Marisseas

I've been very interested in this species and had a chance to obtain a breeding pair. However, these creatures are often expensive thus I am afraid to raise the fry only to be stuck with a bunch of them. Is there a big market for these fish right now?

Angela_96

If they are true zebras, well cared for and breed successfully then yes.
Personally I would be scared of spending that much on fish to breed.

btate617

There is always a market for them. Around here you will sometimes see them for sale at a sexable size for anywhere between $500-1200. Problem is most are extra males that people are selling off.

Brian

matt6765

I think it is risky..... zebra plecos are supposed to be very hard to breed

Shawnie

if you have a breeding pair, and as angela said they are truly zebras(allot are sold that are not) then yes its definitely worth it...can you get some pics of yours for us? they are amazing plecs

Marisseas

Actually, if you can pair them off correctly then I heard it wasn't too difficult. All they require is the right water, ample space, and a cave that is about the span of their dorsal fin raised up in height and wide enough for it to turn around in, but I could be wrong.

Sure! If I end up purchasing them, I would be happy to post pictures.

matt6765

how much could you sell the babies for?

Marisseas

I've heard around $400 in the U.S

matt6765

wow thats some good money..... I sent you a friend request

Butterfly

Zebra Pleco (L46) need to be approx. 2-4yrs old before they are at breeding age and they only lay about 10 eggs at a time. Along with an export ban on wild specimen can account for the cost.
According to www.zebrapleco.com there are only 59 registered breeders, 594 spawns and approx 4665 bred in captivity. That makes them highly desirably to be bred in my book
carol

Shawnie

just really make sure they are the real zebra's before you purchase... goodluck!

Toddnbecka

I'd suggest breeding a less expensive species first as a learning experience before putting up the $$ for zebra pleco's. They can be bred, but as already stated they need to be several years old before they're mature enough. Finding a breeding pair isn't easy either, juvies are more often available than mature fish.

Marisseas

Thanks! I was mulling that over last night. I think I'll try out breeding Whiptail Catfish first. I have very little experience breeding plecos, so that's a good idea. Or is there another breed you would recomend to start with?

Butterfly

Read everything you can about the Zebra Pleco (L46) then breed a less expensive pleco that has the same or similar requirements. Just some thoughts.
Carol

sirdarksol

To answer the initial question: Yes, for more than one reason.
There's the obvious financial gain, but there's also the possibility of making the species more widely available in the aquarium trade, not to mention preserving the species in case the waterway they live in becomes polluted, damaged, or dries up.

Of course, this is presuming you can do it successfully, and that you get true zebra plecos, as was mentioned above.
Not sure about breeds to start with, but it's likely a good idea to start with something cheaper to make sure you can successfully breed them.

Toddnbecka

Whiptails are a different genus, you'd be closer with another Hypancistrus species. The good news is that there's enough info on breeding L-46 to compare to similar species that are more often available. Finding mature adults may be a bit tough, most imported stock are young fish.

Slug

This. They don't lay hundreds of eggs at a time, so if you can keep the survival rate high from the minimal fry you get then its decent. Definitely not a great way to make a living. But it can bring in a decent profit to supplement your hobby assuming you have multiple pairs. You also must find a willing buyer, not a fast sell usually at $500 per pop.

And this is, in my opinion, much more profitable then money.

I'd love to do it someday. Definitely one of my holy grails.