# L239 Blue Panaque spawned



## giraffee (Mar 28, 2011)

Something what I was hoping for several years finally happened. So happy.


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## Otocinclus (Aug 31, 2012)

Neat video! Did you do anything special to induce them to spawn? What were your water parameters?


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## giraffee (Mar 28, 2011)

Believe me - I tried a lot for this years but without any results. But this time did absolutely nothing special and it happened. Actually already saw babies swimming.


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## mollyb (May 18, 2010)

very cool! happy for you!. plus, it looks like there are some pretty end fish in that tank, good job.


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## giraffee (Mar 28, 2011)

Thank you. The tank is small plecos community tank - I didn't expect L239 spawn and now thinking what to do with RAMs which are hunting babies ...


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## `GhostDogg´ (Apr 22, 2010)

giraffee said:


> Thank you. The tank is small plecos community tank - I didn't expect L239 spawn and now thinking what to do with RAMs which are hunting babies ...


 Congrats!

Are these GBR's, how many, & how much?
(* if you're looking to rehome)


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## giraffee (Mar 28, 2011)

Those are Black Knight ram - pretty new strain. Have four of them from Rick - stunning fishes. Had to separate them to different tank dispate they were ready to spawn.









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## DBam (Aug 9, 2010)

This is super cool. I'm interested in your setup info and stocking, and what you had tried in the past to get them to spawn.


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## mollyb (May 18, 2010)

Probably mostly related to being able to keep them alive for quite some time. i find these panaques very sensitive to pH.


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## giraffee (Mar 28, 2011)

I found them very sensitive to acclimatization from the wild and, after that, even after several years, stressed for a long time by re-homing to even the same water parameters, as well. 
But other then that I believe it depends on how lucky you are with the particular import batch. I had bought these beautiful fishes may be 5 or so times over several years from the same local importer and, except for the last (current) group, there was always different issues with them - not eating / sickness (very sensitive to ich) / sensitivity to the water params instability, specially pH crash (even more then other plecos). 
I didn't have those usual problems with my current group - from the beginning they were healthy, active and not skinny, and I got a good M/F ratio, so they got dedicated 29g which was empty after my L340 breeding project finished. Still - lost several fishes. They are mach more territorial then similarly sized hypancistruses. Tried wet / dry periods simulation on them, different type of foods for may be 18-20 months after which they were rehomed to 65g "pleco community" tank as I needed space for (very successful) L260 project.
This 65g is old and stable, eco complete substrate, lots of caves covered by wood. Similar sized small plecos - L239, L260, L340, L288. Temp 27, 50%wc/3days, 50ppm hardness, pH ~6.5 . Feeding a mix of NLS with 50% of it Algae Max pallet and wafers. Lots of current.
L260 and L340 are spawning periodically in this tank, but till recent I've never seen L239 even occupying a cave. 1st spawn attempt was a "dry run", 2nd attempt was in a week and so far is a total success (after RAMs are in a separate tank).


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## mollyb (May 18, 2010)

Thanks for that! I look forward to when you decide to release some F1's! Brent


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## giraffee (Mar 28, 2011)

Thank you.
Bear with me - they are growing...


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## giraffee (Mar 28, 2011)

giraffee said:


> Thank you.
> Bear with me - they are growing...


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## CRS Fan (Apr 21, 2010)

Whoa, whoa, whoa.... that’s ALOT of current in that tank! Holy flying plecos..... 


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## giraffee (Mar 28, 2011)

You can't have too much current with plecos. May be for long fin forms of BNs... 

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