My first attempt at discus keeping

[eklikewhoa]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

probably just the cheaper fish then like the others.

[Brownsnoutuk]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

Im going there tomorrow to pick up one of those blue seam plecos.
Is that a good price for them?

[eklikewhoa]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

I think it's fairly priced

[Brownsnoutuk]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

Well i drove all the way down there today and they didnt have any of the plecos in the picture. They had plecos that were slightly similar(very small blue dots on just the head but nothing like the one in the picture)

Well i was dissapointed, but at least i got to see a fish store i havent been in.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

they had a tank full of blue seams when I went, nothing is gonna look as good as internet pictures in a LFS so maybe you overlooked them.

they dont have the dots though.

[jwyde]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

I’m pretty sure I’ve got that fish sitting in my tank right now.  His spots aren't as pronounced as that model pleco up there, but he’s definitely got spots all over his body.  I'm hoping they come out more as he gets more mature.  They become more pronounced if he’s stressed.  I’ll take a picture when I can and see what the board thinks.  You saw they labeled it a “blue fin pleco” but the fish  here (L239) looks like a blue fin to me.

I also think they labeled it L183 which I’ve seen as the “starlight.”  There is definitely serious confusion between names & L number.   It might indeed be a "blue seam pleco" as eklikewhoa suggests, but he definitely has spots all over his body.  He's also got great tendrils on his head.  I like him tons.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

well I went and they don't look exactly like the posted picture but I took a picture for you brownsnout. also if you look carefully you will find a single what looks like a L134, it was not posted but I hoped that they would have sold it to me for the blue seam price of $12.99 but they said the price of the ruby ugly one which was $29.99.

maybe you can get them to give it to you for the 12.99 price brownsnout.

here is the picture of the blue seam they are selling........

[jwyde]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

Well, I had a hard time capturing Mr. Bearded Nija (that's what I call him).  He's still really shy.  But this is the fish I got from Village seen from the front, side, & back:





You can see the spots all over his body.  He even has spots on his belly.  IDK, I think it's the same fish.  I think some have more pronounced spots than others.  But perhaps it's a different L number.

[Ellen]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

That is one beautiful fish!!! Do they have more?

Ellen

[eklikewhoa]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

They had a tank full I was there Ellen.

[Ellen]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

Thanks for letting me know! I'll be in town on Wednesday (doing wedding stuff), maybe I can convince Allen we *need* to stop by...

Ellen

[jwyde]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

They had plenty when I was in there a few days ago (on the order of 20 or so I’d say).  But you should know that you might be under-whelmed when you seem them like Brownsnoutuk was.  They are small fish (mine is probably about 2”) and they will only get to a little under 4”.  That’s one of the reasons I got him.  I wanted an algae eater, but one that wouldn’t get too big (or bother my discus).  Also, when they put their dorsal fin down and collapse their tail fin, the bluish-white seam disappears.  When they are on the bottom of a piece of wood, they look like a shadow, except for a few specs of white on their faces that give them away.  But you can see, they are quite pretty when they are out and about.  I just wanted to let you know.

[Ellen]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

Yeah, I kind of figured that. But, wouldn't it be cool to breed them....   I know lots of angelfish breeders also try their hand at BN plecos. And, even though these are harder to breed (according to planetcatfish), they're still bristlenose! I've been wanting to try my hand at breeding some bristlenoses, but I think the albinos fell off the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down. I've been looking at the 'different' browns for sale, but haven't taken any plunges yet. And if they don't breed, well, try, try again!  8)

Ellen

[eklikewhoa]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

Also when you go Ellen check out the L134 they have in the tank with those blue seams! It's a really beautiful one and it's actually gold and black instead of the normally seen pale and black. Maybe you can try and get it for the blue seam price!

[jwyde]

Re: My first attempt at discus keeping

Ellen, I completely agree with you… the albino bushy-nose plecostomus are pretty darn ugly.  That long fin I posted above, being the exception to the rule.  I like the blue seam pleco a lot.  I think his tendrils on his head are pretty distinguished looking.  If you could breed that guy, it would be pretty cool.

Eklikewhoa, you’ve got a sharp eye!  The leopard pleco was hiding behind the heater in a swarm of BN & Violets.  I couldn’t resist, he’s just so darn beautiful.

I like the way he gets up on his front fins... looks like a toad:

So, many pictures to choose from because he just doesn't take a bad picture; he's so photogenic:

Here he his with a train of cory sterbai coming around the corner and a discus observing his kingdom quite regally from above:


I got him for less than the Violets but more than the Blue Seams.  Even if it’s not planned, it’s a good sales strategy to keep some ugly expensive fish around.  Then I feel like I’m getting a much better deal on the pretty fish.  Kind of like when a realtor shows you some real dumps first.  When you see an average house it looks like a castle by comparison.  Thanks for point it out.