Pleco advice - LDA-08

[SAE]

Hi,
After doing some research on the site and seeing how many knowledgable pleco folk there are, I've signed on in the hope of getting some feedback on LDA-08.
I have the opportunity to get some from a local distributer, and have been reading the limited amount of info online (which is what brought me here).
One of the reports online speaks of them being 'quarrelsome' whereas other reports suggest they are quite passive. I was hopng for your opinions of how quarrelsome/territorial they are. I have a passive tank (redline barbs, danios, SAE, khulis, shrimp) and didn't want to add them if they were going to be too bossy.
I have a standard BN in another tank, and he's a bit territorial over his cave, but other than that he leaves everyone alone. Would a LDA-08 be similar?
Also, if anyone has had any luck breeding them, I would love to know - I don't know if the ones available are wild-caught or bred.
Thanks very much for any input or suggestions you can provide.

Additionally, if you have any experience with them in a heavily planted tank, feedback would be great. I know that ancistrus are typically good in planted tanks, but I read a reference somewhere that not all are ....

 

[FishGeek]

This is a pretty reliable site and it says they are pretty passive.
PlanetCatfish::Cat-eLog::Loricariidae::Ancistrus claro

 

[SAE]

Thanks FishGeek,
I've seen the Planetcatfish reference which sounded great. It was this other reference http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/breeding/Marshall_Ancistrus_claro.html that made me question it, as he refers to them as:
"Like all Ancistrus the claro are very quarrelsome and stake out loose territories which are held until feeding time"

and

"Although the male ... thought himself as a 'tough guy' and liked to throw his weight around, the two females were never dominated over and when these two wily ladies had taken enough torment they simply retreated to their latest territory."

I realize it doesn't sound too bad - I just didn't want them driving my khulis out of all their hidey holes.

 

[Pure]

What size tank is this?

LDA 08s are very small so, as long as you don't try to cram a breeding group into a 10 gallon, 6 (perferably 2 males and 4 females) will get along just fine in a 20H or long.

I would be comfortable with as many as 3 males in a 20, any more than that and your pushing it.

Just make sure there are more caves than there are plecos and it will limit territorial scrapping.

 

[SAE]

Thanks for the feedback.
It's a 65 gallon tall and already quite stocked, so I don't have too much room to play with.
I was planning for 3, and I realize that 1m, 2f would be ideal although I don't know if they would be old enough to sex when I get them. I may just be hoping for the best.
Thanks also for the note about the number of caves, I'll get more caves/spaces for them. There's already a fair bit of wood, but I have some coconut caves I can add.

 

[Pure]

They like most plecos prefer tighter quaters than a coconut cave, check out auquabid or ebay for premade slate pleco caves. They are normally in the 4-6 buck range. For size figure how wide the fish is with one pectorial fin at it's side and the other fully extended, and just high enough for the dordsal fin to have a little bit of movement.

Really not to many plecs like the openness of the coconut shell.

In your tank...socking levels being the limit, you can safley keep 12 or so as long as they don't all turn out to be males.

Keep in mind, you will have to be very patient with these as they are one of the slowest growing plecs I've ever owned.

 

[SAE]

Thanks very much Pure. Given where my BN likes to stay given his options, I should have realized they like cozy accomodations.

I've got access to slate, so I'll build some appropriately sized caves for them. I really appreciate the info on sizing the caves properly and will make a few of different sizes, adjusting for adult size.

 

[Dan Steveo]

i never knew that they preferred smaller caves.... ill have to get something more suitable.

 

[Pure]

Oh yeah

Also, if anyone has had any luck breeding them, I would love to know - I don't know if the ones available are wild-caught or bred.

As they are still relativly wild by nature...even captive spawned ones. Read my sticky, plec breeding 101 in the breeding section as they still need to be put through the seasonal changes to induce spawning.

 

[SAE]

Thank you again for pointing me to your article. Although I was hoping they were a breeze to breed (LOL), it's good to know that it's possible.

I genuinely appreciate the info - thank you.

 

[Pure]

No problem, feel free to ask any questions.

If you want wild adults that are closer to breeding age talk to Blue at exoticfinds, any other ones will take at least a yr or longer before they are of age..Like I said they are slow growers.