Gold Nugget Questions

Btown · Post by **Btown** » 05 Nov 2003, 07:20

Hello, new to the forum here and I have a few questions. I am very interested in breeding Gold Nuggets (L177) in my 20L. Now for the questions:

1) Is this tank an acceptable size for breeding?
2) At what size are Gold Nuggets sexually mature?
3) Can I have other fish in the tank with them while attempting to breed them? (i.e. cichlid fry)
4) If there are any experienced Gold Nugget breeders out there, do you have any tips/tricks in order to help?

Thanks for all your help and best of luck with all your fish.

Brett

Btown · Post by **Btown** » 12 Nov 2003, 19:32

Does anyone have any info that they are willing to share? I'm trying to get set up with the proper sized set-up and know how and have already done some research online but I was unable to come up the answers the above questions. Thanks in advance.

Brett

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 12 Nov 2003, 20:44

1) Is this tank an acceptable size for breeding?

No, i would suggest about 150-200L

2) At what size are Gold Nuggets sexually mature?

About 8"

3) Can I have other fish in the tank with them while attempting to breed them? (i.e. c*****d fry)

Yes

What experience with Loricariidae have you got so far?

Btown · Post by **Btown** » 15 Nov 2003, 01:18

Magnum, thanks for the reply. I have no experience breeding catfish of any sort. I am going to start with the gold nugget and probably the bushynose pleco. I'm not underway with my catfish project but rather doing research as to what I need to get started. Any suggestions beyond doing research here and other online places?

Last night, I read on this forum that gold nuggets were sexually mature at 4-5"? I will have to do some more researching. Thanks again for your help.

Brett

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 15 Nov 2003, 08:29

Hi!

4-5' is pretty unlikely, but 6'-7' is pretty much likely... Remember they are rather territorial fish especially during breeding time.
20 liters tank is a sardin can for them . A volum of 200 liters is really the minimum and only if you keep a pair with many places to hide for the submissive one...
Cheers
Yann

YouTube · Post by **Jools** » 15 Nov 2003, 08:49

The onl solid information I have is that courtship involves the fish biting each other which, in the confines of an aquaria, can be severe enough to cause fatalities. It is not a pleco to attempt for your first venture into breeding plecos.

Bushynoses however are a great first effort as many of the commonly available ones will bred quite readily. Avoid black with bright white spot ones as they tend to be black water species and thus are harder to spawn.

Jools

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 15 Nov 2003, 20:06

I'm not underway with my catfish project but rather doing research as to what I need to get started. Any suggestions beyond doing research here and other online places?

I would do what jools suggests get good at breeding and more importantly practice raising young plecos and then move on to your golden nugget project. buy them now and start growing them on for the future.

INXS · Post by **INXS** » 17 Nov 2003, 03:59

I think 20L=20 gallon long.

Btown - check 'Catfish of the month December 2000'.

I have never seen an L-177 anywere near 12" as a matter of fact I have never seen one that has lived for a month for myself, stores or anyone I know so I couldn't guess anything about the size.
I do have a couple of L-85 & L-81 and just as people have stated : they are terratorial and chase eachother quite a bit. The smaller spotted ones (L-18, L-81 & L-85) seem to be hardier then the L--177 at least IME and from what I have heard from others.

I would love to have some L-177 and to have them breed but I think it is probably not easy.

Good luck and if you succeed make sure you document it and post the results here.

Btown · Post by **Btown** » 20 Nov 2003, 17:16

Thanks again for everyone's replies. I have had a gold nugget previously and I kept him or her for 8 months when I did one of those foolish things that we all wish we had never done. The biggest gold nugget I have ever seen was about 4 and 1/2" and it was the one I kept for myself.

I will definetely look into putting my lone gold nugget into a bigger tank when attempting to breed them (if that happens). Thanks again

All other breeding tips and general knowledge about gold nuggets is helpful. I have read most of the articles on this site and many on other sites. If you have any other information or experiences with gold nuggets. Thanks

Brett