Toddnbecka

Here's a few pics of my soon-to-be-spawning pleco's. Imported from Germany, still quite rare, but they're the same as any other BN aside from the color.

aquarist48

Beautiful TnB! Thanks so much for sharing. What a nice "bright" addition to your aquarium!
Ken

bolivianbaby

They're beautiful!

Barbrella

They're absolutely gorgeous and your tank is awesome!

Time

Wow. Imported?

Toddnbecka

Yes, I got some juvies from Germany a couple months ago. As far as I know there aren't any available anywhere else yet. I read that this color morph appeared among a batch of normal BN Ancistrus, and were selectively bred to keep the color. I'll be outcrossing some with regular brown BN to add some fresh blood; breeding two of those fish together will result in stronger super red stock. Eventually I'll cross them with longfins too, but that will take several generations to achieve. The small fry look like calico BN, but as they grow the orange color becomes dominant (calico's become more brown as they mature.)
I'm thinking Rosy Red BN suits them better since they're about the same color as rosy red fathead minnows. The pics were taken w/out flash, just a regular fluorescent shop light over the tank. Its my 75 gallon growout tank, currently houses about a dozen or so brown BN juvies and 20 2" cichlids along with the super reds. The largest female is carrying eggs, and will be moved to a breeding tank tomorrow.

Butterfly

Oh drool Todd! Do you have to do this to me LOL
Carol

Je55*e

Just beautiful.

Toddnbecka

Nothing personal, I'm just looking to show off the newest color morph of the BN clan. I always did like orange fish, and these are actually useful eye candy. In a couple years they'll be as easily available as the others, but in the meantime they'll go for a nice price. Being Ancistrus they mature in less than a year, and even young females produce more eggs than Hypancistrus species. (I have 6 L333's older than by breeding trio of browns that still aren't mature.)
Just wait until I get the L134's this week and post pics. You'd better keep a paper towel over your keyboard...
Here's a couple of the L333's:



and L204's when they were younger, the lighter bands become more narrow as they grow:



Almost forgot the L10a red lizards (old pics, they're much more plump now, need to fix them up some breeding caves):

Time

Wow. Good luck with your breeding. Sorry, I didn't know they were only available in Germany. I saw very neat plecos on a trip to Mexico once and never saw them again over here. I only see commons and these spotted ones. Very amazing plecos.

Aldric

they r close in colouring to the albino BN

SWilkins

I'm with Carol on the drooling. Pretty plecos all of them. Now I see why plecoprincess has an addiction with the little buggers. Todd just what all types of plecos do you have....if you don't mind me asking.

Toddnbecka

Most of the variety I have is in the pics. Still waiting for the L-134 leopard frogs, they should be here tomorrow or Friday. Shipment was delayed, but I'm not in a rush anyway. Eventually I'll have a larger house, and plan on setting up a custom built 8' tank. That will be a planted show tank with some larger species of pleco's and a school of roseline sharks for dithers.

SWilkins

Well I just love the variety. I am still planning on some of your brown BNs and if these guys get it together maybe I could get some of those bright little ones too. Oh I have some tanks that would be just great for them. Paint is done in my fish room, electrical has to be finished, and then all tanks have to be moved hee hee hee.

whisper

Todd if you ever get some of the Super Red BN ready for sale please let us know I would love to have some.They are great!

Toddnbecka

Here's some lousy pics of the new frogs (L-134.) Group pics in a 5 gallon bucket right after unbagging and a couple of them in a tank hours later. I'll get better pics after they settle in a bit.




Ya gotta love their little striped faces, LOL

Aldric

wow they look great
how big do they grow to ?

Toddnbecka

Not much more than 4"/10cm.

whisper

WOW they are great!!!!

bolivianbaby

They're so cute! Congratulations!

Toddnbecka

Found the first super red fry in the growout tank. Sadly, the cichlids will be picking them off before they have a chance to grow. Most of the larger super reds have now been moved into a breeding tank, but the father of the fry is still hiding in the plastic tree stump and won't be accessible for a while yet. I may end up moving it as well, but I'd really prefer to leave it where it is.
Here's a couple pics of what may be the first super red fry in the US. They look something like albino's, but they're not as pale and have color in their eyes:

Kitsune

Question: I know that with CAEs you run the risk of them getting aggressive and sucking the sides out of your fish. Are BNs the same?

Toddnbecka

No, BN pleco's are safe to keep with anything that won't bother them. Even shrimp and/or tiny fry are safe.

Kitsune

Can anyone point me to a place where I can find information on BNs? Things like tank size requirements, food requirements, substrate size, etc etc. I tried but filtering out the posts didn't work so well and most of what I find is on the common pleco. But these are just soooo cuuuuute.

Seeing these adorable babies makes me want one

Butterfly

They look a lot like L144 fry. Gorgeous Todd thanks for sharing.

Kitsune- www.planetcatfish.com is a great place to look for information on any pleco
Carol

CHoffman

That's what I was thinking Carol. Are they even considering albino if they don't have red eyes??.

Whatever they are they are VERY VERY pretty!!. Good luck with them.

whisper

Oh Todd how exciting! Can't wait till you have enough for us to buy some from you. Keep up the good work.

SWilkins

Beautiful Toddnbecka. Not that I am surprised, you definitely have a way with the BNs. Keep us posted on them...I would love to add some to my tanks here when you have some babies available.