?? They are amazing looking fish, my two are my pride and joy (after my kids of course).

Vix
The cory in the pic with her is one of my Sterbai. Wish I could get them to spawn. My panda and Trilineatus have spawned, but my 5 Sterbai just refuse.

 

[ExoticStripes]

Beautiful Pleco mate
What a Queen she isl! L260 are the next plecos i want to try and breed any pointers or tips for getting them in that condition? She doesn't look bloated to me she looks gravid with eggs. Maybe you should try a cool water change

 

[AlexAndCarmen]

Thanks ExoticStripes

I had hoped she was just gravid. Never had a fish like this before, so I've posted plenty pics of this particular one, hoping to have her sexed (which I did by two L260 breeders). She does seem to try get the male to pay attention to her, but he is either too scared, or just not ready. We do cool water changes every time we do a tank clean (in hope of getting our Sterbai to spawn), but it is a community tank, so there may be too much space and other fish.

We've only had them a few months. Got the male in February and the female in May. I feed them normal sinking shrimp pellets, Sera catfish chips, frozen blood worm and their favorites, defrosted shrimp. The female also loves her veggies, cucumber, courgette and potato. The male doesn't touch them, strictly a meat man.

Eventually we are going to setup breeding tanks in our bedroom. I have 2 male and 1 female red whiptails I'd also love to breed and will be on the lookout for another male for Arabella, just in case Arry doesn't get his act together. I'm also thinking (in the future) of getting some L134's. Saw yours on the other site and they are stunning. But at the moment, I want to try those two and carry on with my cories. Oh, and the otos if they get started again.

Keep well
Carmen

 

[andyw823]

what a beautty...... does look quite large, is she egg bound? I know the females do get a bit tubby round the middle, i have a clown plec that i only see once a month if im lucky and that seem large around the middle so i assume its a female.

 

[fishfishfish]

are these plecos more active than most? as im looking for a small plec for may malawi.i will be setting up my 55 gal soon enough

 

[Fat Boy]

IMO L260's are very shy and timid, I don't see my pair much, I think they would'nt do too well with Malawis, to much aggression and activity and the ph of a Malawi tank would be to high for Queens.

You could try a Bristlenose, these are quite often kept with Malawis. Also look at Synos, these like the same conditions as Malawis and some ( Syno Petricola especially ) are not at all shy but come out all the time.

 

[madmoroccan]

You will need another male to get breeding going. Without a male pecking order it is quite difficult to get hypans spawning since there is no competition over territory.

Just a thought.

 

[AlexAndCarmen]

Thanks madmoroccan

We thought we'd probably need another male. So as soon as we have their breeding tank up and running, we'll start looking around for another male. I'm pretty excited, they are so gorgeous and it would be just incredible if we could get them breeding.

Thanks all

 

[Bex]

Hey AandC

She is a beauty! I thought ours was a male as he had a white belly but it's the other way round isn't it? Males have marble bellys and females are white?

You always get great pics of your L260's! She is stunning. Our little guy/gal is still teeny tiny and only comes out for food. Loves prawns so much that he/she will share with our bigger plecos with no problem which is great. The rest of the time he/she hides!

Good luck with the breeding, little L260's would just be too cute

I keep going back to your piccy of your red whip male, with the hairy face and still don't know if mine are male or female? Is the hairy face quite prominent or was your photo close up? Still trying to get the pics off hubby's phone and on here but our usb connection is really bad and making it difficult. Grrrr!