What are people's experiences with breeding plecos?

Tacocat

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Since this summer I'm now legally allowed to work, I'm going to see if I can save up for a new tank(provided my parentals approve). I've been doing research, and I feel that I want to breed some plecos. Now, my LFS has some L183 starlight plecos on sale, so that seems like a viable solution. I just want to breed a pleco that looks nice, and makes some pocket money. If anyone has experience, tell me tank size and how long it took you to get them to breed.

Thanks!
 
you should breed a smaller type (idk what a l183 is) so you dont have to have like a 500 to keep like a lot of big guys
just get a small one like bristlenose ig
i have no experience with plecos though
 
Unfortunately there is no room in my house to put it, unless I buy a stand, and convince my parents to let me do it.
 
but I'll do more research after my exams are over

edit: Would a snowball pleco work?
 
I'm not a pleco guy, so I've never bred them and have rarely even owned them. That being said, I've bred many fish over the years I've been in the hobby so I've got a couple of things to say that may be worth considering before you attempt to breed.

With fish of any kind you would need to consider what you would do with the offspring if you were successful in breeding them.

Is there a market for the more common bristlenose (or whichever pleco you pick) where you live? I know there isn't near me, they are being given away for free by amateur breeders and sold for next to nothing in my local fish shops.

I was offered a tank full a couple of months ago, but I was unwilling to take on another guys problem. There were over 100 for sure, and supposedly they had only bred once.

I'd caution you against choosing something that is so prolific a breeder. Google is telling me that they can lay up to about 200 eggs per month once they reach breeding age, and if that is accurate you could quickly become quite overwhelmed.

As I say, they are given away for free where I live, so I'm not sure how much money you would be able to make on them.

All that being said, if you choose to try breeding them I wish you well.
 
Bristlenose............Long Fin Albinos, Browns, or Calicos. Easy to breed, easy to raise the young. When they mature, in about a year, just put a male and a female in water with a suitable cave. They also sell really good and your LFS will probably take all you can raise.
 
I'm not a pleco guy, so I've never bred them and have rarely even owned them. That being said, I've bred many fish over the years I've been in the hobby so I've got a couple of things to say that may be worth considering before you attempt to breed.

With fish of any kind you would need to consider what you would do with the offspring if you were successful in breeding them.

Is there a market for the more common bristlenose (or whichever pleco you pick) where you live? I know there isn't near me, they are being given away for free by amateur breeders and sold for next to nothing in my local fish shops.

I was offered a tank full a couple of months ago, but I was unwilling to take on another guys problem. There were over 100 for sure, and supposedly they had only bred once.

I'd caution you against choosing something that is so prolific a breeder. Google is telling me that they can lay up to about 200 eggs per month once they reach breeding age, and if that is accurate you could quickly become quite overwhelmed.

As I say, they are given away for free where I live, so I'm not sure how much money you would be able to make on them.

All that being said, if you choose to try breeding them I wish you well.
My neighbourhood has a high price for plecos, the place where I want to buy them is selling an L183 for $18.99, but they're on sale for 13.99

Bristlenose............Long Fin Albinos, Browns, or Calicos. Easy to breed, easy to raise the young. When they mature, in about a year, just put a male and a female in water with a suitable cave. They also sell really good and your LFS will probably take all you can raise.
I might try that, if I can make some money and find a spot to put it.
 
there's also a guy who will sell snowballs for 18.99 no tax, and is trying to get rid of them.
 
It's a different species from the usual bristlenose. Perhaps this one needs more space?
 
Never believe anyhting a fish store says, either in person or on their website. Always go by the informattion on sites written by experts such as Seriously Fish, or planetcatfish for plecs
 

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