Questions on Breeding L177

Good day everyone,

I just found this forum and read about breeding plecos..I would love to breed L177 and perhaps L18.. But I needed alot of help..

Firstly, how do I tell their sexes? I had not much experience with it..And couldn't really confirm on their gender..

Secondly, What is the size of a normal L177 which is mature enough to spawn?

Thirdly, I am planning to have them spawnned in a 2ft tank, with a overhead filtration system.. Is this going to be okay? (I'm afraid the fries would get sucked up into the filtration..)

Thanks in advanced!:clap:

:hi:

These aren't easy to breed, Im not even sure if anyone has.

Theres some info on sexing in the L177 profile

http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1799

Ill have a look for some more info today.

A 2 foot tank is no where near big enough to try a breeding project for anything bigger than a couple of small plecs like L002 or panaque maccus.
Baryancistrus, like the L177 and L018 aren't the easiest to sex either, so you would need a large group to bring on, and hopefully, when they mature, say around 8" plus, you would end up with at least a pair, the trouble here is that L177 and L018 are very very very slow growers, you could have them for 10 years or more before they are a breeding size.
I would personally look at a much simpler sp. to breed, some of the ancistrus sp. or hypancistrus, and get a bigger tank

have to agree with Scatz! you have probably seen a nice gold nugget in a shop and not realised you are looking at a youngster. if you have never bred plec before i would at least start with a species which has been tank bred successfully, like most types of Bristle noses, there are many types of BN if you dont like the common ones.

Heres an ideal thread for you to read, someone else wants to have a go at L177.

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=28830

L177 has been spawned before, in fact its the only GN to have been bred I believe. There is an article on the internet containing the info & pics on the spawn & I believe Larry Vires has info about it in his book, though no pics to back it up. I'll have to go look for the breeding article.

Here's a thread with the link:
http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=402

A big thank you to Doodles,scatz and Irene for the precious information provided...I was shocked when I learnt that it's maximum size is near 10 Inches..Guess probably I didn't see any locally..Guess I should learn to breed something simple like BN.. Thanks all! for the great help!!

Cheers!
Golden Nugget

Thanks Lornek8 and matubula..I guess I have to find adult size L177 first, before I can try breeding them..I will try to get a bigger tank..But in the meanwhile, I should be trying to breed BN until I have luck with adult L177.. I'm really happy to see such great help in Pleco Planet forums! Two thumbs up for you peoples! Cheers!!

Theres quite a few types of bristlenoses, some are easier to breed than others, i would pick an easyish one but not necessarily the common bn. L144 for example are very nice looking and fairly easy to breed if you can get them.

http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1765

Lornek8 said:

I believe Larry Vires has info about it in his book, though no pics to back it up.

Click to expand...

Im sure someone told me this account turned out to be a fake.

matubula said:

Im sure someone told me this account turned out to be a fake.

Click to expand...

It is believed that many of the accounts are but I don't think there is any proof either way, just the lack of positive proof (ie pics) to back it up.