Albino Long Finned Bristlenose Plecos

[LizStreithorst]

You have no idea how long I've been looking for Albino Long Finned Bristlenose Plecos. Seems like ever since I looked for them on Aquabid they were too much for spend. These guys are much in demand. Brian gave me the special Simply Discount so I got some. They are absolutely stunning!!!! I know that Brian wants to post them on Simply with a discount to to members here. But he has been very busy here lately so hasn't gotten around to it. He sent me better quality pics than I'll be posting, but it's the best I could do.

128019
128020
128021
128022

[Second Hand Pat]

There are really nice Liz, Brian does nice work with his fish. :)
Pat

[LizStreithorst]

He sure does Pat. I am looking forward to watching these little guys grow up and breed. I'm in love with them.

[coralbandit]

Nice LF plecos .
They are expensive on AB and in great demand .
They are a good fish to work on breeding IMO and with good lines it is only a matter of time before they breed regularly .
Once my super red [ regular fin] started breeding they were clock work every month to the day !
Good luck with them and nice job by Brian breeding and raising them .:cool:

[jeep]

They do look fat and happy! I'm glad you like them.

My work schedule finally slowed a bit and it took me a long time to get the supplies gathered but I'm glad they survived my newbie attempt at shipping. I haven't shipped in many years and that was airport to airport back then. Yours is the 3rd group and so far they've all survived!

[LizStreithorst]

Brian, your shipping is so perfect it makes me want to take lessons from you. I'll be your Guinea Pig any time!

[jeep]

Thanks Liz! :o

[jeep]

I also want to thank Tom for letting me pick his brain about shipping. Great ideas from someone with experience!!

[LizStreithorst]

Tom rocks when it comes to giving good advice in a way to make it easily understandable to a slow learner (me). He has helped me along with several things. Besides, he breeds really cool fish.

[danotaylor]

Nice one everyone...and beautiful looking LF's Liz...another project for the master breeder :thumbsup:

[peewee1]

Very interesting and unique. Knowing nothing about pelco is the long fin a hybrid fish? They and like long, or veil find angel are popular. Ideas why the long fin discus are or were not?

[LizStreithorst]

They are a result of selective breeding. I've been told that the long finned gene is dominant. I want to find out for myself. It would seem if it were the case they long finned would be more readily available.

With Discus, we have a standard of perfection that most people agree with. First and foremost a Discus should give the appearance of roundness. The long fin takes away from the round look.

[Willie]

Way back in the day, I'm talking about 1990, I looked into getting some long fin discus from Asia. I was good friends with one of the importers back then and he offered to source them for me.

At the time, they were inbred and lacked fertility due to intensive breeding for the long fin trait. My friend was never able to find high quality fish that he found acceptable. Likewise, Asian breeders never took to it because the fins elongate fairly late, when the fish are adults. So it wasn't practical to sell 2" long fin discus, which are the bread and butter sales for discus breeders. Like Liz says, they don't really look like discus.

Willie

[Willie]

Knowing nothing about pelco is the long fin a hybrid fish?

Long fin is a dominant mutation in plecos. You see a many Aquabid sellers claiming that their bristlenose plecos "carriy a long fin gene". They're either mistaken or lying, because even one long fin gene will give you a long fin Ancistrus.

Willie

[LizStreithorst]

Now that I know that it came from a mutation I understand. Thanks, Willie.

[peewee1]

Willie and Liz thanks. Reading forum posts is more than informative. It is deeply educational. I will attempt to photograph and start another thread so as to not hijack this one dedicated to what I believe to be a long fin discus that came to me by way of Forrest/Kenny. But you are right, the fins developed at about the one year mark. I am very happy with the fish to say the least.

[coralbandit]

Most real established keepers don't dig man made mutations .
Discus like rams are really well/ properly kept by those of us who are carried away to some extreme and looking for 'perfection' .
Best said by one old school keeper on the topic of long fin angels or discus " If I wanted a long fin mutation I would just keep goldfish". I do think there are beautiful goldfish ,but understand his comment .
I understand that and actually have found very little interest among keepers for long fin rams ..
I personally see no appeal at all for long fin /bulldog discus ? The rams I am undecided on ..I like the definition a standard fin gives and I will agree most long fins look ' not right ' , but a well bred / raised long fin ram is a quality sight to see IMO .

[Willie]

Gold, black and electric blue rams are mutations, as are all PB-based discus. The ghost gene used in Blue Diamonds is also a mutation, as is the 14-bar mutation used to produce snakeskins and ultimate spotted leopards. I've noticed that all the best discus here and on other sites are slightly taller than long, So they likely incorporate the HB trait that first appeared about 20 years ago and wasn't present in the original Red Turquoise, Brilliant or Cobalt varieties. Similarly, I'm a sucker for koi and halfblack angelfish. None of these are man-made. They all occurred as spontaneous mutations and were not left to be picked off by predators in nature.

In general, the term "classical form" is completely arbitrary. 99% of the best discus will likely get picked off in natural populations. I'm inclined to accept all forms and let the market decide.

Willie

[LizStreithorst]

Yeah, that's fine if what you want to do is make money. If I want to make and breed what keeps me happy, I breed what turns me on even if there will be no market for what I breed, like my blue SS's with discrete red spots. I wouldn't waste my time and money breeding fish if I did it only for money.

[peewee1]

Again thanking both Liz and Willie. Okay, don't anyone give me the, "Hey, .get a room!" The long tail pleco are as spooky looking as they are interesting. Ascetically the long fin serve to streamline the fish because it is long to begin with. Whereas a roundish fish's shape would not lend itself to any streamlining. For those of you who keep and breed pleco is there any thing about a pleco shape, size, color that would not be acceptable? For me I don't have the wherewith all to breed discus for sale so I too would breed them for my own interest and entertainment but would not be opposed to selling to a lfs in exchange for store credit. A value to a forum of like minded people would be to exchange something for something. Or even give to one another that which is deemed "extra" in order to either further the hobby or to provide enjoyment to another.

[LizStreithorst]

Lately here I've been selling my fish only to the LFS . The only Discus they get are ones I know won't work in my breeding program. They give me half of the selling price in cash but they only pay me what they would pay a wholesaler. I used to sell them tons of Angels. Now it's tons of red shrimp and blue shrimp, and tons of BN plecos. I have short fin Albino, Blue eyed. and browns. They don't care what strain they are and neither do I. Now, with these long fin albino plecos will be special to me, and I would sell them on AB. I don't have a clue about the standard for plecos. These are just pleasing to me.

[jeep]

I think they are very interesting. When they swim through the water, they almost look angelic. Very graceful....

Here's an adult...

128035

[LizStreithorst]

I just got 6 more! I almost had to beg them for them. Actually I did beg. Just like the last batch the packing was perfect. They arrived in excellent condition. USPS Express shipping is the only way to go. And it's so much easier and less expensive that FedEx.

[above design]

Congrats Liz! They are very cool. I'm not ashamed of begging either lol

- Mark

[jeep]

I'm glad they made it and you're happy with them!!!

I'll be making an announcement soon :p

[above design]

Hey Brian... my qt will be vacant early next week hint, hint! �� Liz, thanks for sharing your experience. Much appreciated.

-Mark

[LGelb]

Does anyone have any plecos available?

[Charlyc11]

Does anyone have any plecos available?

Talk to Liz I got from her 6 very healthy ABN plecos.

[LizStreithorst]

Thanks Carlos. Yes LGelb I have many BN available. Shoot me a PM.

[Charlyc11]

132712

132714

[LizStreithorst]

Thanks for the pics, Carlos. The long finned albino plecos are the only long finned fish I've come across that I'm fond of. I'm proud that these came from me.

[Charlyc11]

Thanks for the pics, Carlos. The long finned albino plecos are the only long finned fish I've come across that I'm fond of. I'm proud that these came from me.

Yes I love them they are constantly showing off in the front of the tank.