Need advice for buying Zebra Pleco.......

M

Mooch28

AC Members
Dec 24, 2004
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Toronto (Brampton)
Ok, first off, i have quite a few questions, so please bear with me and answer what ever you possibly can. I was at my local LFS today, and asked if they ever get true Zebra Plecos, and the manager said he was getting some in a week after a very long time. Now they are going for 150 canadian each, and are wild caught. I am willing to buy one, but i wan't to make sure i do things right, because i am dishing out over 150 for a fish.

1. What should i look for when pruchasing a Zebra (plump stomach, active, etc?)

2. Should i treat the pleco, if so, with what. The store manager told me to treat with EM. Also, how long should i treat for, and at what dose??

3. I will be putting him in my 20 gallon, which has only been set-up for about 2-3 months now. It is over filtered with a 30 gallon filter, which can only be a good thing. Now i also have a 72 gallon, which has been well established for well over a year, but i have a ton of trumpet snails in there, that jump all over any food i throw in at night. so feeding my pleco would be next to impossible in my 72. The 20 has a very small snail population, and the only fish in their are cardinal tetras and Algae eating shrimp. MY question....... Will the Zebra be ok in the 20, even though it has only been running for 3 months??

4. Will the Zebra get along with a Clown pleco?? I also have a clown in their right now, but thats temporary as hes soon going in my 72.

If their is anything else i should know, please feel free to go ahead and share.

Thanks guys!! (Can't wait to get my first real Zebra!!)
 
Hi! I would make sure the tank you put them in has driftwood. I keep mine in a 20 gallon so I can monitor them more closely. I have also found that they really enjoy bloodworms and beafheart. That was my mistake when I first got her I did not know that they needed it in there diet. I have two of them in with longfin ancistrus and leaf fish. I keep my ph at 6.9 and 74*
 
I have read that Brazil wasn't exporting anymore of there..but I can't find the site that I read it on. I'd be cautious and fins out where they came from.
 
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Wild Zebras are somewhat uncommon to rare and due to habitat destruction may become extinct in the wild (controversial subject).
There had been a ban on exports, or so I'd heard?
Best done as a species tank, best to try and duplicate their fast flowing riverine habitat and remember that these little guys prefer meaty diets, they don't do algae.
If your going to keep them please do the world a favor and breed them, literally you may be doing the world a favor if they do become extinct in the wild.
Best breeding groups are one male and 3-4 females.
Please thouroghly research these beautiful fish before buying, these are not ordinary plecs. Plecofanatics and Planetcatfish are good starts for research and wisdom from experienced keepers.

I'd also be wary of that price, last time I looked at prices that is dirt cheap for Zebras.
CAVEAT EMPTOR!
 
1. it probably won't be active in the tank, but make sure it moves around when the LFS guy is trying to net it. stay in the store for a few minutes after it's bagged. more delicate fish can sometimes go into shock (saw it happen to a queen arabesque pleco) and it's worth waiting a few minutes to make sure the fish hasn't gotten so stressed out that it dies on you as soon as you walk out the door. look for a fish with a flat or rounded belly, avoid any with sunken-in stomachs. ask about what they are being fed and how well they are eating.

2. i wouldn't treat it with anything unless it actually shows signs of sickness. I'm not sure what Em stands for. i would recommend the use of a QT tank for 3-4 weeks though,, simply because it ensures that any other fish you have won't get sick and you won't have to treat everybody in case the pleco brings something with it.

3. since the zebras stay small, i think it would be fine to keep it in the 20 for a while, at least until you know that it is eating well and looking healthy. plecos are very messy though, so you should get your test kits out and make sure that you do water changes when necessary. the addition of that fish will probably cause a small ammonia spike and a mini-cycle in the tank. keep ammonia and nitrites under .25.

4. as long as you have a good number of hiding spots, they should be fine. try rearranging the tank right before you put the zebra in, that would get rid of most territory-aggression problems that might occur.
 
Last but not least, buy a king tiger pleco instead. Zebra plecs are going to go extinct in the wild due to habitat destruction and over fishing. If you're going to breed them, practice on some lesser pleco's of the same family first. For the cost, for the ever increasing rareity of this fish, go buy a king tiger or queen arabesqe instead. If you've just gotta have a zebra, go to plecofanatics.com and find a breeder who'll sell you an aqua cultured fish he's raised himself.
 
Halo said:
Zebra plecs are going to go extinct in the wild due to habitat destruction and over fishing.
Click to expand...

A concern of mine but have just ordered a tank bred form Check Republic through my LFS in the UK. £70 or aorund $120

They are being succesfully bred in captivity now so just ask before you buy
 
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