Look who's claimed the pot

[jordonsmum]

I only put this pot in about two days ago. And look who took over right off the bat. The only time he/she comes out is when the dinner bell rings.

My two largest are in the 2" range. When should I see signs of bristles if they are male???
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t174/jordonsmum/100_5925.jpg

[Pamelajo]

I would say fairly soon.

[Katalyst]

Awwww that's cute..I have pots all over for my guys yet so far I see them more then I don't. Chewing away...:laugh:

[jordonsmum]

Do I need to tip it down more so the entrance is smaller??

[Pamelajo]

Does he/she spend a lot of time in it. If not then tip to narrow the opening. If he is spending lots of time in it now, I would say he likes it just fine. They usually will claim a cave for their own and that is where mine have usually spawned. Another way to tell if it is a male is a deep pink V on the tops of the heads. This guy has the v.http://www.plecofanatics.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=17443&c=511
Hope that helps.

[jordonsmum]

Thank you madam.... I've heard of the "V" or "diamond shape" and have been watching like a hawk ( you know me... miss impatience...LOL ) but I see nothing *pout*. Two females maybe??? I'll try and get some photos tonight


Yup, the lil uns lovin that pot so I won't bother it. I had 4 other different types of caves in there before and it showed no interest until the pot appeared. He/she just stuck to the glass behind the bubble curtain.

Thanks again

[Tanya in Moncton NB]

Mine really like their coconut caves. They like to rasp on them too. I have one coconut that is thin now and when I look at it through a light, I can see through it! :smile:

There's all different ways of doing coconut huts. I made a different one with coconut from the store. I drilled a whole buch of holes all through it with a hole drill. then I pryed the coconut off, boiled the shell for a few hours and attached java moss and java fern to it. It's all grown now, and it's a ball with holes in it and plants growing over top! :laugh:

[CACAdmin]

Mine really like their coconut caves. They like to rasp on them too. I have one coconut that is thin now and when I look at it through a light, I can see through it! :smile:

There's all different ways of doing coconut huts. I made a different one with coconut from the store. I drilled a whole buch of holes all through it with a hole drill. then I pryed the coconut off, boiled the shell for a few hours and attached java moss and java fern to it. It's all grown now, and it's a ball with holes in it and plants growing over top! :laugh:

Sounds really neat. Tanya, I copied the 'how-to' part of your post over to the thread Coconut caves (http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/forum/showthread.php?t=527) in the DIY section as a resource for anyone thinking of making a coconut cave. I hope you don't mind. Maybe you could even add a picture... :;): I'd love to see what it looks like.

[Pamelajo]

Tanya have you ever tried them on their side with just one hole. I have some cut in half with an opening for a door, but was just thinking they may also like them whole with just one opening about an inch across. Lots of privacy.

[traco1]

So, Pamela, they really like the small entry and not a lot of room inside? Good info to know.

[Katalyst]

So, Pamela, they really like the small entry and not a lot of room inside? Good info to know.

Sounds like my last apartment. :rolleyes:

[CACAdmin]

Sounds like where I live now.:laugh:

[traco1]

:rofl:

[Pamelajo]

The big breeder here says to make opening the width of the body plus one fin. But they always pick my barnacles with that much of an opening. I am not sure about how much room inside, but he also is the one that uses the saucers.

[CACAdmin]

Does the big guy prefer the saucers to the barnacles? If so, could it be that maybe the amount of space they prefer inside is also proportional to their own size?

[Pamelajo]

He as in the breeder of the fish or the fish itself??LOL The breeder is one of our the speakers for this area and has breed many types of plecos.
The man who breeds swears by the saucers, I have used different sizes with openings to size like he told and me and mine always choose the barnacles. I currently have 3 breeding pairs breeding in barnacles who tank's also contain the saucer caves and the pot caves. :confused: :Confused: I am really wondering what will happen when all my barnacles finally disolve, no more babies??? I beginning to think mine are just very fussy.

[Tanya in Moncton NB]

Tanya have you ever tryed them on their side with just one hole. I have some cut in half with an opening for a door, but was just thinking they make also like them hole with just one opening about an inch across. Lots of privacy.

I haven't sawed them in half but I've seen many people do so. When I did my project, I didn't quite know how to saw it in half so I opted to drill it.

I have one cave that is made out of a coconut "maraca" :twitcy: My dad had gone to cuba and brought back a pair of coconut maracas (the musical instruments you shake) Well they were quite nice and carved with a flower motif and the word Cuba on it.
A few months later, my daughter had broken the handle off and the little rocks inside had been lost. One day, I was going to throw this broken thing out and I decided to throw it in the aquarium!
::D: I scraped the little bit of glue off and made sure it was super clean...and popped it in the tank!

Well the fishies love it and they have now scrapped the flower design right off!

I haven't caught one inside yet...

[Melody]

He as in the breeder of the fish or the fish itself??LOL The breeder is one of our the speakers for this area and has breed many types of plecos.
The man who breeds swears by the saucers, I have used different sizes with openings to size like he told and me and mine always choose the barnacles. I currently have 3 breeding pairs breeding in barnacles who tank's also contain the saucer caves and the pot caves. :confused: :Confused: I am really wondering what will happen when all my barnacles finally disolve, no more babies??? I beginning to think mine are just very fussy.

Now that I know Pacific Aquatics (http://www.pacificaquatics.ca) has them here, you can either order them from there or I can send them down in our trades :smile: .

[jordonsmum]

Here's the larger one. Just a hair over 2". What do you think??? He or she??
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t174/jordonsmum/100_5993.jpg

[Shelley]

I would say a "she". The male albinos have red on the top of their heads that kinda shows thru under their skin.

[jordonsmum]

That's great, Thanks Shelly

I've been looking hard for that "V" or diamond shape and just can't seem to see it. I'm going to try and get some photos of the other one today and see if we can't take a guess at that one two.

[Pamelajo]

Once they get it, it is not hard to miss.

[jordonsmum]

Once they get it, it is not hard to miss.

Truce, the hard part is in knowing when it's time to stop looking for it and deciding that it's a female. That's the part i'm trying to figure out. At what size / age do I stop looking to see if it's going to develop these traits.
Thanks , you've been very helpful!!!

[Pamelajo]

The two inch is a good indicator, but I have a brown lace bn and he was a late bloom. Thought he was a she for the longest time. And then when he did finally sprout whiskers they were very sparse compared to the rest of my male bns. Still nothing like the rest and he is at least a year now. Let me see if I can find some more definite info.

[Pamelajo]

Try this thread:http://www.plecofanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37884

[Katalyst]

:confused: :Confused: I am really wondering what will happen when all my barnacles finally disolve, no more babies??? I beginning to think mine are just very fussy.

You'll get new one's from me in December when I go to Florida. :)

[Pamelajo]

:thumbup: :red_dance:

[jordonsmum]

Ok, here's the other one. A little more shy. I had to tempt him/her out of hiding. As you can see, he/she has a weak spot for treats. What do you think?? he?? she?? I thought I saw a little more pink behind the head on this one. It's a little smaller than the first one.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t174/jordonsmum/100_6022.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t174/jordonsmum/100_6029.jpg

[Pamelajo]

It could be the start of the V.

[happy_pitbull]

I agree, I am leaning towards male on that one.

For interests sake, I did read one time (I forget where) that if more than one male is kept per tank, that the one dominate guy will get the longest bristles and the other males will develop much slower. I am not sure if this is true or not...:spinny:.... but it seems to have been the case in my tanks. One male will get a huge face of bristles, and the other will grow theirs as well... just not as long :) Again, just some info I had remembered readin ahile back, for interests sake... ;)


Min

[Pamelajo]

It has happened here in my lf albinos and my reg albinos.

[jordonsmum]

I agree, I am leaning towards male on that one.

For interests sake, I did read one time (I forget where) that if more than one male is kept per tank, that the one dominate guy will get the longest bristles and the other males will develop much slower. I am not sure if this is true or not...:spinny:.... but it seems to have been the case in my tanks. One male will get a huge face of bristles, and the other will grow theirs as well... just not as long :) Again, just some info I had remembered readin ahile back, for interests sake... ;)


Min

So, I only have one in each of the tanks right now. Does that mean they're likely to develop faster??? That second one has 125 gals to himself so far with 4 caves. He's the one who claimed the pot.

The other is in my 25 gal drop tank. (The likely female). I didn't want to introduce them until I knew sexes. Then I thought they could be introduced young and finish growing together.

[Pamelajo]

You could add them now. If they do turn out to both be males they will only squabble. Mine only get serious when there is a female involved.
Maybe if the other is a female, he get growing those wiskers to impress her. (kidding)

[jordonsmum]

You could add them now. If they do turn out to both be males they will only squabble. Mine only get serious when there is a female involved.
Maybe if the other is a female, he get growing those wiskers to impress her. (kidding)


LOL... perfect, thanks. I'll do it tonight and let you know how it goes:;):