im new to the world of plecos. i went to an auction recently and i seen a pleco that i ahd to have. it was the perttiest little thing i had ever seen the only thing i dont know what it is and if the amount i paid was to little or to much can some one please help me?
help with id
- Thread starter golden_erica
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It's a Baryancistrus xanthellus, commonly called a 'Gold Nugget Pleco'. Before this fish was scientifically described, there were several L numbers used, and L177 fits that fish. I must say it looks like a very nice specimen with such large yellow spots.
Baryancistrus xanthellus - L177
As for price, typically in the UK they are £30 which equates to about $50 Canadian dollars, a that size.
People often have trouble with these fish when first introduced because they are fairly specialised feeders. Have you bought the fish yet?
Baryancistrus xanthellus - L177
As for price, typically in the UK they are £30 which equates to about $50 Canadian dollars, a that size.
People often have trouble with these fish when first introduced because they are fairly specialised feeders. Have you bought the fish yet?
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yes i have bought it i have it in a 75gallon mabuna tank. what to the like to eat? i also have a red marble pleco in there with it will yhat cause a problem?
I don't know much (if anything) about a Mbuna tank set up, but roughly speaking they are full of rocks, aren't they? If so, then you've inadvertently created a very good habitat already. Baryancistrus xanthellus are found the in the Rio Xingu, Brazil, and it's nearby tributaries, and live within a very rocky environment. And so have evolved to graze on the surface of the rocks, eating the 'awfuchs' that grow on them. Their intestinal tracts are very long and they have comparatively small stomachs, so they need to graze on frequently.
So that it was you should try to replicate. In addition to grazing on the rock surfaces (which won't solely be enough to sustain your fish) you should provide dried foods like algae wafers/pellets and fresh vegetables like courgette/zucchini and sweet potato. Their diet should contain a good amount of algae/vegetable matter, meatier foods can be fed but not too often.
As for maintenance in the aquarium, the temperature should be quite high (about 28c) and consequently lot's of water movement for high oxygen levels.
I don't know what a 'red marble pleco' (post some pictures?) but it could cause problems like aggression and out competing it for food.
So that it was you should try to replicate. In addition to grazing on the rock surfaces (which won't solely be enough to sustain your fish) you should provide dried foods like algae wafers/pellets and fresh vegetables like courgette/zucchini and sweet potato. Their diet should contain a good amount of algae/vegetable matter, meatier foods can be fed but not too often.
As for maintenance in the aquarium, the temperature should be quite high (about 28c) and consequently lot's of water movement for high oxygen levels.
I don't know what a 'red marble pleco' (post some pictures?) but it could cause problems like aggression and out competing it for food.
Sorry going to be blunt, a mbuna tank is a terrible habitat for a gold nugget, actually most plecs as well. Apart from the rocky environment, there is little in common with their natural habitat. Plecs like water that is more acidic, softer, higher flow and has more oxygen content. Further gold nuggets have diets similar to mbunas which on thew surface appears good but as plecs are not as greedy or aggressive eaters it could be difficult to get the gn adequate amounts of food.
Red marble might be an Anistrus which though marginally better is still not good in an mbuna tank.
Red marble might be an Anistrus which though marginally better is still not good in an mbuna tank.
Congrats on a nice L177 Gold Nugget. I am sorry, but I also do not think it has a place in a Mbuna african tank. The water conditions needed for a Gold Nugget is nearly the opposite as that to african Mbuna. Sorry. cheers jk :thumbup:
Thanks to everyone for there post, coments and advice. I will be doing so changes very shortly to make a better environment for my plecos. Thanks ahain and I will be posting more pictures shortly.