Hello, and welcome to the Pleco Keeping Diary.
This time, I purchased a SheltaCrafta biological shelter and introduced it into my Imperial Zebra Pleco tank.
When keeping Imperial Zebra Plecos, I feel that choosing a shelter is quite important. This is because it not only serves as a hiding place but can also help establish personal space between individuals and potentially lead to future breeding behavior.
There are 5 Imperial Zebra Plecos in this tank. I was a little excited to see which individual would like which spot when adding the new shelter, as I set it up.
Appearance of the SheltaCrafta Shelter
First, let’s look at its appearance. SheltaCrafta’s shelters, being designed for living creatures, have a nice ambiance and look quite sturdy.
When considering it for Imperial Zebra Plecos, the size of the entrance, its depth, and the darkness inside are quite important points of concern. If it’s too wide, they won’t feel secure, and if it’s too narrow, some individuals might find it difficult to enter. So, I decided to actually place it in the tank and observe their reactions.
▲ Appearance of the SheltaCrafta shelter. Introduced as a hiding place for Imperial Zebra Plecos.
5 Imperial Zebra Plecos in the Tank
Currently, there are 5 Imperial Zebra Plecos in this tank. Since each individual has a different personality, their reactions when a new shelter is introduced also vary.
Some individuals come to check it out immediately, while others keep a bit of distance and observe. Observing these reactions is also an interesting aspect of adding a shelter.
▲ Imperial Zebra Plecos in the aquarium. This time, I adjusted the layout while observing the five fish.
Thoroughly Clean the Aquarium Before Installation
Before adding the new shelters, I first thoroughly cleaned the inside of the aquarium.
In a pleco tank, waste and leftover food tend to accumulate under and in the gaps of shelters. If you tidy up the substrate before placing new shelters, it becomes easier to check how they get dirty after installation.
Imperial Zebra Plecos, in particular, are fish that you want to create a calm environment for, while also not wanting to degrade water quality. The more hiding spots you add, the more difficult-to-clean areas there will be, so I believe cleaning before installation is quite important.
▲ Before adding the shelters, I thoroughly cleaned the substrate and the area around where the shelters would be.
Install Shelters and Observe
Once the cleaning was done, I installed the SheltaCrafta shelters in the aquarium.
I was mindful of the placement, ensuring that the water flow wasn’t too strong, but also that it wouldn’t become a spot where debris would completely accumulate. For pleco shelters, it’s important not only whether the fish like them, but also whether daily cleaning is feasible.
Immediately after installation, I’m still observing, but I’m looking forward to seeing how the Imperials use them. If some individuals take a liking to them, I plan to gradually adjust the orientation of the shelters and the surrounding layout.
▲ SheltaCrafta shelters installed. I will observe for a while to see if the Imperials use them calmly.
I Hope They Lead to Breeding
This addition of SheltaCrafta shelters is less about simply changing the layout and more about creating more peaceful spaces for the Imperial Zebra Plecos.
Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean it will immediately lead to breeding. However, I believe that if good shelters are introduced and the fish can live calmly, the environment will gradually improve.
For a while, I will observe which individuals enter them, whether any conflicts arise, and if too much waste accumulates. I hope the Imps will like them.
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