Starlight breeding...

[grav81]

I have just acquired 2 male and one female starlight pleco, and I was wondering what kind of chances I would have of successfully breeding them. Has anyone any experience with these fish at all?

[Autumnsky]

Have you ever had any any BN spawn for you before? They love caves.

[grav81]

Not yet, I have a good set of "caves" so here's hoping....

[Autumnsky]

Tanks need pretty good flow to help with keeping the eggs/fry fungus free. Stable parameters and time for the ages of the maturing fish to get to the right age. Just my plain short fin Albino BN are finally ready after about 2-3 years. Time.

Recently have had successive spawns. I haven't had huge success but also only tried one time to save a spawn. Lost the group because of poor circulation in the cave because it turned sideways away from the flow and they got fungus.

The SL are really beautiful fish. How old are your fish you have now?

[grav81]

Time I have in great supply tbf. The SL's are about 3-4 inches in length and I'd guess at about 5-8 months old though one of the males is slightly larger with a fair amount of "bristle" so I'd say he was a little older, though not by much. I don't think they sexually mature for a year or two, though I could be wrong and they're only just in the tank so there's a factor. Though my tame shop owner said he'd like first dibs on any offspring and tbh I don't have a problem with that.

Definitely 3 of the prettiest fish I own

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[Autumnsky]

Sounds like a fun but long term project! With mine I always hoped, and last fall I bought one clay cave which looks like the bottom half of a large banana, closed at the end. My oldest bn was verrrry bristly and I had 3 younge ones at least 2+ years now and low and behold there was a tiny baby in my big 72G which I could not save.

It was found out that the poppa BN was the younger of the 2 bn - go figure.

I have 3 or 4 Super Red I hope will make babies in a year or so they are still young.

SL are supposed to be more shy and less prolific breeders than the Albino BN.

Hope you will keep occasional updates here too! Or at least a link for a new baby thread so we can know how it goes long term. Hoping you get someone who has done breeding with these guys specifically!

Was not laid in the cave but then the next round was in the cave and then the round after that was under the giant DW.