CATFISH MEETING!!!
The first Catfish Room Meeting will be held here Tuesday, December 5th
Boris
Sabrina
Horus
Clk
Amber
Eicke
Bernard
Debk
Kenkearney
Crypt
Payara
Tiger
Melissa
Rgrmill
Roger
Melissa waves to Boris.
Melissa waves to Sabrina.
Amber says: hi, boris
Roger says: hi Boris, you had me a little nervous
Debk waves to Sabrina
Kenkearney waves.
Payara waves.
Payara cheers enthusiastically.
Clk waves.
Melissa waves to Panaque (here to log?).
Sabrina waves to Degk
Boris exclaims: I'm a little nervous myself!
Sabrina waves to debk and Melissa
Horus entices the crowd to start the wve
Roger says: yup
Sabrina waves to everyone
Roger says: ok, let's go
Roger asks: you ready Boris?
at 10:00pm FRT (Central Standard Time). Roger and Boris will be
discussing 'Hypancistrus zebra - The Zebra Pleco'
> Payara says: gogogogogogogogogogogogogogogogogogogogo
Boris says: I'm ready. Let's go...
Rgrmill says: Good guys win 86-79. 5-0 on the season.
Roger says: ok,
"Snap!" Rgrmill suddenly joins the dimensionally disadvantaged
Roger says: welcome everyone to the inaugural Catfish meeting
Crypt has left via a broken connection.
Roger says: the topic of tonight's meeting is the zebra pleco
Boris exclaims: There is really no better fish than a catfish!
Roger says: I'll be giving a little bit of background info on the fish
Crypt has entered FishRoom!
Crypt appears in the room.
Roger says: and then Boris will talk a little about their care.
Roger says: then, time permitting, Crypt will talk a little about the DATZ article on their breeding
Roger says: hold on
Nitro has entered FishRoom!
Roger has muted audible commands.
Roger gives the mic to boris.
Roger says: if anyone has questions, please ask me for the mic
Dev has entered FishRoom!
Dev transports into the room.
Dev waves.
Roger says: the zebra pleco was first seen in the US inn a photo in 1988, it took the catfish lovers by storm
Boris asks: How do I use this thing?
Roger says: the first zebra plecos were imported into the US in August of 1989
Roger says: you just talk, BOris, only you and I can talk right now
Roger says: when they were first imported, they sold wholesale for over $200US
Roger says: the initial catfish designation was L46
Roger says: shortly thereafter, it was renamed peckoltia zebra
Roger says: only recently has it been named hypancistrus zebra
Roger says: it is still quite difficult to find information on these fish
Boris says: True...
Dom has entered FishRoom!
Roger says: there have been two articles in the German magazine DATZ, and Ginny Eckstein wrote an article on them in the September issue of AFM
Roger says: most books that even have pictures of them still refer to them as L46 or zebra peckoltia
Roger says: I saw my first zebra in Nashville around late 1990, it was priced at over $00US
Roger says: sorry, $300US
Roger says: these fish are really gorgeous, they are jet black, and snow white striped
Roger says: they usually only reach 3-4" in length
Roger says: they are often referred to as "The Holy Grail" of loricariids for good reason
Boris says: Mine are white with black stripes...
Roger says: now, Boris will tell you a little about the care and maintenence of these wonderful cats
Nitro has left via a broken connection.
Boris says: OK, now I didn't pre-type this, because I didn't know how, so a little patience...
Boris says: I have had 4 zebras for about 2.5 years.
Boris says: I have never lost one, knock on driftwood
Melissa grins.
Boris says: They are in a 58 oceanic, undergravel, 2 powerheads, 2 whisper 2's.
Boris says: I have some driftwood, but they never touch it.
Sabrina has left via a broken connection.
Boris says: There are a few rocks, but i also have some stone hollow tubes and some...
Boris says: ...hollow bricks. They love the bricks and are in them most of the time.
Boris says: When I feed them, they rush right out and fight over the pellets.
Sabrina has entered FishRoom!
Sabrina appears in the room.
Boris says: I feed them a variety of sinking pelleted food.
Boris says: Algae wafers of various brands and regular old tetramin tablets.
Boris says: They seem to like the Hikari wafers best, which dissolve slowly.
Boris says: In contrast to Ginny Ecksteins observations, mine do eat algae.
Roger says: if I can interject here for a minute....
Sanjay has entered FishRoom!
Boris says: I find them frequently on top of the bricks eating their hearts out.
Roger says: that is one of the great problems with these fish. They don't seem to act the same way for everyone, hence, you get a lot of conflicting behavioral reports
Spectre has entered FishRoom!
Spectre transports into the room.
Jasonw has entered FishRoom!
Jasonw appears in the room.
Payara waves.
Melissa waves to both.
Sabrina waves.
Boris says: Very true. There may also be some variations in where they were exactly collected. Could there be some subtypes?
Roger says: that would certainly explain the behavioral differences
Boris says: Mine are not all identical, and came from different sources.
Noah has entered FishRoom!
Boris says: Some have very impressive paranasal bristles, others not so impressive.
Jasonv has left via a broken connection.
Boris says: Could this be a sex difference? I don't know.
Noah transports into the room.
Roger says: I've read that the length of the interopercular spines is a sexual characteristic
Boris says: I have not witnessed and unusual or floridly flirtatious behavior.
Boris says: that and should have been an any, sorry.
Boris says: Because I am ever hopeful, I only keep new fry of other species in the tank with them, just in case I get some babies.
Sanjay has left via a broken connection.
Boris says: This seems to prevent them from getting too frightened of people, as the babies are out all the time.
Boris asks: Anyone interested in water conditions?
Roger exclaims: YES!
Dev nods his head in understanding.
Payara raises his hand.
Spectre has left via a broken connection.
Noah nods his head in understanding <P>.
Boris says: Reportedly, they are found in very soft, acidic water. The kind those round flat fish seem to like.
Melissa raises her hand.
Boris asks: Yes?
Roger gives the mic to melissa.
Boris asks: Do you need the mic?
Jasonw has left via a broken connection.
Melissa says: Sorry was just raising my hand to say I wanted to hear the water conditions. Darned lag
Melissa gives the mic to roger.
Boris gives the mic to payara.
Payara asks: eh?
Payara gives the mic to horus.
Horus says: test
Horus asks: how do these things spawn? how successfully are they spawned in captivity?
Horus asks: how do i pass the mic back?
Roger says: give mic to boris
Horus gives the mic to boris.
Boris says: check one...
Boris says: So their habitat is discus-like, but my tanks certainly aren't.
Boris says: My tap water has been described as liquid rock.
Boris says: The pH is about 8.
Roger says: we'll discuss breeding when Crypt summarizes the DATZ article
Boris says: I do nothing special to the water, because i'm lazy, but the tank tends to...
Crypt nods his head in understanding.
Doc has entered FishRoom!
Boris says: have a pH of about 7.
Roger says: FWIW, here are my water conditions.....
Boris says: They don't seem to mind, as long as the water is not polluted, and the conditions don't change frequently.
Boris asks: FWIW?
Roger says: 55g tank with 5 zebras, a Chinese high-finned banded shark, and a baby arowana, 77F, pH7.4
Boris says: Oh yeah, my temp is 80.
Roger says: FWIW=for what it's worth
Sabrina waves.
Sabrina has left FishRoom.
Boris asks: I guess so. Any more questions?
Roger gives the mic to Crypt.
Roger says: Crypt has read a recent article on spawning efforts in DATZ
Boris says: If anyone wants to ask more later, my email is white_a@a1.kids.wustl.edu
Roger says: he will now summarize that article for us.
Debk has left FishRoom.
Crypt says: It's mmy turn.
Doc transports into the room.
Crypt says: the following is a short summary of an article by Ingo Seidel in the 6/95 issue of DATZ.
Crypt says: Hypancistus zebra NIJSSEN and ISBRUECKER 1991
Crypt says: It hails from Rio Xingu, in the vicinity of Altamira in Para state.
Roch has entered FishRoom!
Crypt says: Rio Xingu is a clear water river and is one of the largest tributary of the Amazon.
Roch transports into the room.
Crypt says: It originates from the Brazilian highland of Mato Grosso and is characterized by numerous waterfalls and counteracts.
Crypt says: The average annual temperature is 25-26 C. Precipitation in the area of Altamira is about 2000 mm and is more or less evenly distributed throughout the whole year. So there is no large fluctuations in water level.
Gecko has entered FishRoom!
Dom has left FishRoom.
Roch has left FishRoom.
Gecko transports into the room.
Crypt says: Near the city Altamira the river is about 1 km wide and has a rapid flow. The riverbed is mostly made up of volcanic rocks.
Crypt says: It is among the numerous crevices and holes where the zebra and other loricarids live.
Crypt says: The water is warm (~30 C), oxygen rich, and slighty acidic (pH 6.3) and the conductivity is 120 uS/cm.
Crypt says: Zebra exhibits sexual dimorphism. Male have wider head, elongated intraopecular odontodes (cheek spines), and conspicuous spines on pectoral spines.
Boris says: BRB...
Crypt says: It seems to prefer meatier food, like bloodworms and brine schrimp nauplii.
There is a shuffling scrape as a floor tile moves, and Rgrmill skitters from beneath it.
Melissa grins.
Crypt says: According to Seidel, the minimum temperature for breeding is 27 C.
Crypt says: He also recommends the use of strong filtration.
Kevinc has left FishRoom.
Crypt says: Here is a table of the conditions from five breeders.
Crypt says: Breeders Arndt Rickhoff Seidel Pahnke Walter
Crypt says: Tank size 196 276 300 375 ~600
Crypt says: tankmates nil discus Ancistrus nil Malawi cichlids
Crypt says: water 27 C 30 C 27 C 28 C 27 C
Crypt says: pH 7.2 pH 7.5 pH 8.3 pH 6.5 pH 8.0
Crypt says: condition 1020 uS/cm 12 dGH 6 dKH 750 uS/cm 50uS/cm 8 dGH 4 dKH
Crypt says: filtering 1500 1600 1800 2700 not mentioned
Crypt says: capacity l/hr
Crypt says: brood site slate ceremic slate concrete "holey" rock
Crypt says: cavity cavity cavity cavity
Roger gives the mic to melissa.
Crypt says: That's all for the moment.
Boris asks: cavity?
Melissa asks: Is the tank size in liters or in gallons?
Crypt says: Rio Xingu is a soutern tributery of Amazon.
Crypt says: it liters.
Melissa says: Thanks
Melissa gives the mic to roger.
Boris says: What did they mean by cavity..
Dustin has entered FishRoom!
Crypt says: it is a translation of the German term "Hohl". The thingie is built with flat slates, a bottom, two walls and a roof.
Mdun has entered FishRoom!
Crypt says: Yes.
Kenkearney waves.
Kenkearney has left FishRoom.
Roger asks: ok, I guess that is going to wrap up the formal presentations, anyone have any questions?
Boris says: Sounds like my bricks. Maybe I should go home and check :))
Mdun enters
Crypt asks: are you bricks hollow?
Crypt says: You are welcome.
Roger says: I'm going to go ahead and turn the mics off so that questions can be asked more easily
Roger has released muting.
Boris says: Good, I'm getting tired of carrying this thing.
Horus says: you guys were great
Roger says: I'd like to add that as far as I know, all of the reported breedings that I have heard of are in Europe
Payara raises his hand impatiently.
Tiger leaves, stalking after a mouse he saw run into another room.
Tiger has left via a broken connection.
Amber says: good meeting roger, boris & crypt. so roger, will you be nervous next time?>
Payara exclaims: <?>!!!
Roger says: thanks, and no, Amber
Eicke asks: Is there anything onng onecan do to induce spawning such as raising temp. or changing lighting, etc?
Payara exclaims: ahem!!
Roger exclaims: as long as I've got guys this good to help!
Payara says: i have a <?>
Gecko wonders why payara is being so backward about being forward...
Amber says: ayara, ask it pa is off
Payara says: :)
Rgrmill says: Congratulations everyone, you've set a new FishRoom attendance record.
Melissa grins.
Roger says: I'm not sure that anyone knows the answer to that yet, Eicke
Gecko cheers enthusiastically.
Dev claps and jumps up and down.
Payara says: territoriality.....i believe it wasn't mentioned
Boris says: Induce spawning? Don't know.
Melissa says: Ask away Payara
"Snap!" Rgrmill suddenly joins the dimensionally disadvantaged
Roger says: I often read about their intraspecies aggression....
Dev leaves north
Horus leaves north
Payara says: how territorial are the buggers>/
Boris says: It was fun guys, but soon I need to go, I have a baby who is swelling.
Mdun leaves north
Roger says: but mine group into two static clusters, one of three and one of two
Gecko says: personally i preferred "squish" to "snap"
Roger exclaims: thanks, BOris!
Payara waves farewell.
Melissa waves farewell.
Eicke says: Roger, do you remember my question earlier? 55 gallon, plant tank, swordtails, pl*co with dark brown spots? They are about 2inches long. I was wondering what kinda population I could sustain.
Peter has entered FishRoom!
Amber says: bye everyone
Payara waves.
Roger says: they seem to like to be together, as long as they can get away if the chose
Melissa waves bye to Amber
Boris says: See y'all later...
Crypt says: According to Seidel, they are territorial but the squeamishes do not lead to injuries.
Peter transports into the room.
Payara asks: so...cunclusion=not very territorial?
Gecko exclaims: g'day!
Roger says: just make sure you have plenty of room
Melissa waves hi to Peter.
Payara nods his head in understanding.
Eicke says: OK, thanks.
Boris has left FishRoom.
Payara says: thx
Roger says: just because they are small fish, don't be lulled into thinking that they don't need much space
Doc waves to all who are leaving
Payara must see these things in the wild
Clk waves hi and bye to all that is either coming or going.
Peter transports out of the room.
Melissa asks: Um, silly question, but what does DATZ stand for or is it in german?
Roger exclaims: BTW, we had 18 people here at one point, and a Fishroom all-time high of 28 people logged in total!
Bernard has left FishRoom.
Gecko says: hey, Clk! :)
Roger says: yes, it is a German Aquarist Magazine
Eicke exclaims: Great!!
Payara says: Der Amatuer something or other
Payara says: Tankee
Crypt says: It's an German acronym for "Das Aquarium-Terrarium Zeitschrift".
Melissa asks: I know that but what in the transaltion of the name?
Doc transports out of the room.
Payara says: oops...good guess anyways
Crypt says: Oops, "Die" not "Das".
Cap has left FishRoom.
Crypt exclaims: The damn gender thing!
Payara is listening to the soothing tunes of 'Ocean Waves' to get ready for home.
Roger says: I'm going to quit recordin, unless anyone has anything else
Payara says: nope
Amber says: i have a question, but it's not about plecos. what command was everyone using to wave and raise hands? i couldn't use "emote"
Eicke asks: What do you think of pl*co's with oscars in a large tank? Possible best species?
quitPayara says: raise
Crypt says: Pleco-freaks should take a look at the special issue "Harnischwels". 72 pages of articles on plecos.