The average Bristlenose Pleco size is somewhere between 3 and 5 inches long. Indigenous to parts of South America, this species has a hardy, … Setup: These fish eat plants and love wood. Most have a dark body that’s colored black, brown, or gray. It has a wider head, and is much shorter, fatter and flatter than the Common Pleco. Your bristlenose babies will remain under an inch for the rest of the month, only picking up in the 2 and 3 months, then grow up to 4 inches in six months. You can expect your bristlenose pleco to reach the full size of 6 inches within the second (2) year of them hatching. These fish also accept vegetables willingly. Leave 24 hours and replace with a fresh piece. They are brown, green, or gray with white or yellow spots; some have uneven coloring, with lighter and darker splotches on various parts of their bodies. Males are more desired, developing more bristles than females. In males, as they mature, a peculiar mustache is formed, which can be up to 2 cm long. They do have a high bioload, so you have to prepared to do more frequent water changes. These bristlenose plecos can be very expensive for a freshwater fish with prices ranging from $10 to $50. The name Ancistrus is from Latin, and stands for “hook”, alluding to the pleco’s dermal teeth also known as odontodes, found on its cheeks. When they hatch, the first few days they won't need any food since they've still got their eggsacks. The average size of Bristlenose Pleco is around 3 to 5 inches long. The Starlight Bristlenose pleco, also recognized as Ancistrus dolichopterus or L183, is an exotic-looking suckerfish that has a maximum size of 4.5 inches. The Bristlenose Pleco is one of the smallest catfish, growing to only 3 to 5 inches. However, there are exceptions: some reach full growth in less time, but this isn’t very common. In habitat of Loricariidae family catfish the water most of the year has the following parameters: hardness — 4—5 °dH, acidity (рН) — about 6. These bristlenose plecos can be very expensive for a freshwater fish with prices ranging from $10 to $50. One male BN pleco in a multi pleco tank, should have 1 and a 1/2 square foot bottom area to establish his territory. These fish are on the smaller end of the spectrum when it comes to size. Keep the aquarium decorated, with lots of cover or use fast-growing plants. You can expect your bristlenose pleco to reach the full size of 6 inches within the second (2) year of them hatching. A fish this size would need a tank well over 100 gallons. The bristlenose Pleco or also known as the bushynose catfish is one of the most interesting and most popular aquarium Pelco pet. Fry remain attached to the egg sac for another 2 to 4 days feeding on the egg-matter, which is key to their survival during the initial hours of them being alive. Single pairs will breed easily in a 29 tall with 4 to 5 inch fish. Sinking algae wafers and shrimp pellets (for protein) are good to use too. Life Span: 20 years. Natural Habitat: South American rivers and streams. The eggs will be stuck on the inside of the cave so no worries there. Water Parameters : pH 6 - 8 | Temperature : 68°F - 77°F (20°C - 25°C) | Water Hardness : 2° to 20° dH, Origin / Habitat : South America, Amazon River basin and tributaries, Temperament / Behavior : Peaceful but may be territorial with conspecifics. It's real rewarding! Unlike the widely-seen Common Pleco (Hypostomus plecostomus) and Trinidad Pleco (Hypostomus punctatus), which easily reach a monstrous size of 18 to 20+ inches, the Bristlenose Pleco grows to a size of only 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 cm). However, unlike other species in the family which grow to over a foot long, bristlenose pleco usually grows to almost half that size, between 3 and 5 inches in length for average adults. Unlike the widely-seen Common Pleco (Hypostomus plecostomus) and Trinidad Pleco (Hypostomus punctatus), which easily reach a monstrous size of 18 to 20+ inches (45 to 51+ cm), the Longfin Albino Bristlenose Pleco grows to a size of only 4 to 5 inches … They grow to be about 4 inches, so they can be kept in smaller aquariums in comparison to other types of plecos. They will go after zucchinni and cucumbers. Red Bristlenose pleco. Bristlenose Plecos are fairly popular among fishkeepers because of their smaller size. Recommended Minimum Aquarium Capacity: 10 gallon / 40 litre Ancistrus temminckii Bristlenose Plecos are prized for their smaller size and unique face "bristles". Privacy Policy | SiteMap | Aquarium Dictionary | Affiliate Disclosure | Contact Us. Once the tank is a year old, you can scale back to once a … In my 29 gallon I keep 2 Female Bristlenose plecos. If you have plecos in a newly cycled tank, be sure to test daily for ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites. Bristlenose Pleco Aquarium Requirements. A generally peaceful and hardy species, the Longfin Albino Bristlenose Pleco is an excellent, undemanding candidate for most aquariums. For me this has always worked. And Bella who is also a blue eyed yellow and is about four to four and a 1/2 inches long and a different variety than Buttercup. The following is from charlenelc on the forum: In the tanks that I keep my ABNs in, I break a lot of terra cotta pots to make caves. Gender : Males may have more and longer bristles near the mouth than females. They are actually real easy to care for. Once they stop wiggling and start swimming, it's time to feed. While the Common Pleco can grow in excess of a foot long, the Bristlenose Pleco will generally grow to a maximum length of around 6 inches, making them perfect … Possible Tank Mates: Community fish. The fish is native to South America, especially often it can be seen in the Amazon river basin. Especially when you see the male and female do the breeding "ritual"/dance and the chasing. The reason for its popularity is mostly due to its small flat yet the fat structure and its ability to clean its environment. Fed on courgette, hikari algae wafers and mushrooms. Like the common pleco for example, can grow up 2 feet long. Bristlenose Pleco. I just sink flakes, drop in spirulina disks, and also fresh cooked soft veggies like cucumber. The only pair that can work is 2 females. What Size Tank Do Bristlenose Plecos Need Given that they grow pretty small compared to other bottom-feeders, bristlenose plecos will live in a tank anywhere from 30 gallons and more . The adult Pleco has tentacle-like branches over their head and bony plates covering their flatten body. From Fishlore member aliray on the forum:I keep my male BN Lucky in a 20 gal high tank, he is the only bottom feeder in the tank. What Size Tank Do Bristlenose Plecos Need, plenty of plants that provide hiding spots. 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