# New Pleco Spawn



## vicz24

Last week a pair of my Pleco's were at it for the second time in 2 months, & this time I was able to move the male, with the cave & eggs to a 5G tank. After 4 days or so, I saw the first hatchling & a day later the male was out of the cave & the clutch of eggs were out of the cave as well. He tried getting them back in but gave up. So I removed the male & the cave & was able to get 30 babies that are now 4 days old. Their yolk sacks are 1/2 the size & they are starting to get colour now. They also getting harder to catch already as they can swim pretty quick now.

Parents





1 & 2 day old hatchlings (Feb 17)







4 days old (Feb 21)



I also got video of the parents mating & how the female deposits the eggs at the back of the cave & how the male fertilizes the eggs. I am working on shortening the video so it isn't hours & hours long & will post when finished.


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## dmaobc

Congrats ! Looking forward to the vídeo.


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## Vancitycam

Very cool, congratulations and I will be waiting for a video too.


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## 2wheelsx2

Are they Hypancistrus inspector? Nice clutch.


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## charles

Nice... can't wait to see the video.


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## vicz24

Ok I've finally finished the video.

L201 Pleco Showing Breeding, Laying Eggs & Fertilizing eggs. - YouTube

Enjoy


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## Vancitycam

Ill have to check later content is not available on mobile devices. Thanks for the post  ill have to watch later on the computer.


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## vicz24

They are now 6 days old & have only lost 1 more & their yolk sacks are almost gone & they are swimming like crazy.

It must be breeding season, My 2 Bronze Cory females laid eggs 2 days ago as well & most are fertile. There must be almost 200 eggs from just one of the females, so looking forward to more babies in the next couple days.


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## Trouble

*I can't believe I just watched fish porn. lol*


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## Eros168

How many L201 do you have in the tank? And congrats, still waiting for my group to get some action


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## vicz24

The Fry are now 9 days old & still have the 30 & they are more active than ever. Here is a pic of them at 7 days old, I will try to get some more pics of them today or tomorrow.





I have 4 or 5 of that type of pleco in the tank with my other Pleco's & have been doing research on them & they are not L201 but some other kind of Hypancistrus, still trying to pin point the type.


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## vicz24

Ok here they are Feb 26 at 9 days old


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## mikebike

nice looking plecos


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## vicz24

OK I think I finally found out what they really are Hypancistrus sp. (L471). The pics from fry, juvenile, & adult all look similar.

Hypancistrus sp. (L471) â€¢ Loricariidae â€¢ Cat-eLog


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## Trouble

*You selling them after?*


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## vicz24

When they are big enough, I will be selling/trading some of them off.


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## Trouble

*Sweet. Let me know if they are not some outrageous price.*


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## vicz24

Looks like they are indeed Hypancistrus contradens (Orinoco Polka-dot Pleco). Either way I'm happy, they are very nice looking Pleco's & they bred for me, so what else could you want.


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## mikebike

I would be interested in buying/trading 3 or 4 if they are not too pricy<G>


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## vicz24

Here they are at 13 days old


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## Trouble

*Awww their so cute I just want to pick them up and kiss them.*


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## vicz24

Here are the little guys on Monday when they were 21 days old





Their bellies have now gotten colour & are not see through anymore & they are now playing & chasing each other around the tank.


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## nao

they are beautiful, how many little guys do you have? have you had any losses?


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## vicz24

I have 28 or 29 & there was 40-45 eggs & I lost 6 fry & the other eggs didn't hatch.


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## vicz24

This morning I noticed that the male is in the same cave for the third time with one of the females & it's been one month to the day since the fry started hatching, so they seem to be on a 5-6 week cycle now. Since I had a good success rate with the last batch, I will do the same this time as well & hope for the same or better success.


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## Trouble

*Are these ready for new homes yet? Pm me when they are with price. Thanks*


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## nao

Ya, you got some real nice looking plecs and you care, they are quality plecs. I have been reading up on them, - it is,- really is hard to be sure what L they are. Are you sure?? If they are breeding again, you are definitely doing something right. I have a new(to me) tank and lights coming up to the coast this weekend(much thanx to Junior D) i would like if not this breeding the next, to purchase some pretty ones from you. I appreciate the pics, i have learn't alot.


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## Stan's Discus

looking good


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## vicz24

The babies are only a month old & won't be ready to go for another 2-5 months. I moved the babies from a 2G tank into a 20G planted tank with some baby guppies, & they seem to be doing well. There is algae on the glass they have been sucking on, as well as the plants. Being in a bigger tank should get them to grow quicker too I'm hoping. It works with Guppies, Mollies, Platy's & Cory's so I don't know why it won't work with Pleco's. 

It looks like the parents were doing a dry run the other day, the female left the cave after only 12 hours instead of a few days & the male left the next morning & no eggs in the cave. One of the females is getting big though, so won't be long now. I just did a clean up of the tank & did water change so we'll see if that triggers anymore activity.


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## vicz24

Yesterday morning the Female came out of the cave after 3 days with the male & the male was protecting another clutch of eggs, so I moved him with the cave & eggs to the 2G tank again. Here is to hoping for another 30+ babies in a few days.


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## vicz24

The first couple of Fry swam out of the cave today. Here are a couple of pics of the fry from the new batch.


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## vicz24

Here is an update. I lost the whole last batch of babies when the heater in the tank overheated the water. The first batch are doing well & are now almost 3 months old & here is what they look like now. They hide most of the time, except when I feed the tank, then they come out to devour shrimp pellets & frozen bloodworms.



The parents just went in the cave together again tonight, so they are keeping to the 6 week cycle. Just before they are ready to breed again, the male fattens up as big as the egg full female, as he has to go without eating for 7-9 days while courting & protecting the eggs so needs the reserves.


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## vicz24

The female laid her eggs last night & now the male is guarding the cave. Today I will move the male with the cave into the hatchery tank & hope for a good clutch.


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## vicz24

The fry started hatching yesterday morning & had my first wiggler from this batch at dinner time last night & now there are 8 little fry so far out of the cave.


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## Reckon

Great pics and congrats!


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## pistachoo

Thank you for sharing updates with pics -- I learned new things reading this thread! And, the babies are adorable.


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## vicz24

This morning there are about 25 fry outside the cave & the male is still inside, so there is still more to come. There have been 2 that didn't make it so far, & I'm sure after a week, the male is starving, so I'm sure he'll be coming out in the next day or so & then I'll know how many fry still need help.


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## vicz24

There are now 28 fry out of the cave & I have lost 3 so far. The male is still in the cave, so there must still be more to come out. Here is a pic of some of the fry huddled together.


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## vicz24

I finally got a good pic of one of the 3 month old fry.


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## vicz24

The new batch of fry have now absorbed their yolks & have colour now. The male still hasn't come out of the cave so I checked inside the cave with a flashlight & there are sill some fry that stayed in the cave so I left him in the hatchery. I noticed this morning that a lot of the fry have ventured back into the cave with the male as well & that is a first.


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## vicz24

The last batch of babies is now just over a month old, has been moved to the tank with the 4 month olds & now the parents are at it again & will have another batch of fry the end of the weekend. Now I just wish the other Pleco's in the tank would get the hint & start making some fry too.


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## vicz24

The new batch are now a week old & doing well, I have only lost 1 from the new batch & to my surprise when I got home I have some newly hatched Cory's in the hatchery now too.


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## nao

why do the fry not usually go in cave with male?? might he snack on them?


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## vicz24

They do go in the cave with the male. Some get out when they first hatch, but after a week when their yolks are absorbed, they go back to the safety of the cave with daddy watching over. 

***Update*** I did get another batch of eggs & again, I only lost 1 fry & they are doing well. They hide in the cave with the male during the day & then around dinner time, he lets the kids out to play & eat till sunrise & then they all file suite back into the cave.


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## Florios

i want some pm me if you have some to sell

edit: nvm youre in victoria


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## vicz24

My Pleco's are still spawning every 6 weeks & have another batch that is almost a month old now & doing well & have only lost a couple since eggs & the male has gotten the hang of being daddy now & takes very good care of them but is still a bit of a brute when he gets scared & shoots back in the cave, running over one of his babies once in a while but they are ok. I will post a video of the male letting the babies know it's safe to come out of the cave at night time.


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## vicz24

after a 6month break my Pleco's are at it again & just had another clutch of eggs & the last batch is still doing well & haven't lost any since the first week.


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